US 11,837,678 B2
Germanium photodiode
Charles Baudot, Lumbin (FR); Sebastien Cremer, Sassenage (FR); Nathalie Vulliet, Crolles (FR); and Denis Pellissier-Tanon, Grenoble (FR)
Assigned to STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS, Crolles (FR)
Filed by STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS, Crolles (FR)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/486,219.
Application 17/486,219 is a division of application No. 16/294,645, filed on Mar. 6, 2019, granted, now 11,145,779.
Claims priority of application No. 1851989 (FR), filed on Mar. 7, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0013681 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 27/146 (2006.01); H01L 31/109 (2006.01); H01L 31/18 (2006.01); H01L 31/0232 (2014.01); H01L 31/028 (2006.01); H01L 31/105 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 31/109 (2013.01) [H01L 31/028 (2013.01); H01L 31/02327 (2013.01); H01L 31/105 (2013.01); H01L 31/1804 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
etching first and second trenches in a layer of semiconductor material to delimit a central region of semiconductor material, wherein the layer of semiconductor material is located on a first layer of insulating material;
depositing a second layer of insulating material which fills the first and second trenches and covers the central region;
etching the second layer of insulating material and the layer of semiconductor material at the central region to form a cavity which extends completely through both the second layer of insulating material and the layer of semiconductor material to reach the first layer of insulating material and delimit a first portion of the central region and a second portion of the central region spaced apart from each other by said cavity; and
epitaxially growing a semiconductor material different than a semiconductor material of said layer of semiconductor material in said cavity to form an active area of a photodiode.