Semiconductor device

Claim 2

A semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; a semiconductor single crystal region constituted by a single crystal semiconductor formed on said substrate; a plurality of channels formed on said semiconductor single crystal region, each of said plurality of channels comprising: a light emitting element for emitting light in response to an input electrical signal, a light receiving element for receiving light emitted by said light emitting element and for outputting an output electrical signal, and an optical waveguide formed across said light emitting element and said light receiving element for optically coupling said light emitting element and said light receiving element; and a crosstalk preventing structure disposed to prevent crosstalk between said plurality of channels by reflecting and absorbing light emitted by said light emitting element constituting a particular one of said plurality of channels that is directed to another one of said plurality of channels adjacent to said particular one of said plurality of channels, said crosstalk preventing structure comprising: a first portion of at least one of an insulator and a dielectric disposed in said semiconductor single crystal region between said plurality of channels, a second portion of at least one of an insulator and a dielectric disposed in said semiconductor single crystal region between said plurality of channels, and a third portion of a semiconductor substance disposed between said first portion and second portion, said first portion and said second portion reflecting light, said third portion absorbing light which passes at least one of said first portion and said second portion.

Claim 3

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein: each of said first portion and said second portion of said crosstalk preventing structure comprises a light reflecting layer having a first refractive index smaller than a second refractive index of said semiconductor single crystal region.

Claim 4

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising: an electrical isolation layer disposed in said semiconductor single crystal region between said light emitting element and said light receiving element in each of said plurality of channels, said electrical isolation layer being formed of at least one of an insulator and a dielectric to electrically isolate said light emitting element from said light receiving element in each of said plurality of channels, said electrical isolation layer comprising: a first electrical isolation portion disposed between said light emitting element and said light receiving element of each of said plurality of channels, and a second electrical isolation portion disposed between said substrate and said semiconductor single crystal region, said first electrical isolation portion of said electrical isolation layer extending from a surface of said semiconductor single crystal region to said second electrical isolation portion of said electrical isolation layer.

Claim 5

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor single crystal region includes: a light emitting element area in which said light emitting element of each of said plurality of channels are formed; a light receiving element area in which said light receiving element of each of said plurality of channels are formed; and an electrical isolation portion comprising a plurality of electrical isolation films surrounding said light emitting element area and said light receiving element area, respectively.

Claim 6

A semiconductor device according to claim 4, further comprising: a filler area having a first thermal expansion coefficient close to or substantially the same as a second thermal expansion coefficient of said semiconductor single crystal region, said filler area being located between said plurality of electrical isolation films.

Claim 7

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein: said optical waveguide is made of a transparent material having a refractive index greater than one against a wavelength of the light emitted by said respective light emitting elements of said plurality of channels.

Claim 8

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein: said semiconductor single crystal region is made of silicon; and said light emitting element is a gallium arsenide (GaAs) light emitting diode formed on said silicon with a heterojunction.

Claim 9

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein: said semiconductor single crystal region is made of silicon; and said light emitting element is selected from an element of a phototransistor, a photodiode, a photo-thyristor, a photo-triac and a photoelectromotive force element, all of which utilize silicon (Si).

Claim 10

A semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein: said light reflecting layer is made of a material selected from the group of silicon oxide (SiO 2 ), silica glass, and an air gap.

Claim 11

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein: said optical waveguide is made of a film, a material of said film being selected from the group of silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ), titanium oxide (TiO 2 ), and arsenic glass (As 2 Se 3 , As 2 S 3 ).

Claim 12

A semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein: said plurality of electrical isolation films are made of at least one of silicon oxide (SiO 2 ) and silica glass.

Claim 13

A semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; a plurality of light emitting element regions and a plurality of light receiving element regions, said plurality of light emitting element regions and said plurality of light receiving element regions being semiconductor element regions formed of a single crystal semiconductor substance and being located on said substrate; a plurality of light emitting elements corresponding respectively to said plurality of light emitting element regions; a plurality of light receiving elements corresponding respectively to said plurality of light receiving element regions; a plurality of optical waveguides, each of which optically couple a respective one of said plurality of light emitting elements and a respective one of said plurality of light receiving elements; and an isolation region provided for every one of said plurality of light emitting element regions as well as for every one of said plurality of light receiving element regions, said isolation region comprising: a first insulation film surrounding sides of each of said plurality of light emitting element region and said plurality of light receiving element regions, a second insulation film disposed under each of said plurality of light emitting element regions and said plurality of light receiving element regions, and a semiconductor wall disposed around each of said plurality of light emitting element regions and said plurality of light receiving element regions with said first insulating film interposed therebetween, said first insulation film communicating with said second insulation film, said first insulation film, said second insulation film, and said semiconductor wall collectively forming an electrical and optical isolation between each of said plurality of light emitting element regions and each of said plurality of light receiving element regions by reflecting and absorbing light passing through a portion other than said optical waveguides.

