Light-receiving semiconductor device

Claim 2

A LIGHT RECEIVING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE COMPRISING A SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE OF N-TYPE CONDUCTIVITY INCLUDING A PLURLITY OF LIGHT RECEIVING ELEMENTS EACH HAVING AT LEAST FIRST AND SECOND SEMICONDUCTOR REGIONS OF OPPOSITE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE FORMING AT LEAST ONE P-N JUNCTION THEREBETWEEN, SAID LIGHT RECEIVING ELEMENTS BEING ARRANGED IN A CERTAIN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, EACH OF SAID LIGHT RECEIVING ELEMENTS HAVING ITS LIGHT RECEIVING FACE EXPOSED TO ONE OF THE SURFACES OF SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE AND THE EDGE OF SAID AT LEAST ONE P-N JUNCTION BEING EXPOSED THERETO; AN N-TYPE REGION OF A HIGHER IMPURITY CONCENTRATION THAN SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE, SAID N-TYPE REGION BEING FORMED IN SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE AT LEAST A PORTION OF WHICH IS DISPOSED BENEATH THE SURFACE OF EACH OF SAID LIGHT RECEIVING ELEMENTS WHICH IS DIRECTLY OPPOSITE TO THAT RESPECTIVE SURFACE PORTION BY WAY OF WHICH LIGHT ENTERS; AND A COUPLE OF ELECTRODES EACH IN OHMIC CONTACT WITH A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND REGIONS OF EACH OF SAID LIGHT RECEIVING ELEMENTS.

Claim 3

A light receiving semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a certain spaced relationship with respect to each other, each of said light receiving elements having a light receiving side exposed to one of said main surfaces of said semiconductor substrate, each of said light receiving elements including a first region of one conductivity type, a second region of the conductivity type opposite to that of said first region, and at least one p-n junction formed between said first region and said second region, said second region being adjacent to said first region and the edge of the p-n junction being exposed to said one of said main surfaces; a plurality of films each formed all over the opposed portion between said light-receiving elements and apart from said edge of the p-n junction on said one of the main surfaces of the semiconductor substrate, light which energizes the device being not substantially transmitted by said film; and a couple of main electrodes each in ohmic contact with a respective one of said first and second regions included in each of said light receiving elements; and wherein said semiconductor substrate is of n-type conductivity and an n-type region of a higher impurity concentration than said semiconductor substrate is formed in said semiconductor substrate at least a portion of which is located beneath the surface of each of said light receiving elements which is directly opposite to that respective surface portion by way of which light enters.

Claim 4

A light receiving semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a certain spaced relationship with respect to each other, each of said light receiving elements having a light receiving side exposed to one of said main surfaces of said semiconductor substrate, each of said light receiving elements including a first region of one conductivity type, a second region of the conductivity type opposite to that of said first region, and at least one p-n junction formed between said first region and said second region, said second region being adjacent to said first region and the edge of the p-n junction being exposed to said one of said main surfaces; a plurality of films each formed all over the opposed portion between said light-receiving elements and apart from said edge of the p-n junction on said one of the main surfaces of the semiconductor substrate, light which energizes the device being not substantially transmitted by said film; and a couple of main electrodes each in ohmic contact with a respective one of said first and second regions included in each of said light receiving elements; and wherein said semiconductor substrate is of n-type conductivity and an n-type region of a higher impurity concentration than said semiconductor substrate is formed in said semiconductor substrate at least a portion of which is located beneath the surface of each of said light receiving elements which is directly opposite to that respective surface portion by way of which light enters.

Claim 5

A light receiving semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a certain spaced relationship with respect to each other, each of said light receiving elements having a light receiving side exposed to one of said main surfaces of said semiconductor substrate, each of said light receiving elements including a first region of one conductivity type, a second region of the conductivity type opposite to that of said first region, and at least one p-n juNction formed between said first region and said second region, said second region being adjacent to said first region and the edge of the p-n junction being exposed to said one of said main surfaces; a plurality of films each formed all over the opposed portion between said light-receiving elements and apart from said edge of the p-n junction on said one of the main surfaces of the semiconductor substrate, light which energizes the device being not substantially transmitted by said film; and a couple of main electrodes each in ohmic contact with a respective one of said first and second regions included in each of said light receiving elements; and wherein said semiconductor substrate is of n-type conductivity and an n-type of a higher impurity concentration than said semiconductor substrate is formed is said substrate between said light receiving elements and apart from said p-n junction and which is located in the surface of each of said light receiving elements which is directly opposite to that respective surface portion by way of which light enters.

Claim 6

A light receiving semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a certain spaced relationship with respect to each other, each of said light receiving elements having a light receiving side exposed to one of said main surfaces of said semiconductor substrate, each of said light receiving elements including a first region of one conductivity type, a second region of the conductivity type opposite to that of said first region, and at least one p-n juNction formed between said first region and said second region, said second region being adjacent to said first region and the edge of the p-n junction being exposed to said one of said main surfaces; a plurality of films each formed all over the opposed portion between said light-receiving elements and apart from said edge of the p-n junction on said one of the main surfaces of the semiconductor substrate, light which energizes the device being not substantially transmitted by said film; and a couple of main electrodes each in ohmic contact with a respective one of said first and second regions included in each of said light receiving elements; and wherein said semiconductor substrate is of n-type conductivity and an n-type of a higher impurity concentration than said semiconductor substrate is formed is said substrate between said light receiving elements and apart from said p-n junction and which is located in the surface of each of said light receiving elements which is directly opposite to that respective surface portion by way of which light enters.

Claim 7

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 2, in which each of said films is made of a conductive material and in ohmic contact with said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 8

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 4, in which said n-type region of a higher impurity concentration than said semiconductor substrate is also formed between said light receiving elements and apart from said p-n junction.

Claim 9

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 2, in which each of said films is made of metal and a Schottky barrier is formed between said metal film and said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 10

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 2, in which said Schottky barriers are electrically short-circuited to each other.

Claim 11

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 2, in which an isolated region of a conductivity type opposite to that of said semiconductor substrate is buried in each portion of said semiconductor substrate between said light receiving elements and apart from said p-n junction, said isolated region being exposed to said one of said main surfaces of said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 12

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 8, in which each p-n junction formed between said semiconductor substrate and said isolated region is electrically short-circuited.

Claim 13

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 3, in which each of said films is made of metal and a Schottky barrier is formed between said metal film and said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 14

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 3, in which an isolated region of a conductivity type opposite to that of said semiconductor substrate is buried in each portion of said semiconductor substrate between said light receiving elements and apart from said p-n junction, said isolated region being exposed to said one of said main surfaces of said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 15

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said higher impurity concentration n-type region extends to said directly opposite surface.

Claim 16

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said higher impurity concentration n-type region is buried in said substrate spaced apart from said directly opposite surface.

Claim 17

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said higher impurity concentration n-type region extends to said directly opposite surface.

Claim 18

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said higher impurity concentration n-type region is buried in said substrate spaced apart from said directly opposite surface.

Claim 19

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein said higher impurity concentration n-type region extends to saiD directly opposite surface.

Claim 20

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein said higher impurity concentration n-type region is buried in said substrate spaced apart from said directly opposite surface.

Claim 21

A light receiving semiconductor device according to claim 1, in which an n-type region of a higher impurity concentration than said semiconductor substrate is formed between said light receiving elements of the semiconductor substrate and apart from said p-n junction.