Claim 14

A semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; a plurality of light emitting element regions and a plurality of light receiving element regions, said plurality of light emitting element regions and said plurality of light receiving element regions being semiconductor element regions formed of a single crystal semiconductor substance and being located on said substrate; a plurality of light emitting elements corresponding respectively to said plurality of light emitting element regions; a plurality of light receiving elements corresponding respectively to said plurality of light receiving element regions; a plurality of optical waveguides, each of which optically couple a respective one of said plurality of light emitting elements and a respective one of said plurality of light receiving elements; and an isolation region provided for every one of said plurality of light emitting element regions as well as for every one of said plurality of light receiving element regions, said isolation region comprising: a first insulation film surrounding sides of each of said plurality of light emitting element region and said plurality of light receiving element regions, a second insulation film disposed under each of said plurality of light emitting element regions and said plurality of light receiving element regions, and a semiconductor wall disposed around each of said plurality of light emitting element regions and said plurality of light receiving element regions with said first insulating film interposed therebetween, said first insulation film communicating with said second insulation film, said first insulation film, said second insulation film, and said semiconductor wall collectively forming an electrical and optical isolation between each of said plurality of light emitting element regions and each of said plurality of light receiving element regions by reflecting and absorbing light passing through a portion other than said optical waveguides.

Claim 15

A semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; a first single crystal semiconductor region in which a first light emitting element is formed, disposed on said substrate; a second single crystal semiconductor region in which a second light emitting element is formed, disposed on said substrate; a third single crystal semiconductor region in which a first light receiving element is formed, disposed on said substrate; a fourth single crystal semiconductor region in which a second light receiving element is formed, disposed on said substrate; a first optical waveguide optically coupling said first light emitting element and said first light receiving element; a second optical waveguide optically coupling said second light emitting element and said second light receiving element; a first isolation region of an insulation substance having a first refractive index smaller than a second refractive index of said first single crystal semiconductor region, said first isolation region enclosing said first single crystal semiconductor region at sides and bottom thereof; a second isolation region of said insulation substance having a third refractive index smaller than a fourth refractive index of said second single crystal semiconductor region, said second isolation region enclosing said second single crystal semiconductor region at sides and bottom thereof; a third isolation region of an insulation substance having a fifth refractive index smaller than a sixth refractive index of said third single crystal semiconductor region, said third isolation region enclosing said third single crystal semiconductor region at sides and bottom thereof; and a fourth isolation region of an insulation substance having a seventh refractive index smaller than a eighth refractive index of said fourth single crystal semiconductor region, said fourth isolation region enclosing said fourth single crystal semiconductor region at sides and bottom thereof; at least said first single crystal semiconductor region and said second single crystal semiconductor region being further surrounded at sides thereof by semiconductor portions, respectively, to absorb light coming out through said first isolation region and said second isolation region to said semiconductor portions.

Claim 16

A semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; a first single crystal semiconductor region in which a first light emitting element is formed, disposed on said substrate; a second single crystal semiconductor region in which a second light emitting element is formed, disposed on said substrate; a third single crystal semiconductor region in which a first light receiving element is formed, disposed on said substrate; a fourth single crystal semiconductor region in which a second light receiving element is formed, disposed on said substrate; a first optical waveguide optically coupling said first light emitting element and said first light receiving element; a second optical waveguide optically coupling said second light emitting element and said second light receiving element; a first isolation region of an insulation substance having a first refractive index smaller than a second refractive index of said first single crystal semiconductor region, said first isolation region enclosing said first single crystal semiconductor region at sides and bottom thereof; a second isolation region of said insulation substance having a third refractive index smaller than a fourth refractive index of said second single crystal semiconductor region, said second isolation region enclosing said second single crystal semiconductor region at sides and bottom thereof; a third isolation region of an insulation substance having a fifth refractive index smaller than a sixth refractive index of said third single crystal semiconductor region, said third isolation region enclosing said third single crystal semiconductor region at sides and bottom thereof; and a fourth isolation region of an insulation substance having a seventh refractive index smaller than a eighth refractive index of said fourth single crystal semiconductor region, said fourth isolation region enclosing said fourth single crystal semiconductor region at sides and bottom thereof; at least said first single crystal semiconductor region and said second single crystal semiconductor region being further surrounded at sides thereof by semiconductor portions, respectively, to absorb light coming out through said first isolation region and said second isolation region to said semiconductor portions.

Claim 17

A semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein: said first single crystal semiconductor region and said second single crystal semiconductor region are provided within a first semiconductor island provided on said substrate; said third single crystal semiconductor region and said fourth single crystal semiconductor region are provided within a second semiconductor island provided on said substrate; and wherein said semiconductor device further comprises an electrical isolation region disposed between said first semiconductor island and said second semiconductor island.

Claim 18

A semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein: said first semiconductor island and said second semiconductor island are electrically isolated from said substrate.