Photo sensor, method of manufacturing photo sensor, and display apparatus

Abstract

A photo sensor, a method of manufacturing the photo sensor, and a display apparatus, the photo sensor including a substrate; a light receiving unit on the substrate, the light receiving unit including an amorphous semiconductor material; a first adjacent unit and a second adjacent unit formed as one body with the light receiving unit, the first adjacent unit and the second adjacent unit being separated from each other by the light receiving unit; a first photo sensor electrode electrically connected to the first adjacent unit; and a second photo sensor electrode electrically connected to the second adjacent unit, wherein at least one of the first adjacent unit and the second adjacent unit includes a crystalline semiconductor material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A photo sensor, comprising:
 a substrate;   a light receiving unit on the substrate, the light receiving unit including an amorphous semiconductor material;   a first adjacent unit and a second adjacent unit formed as one body with the light receiving unit, the first adjacent unit and the second adjacent unit being separated from each other by the light receiving unit;   a first photo sensor electrode electrically connected to the first adjacent unit; and   a second photo sensor electrode electrically connected to the second adjacent unit,   wherein at least one of the first adjacent unit and the second adjacent unit includes a crystalline semiconductor material.   
     
     
         2 . The photo sensor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the amorphous semiconductor material of the light receiving unit includes amorphous silicon. 
     
     
         3 . The photo sensor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the light receiving unit opposite to another surface thereof facing the substrate, a surface of the first adjacent unit opposite to another surface thereof facing the substrate, and a surface of the second adjacent unit opposite to another surface thereof facing the substrate are coplanar. 
     
     
         4 . The photo sensor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first adjacent unit and the second adjacent unit include the crystalline semiconductor material, the crystalline semiconductor material including crystallized silicon,   the first adjacent unit is doped with a P-type dopant, and   the second adjacent unit is doped with an N-type dopant.   
     
     
         5 . The photo sensor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first adjacent unit includes the crystalline semiconductor material, the crystalline semiconductor material including crystallized silicon, and   the second adjacent unit includes amorphous silicon.   
     
     
         6 . The photo sensor as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first adjacent unit is doped with a P-type dopant, and   the second adjacent unit is doped with an N-type dopant.   
     
     
         7 . The photo sensor as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first adjacent unit is doped with an N-type dopant, and   the second adjacent unit is doped with a P-type dopant.   
     
     
         8 . A method of manufacturing a photo sensor, the method comprising:
 forming a light receiving unit, a first adjacent unit, and a second adjacent unit on a substrate, such that:
 the light receiving unit includes an amorphous semiconductor material, 
 the first and second adjacent units are formed as one body with the light receiving unit and the first and second adjacent units are separated from each other by the light receiving unit; and 
   forming a first photo sensor electrode and a second photo sensor electrode such that the first photo sensor electrode is electrically connected to the first adjacent unit and the second photo sensor electrode is electrically connected to the second adjacent unit,   wherein at least one of the first adjacent unit and the second adjacent unit includes a crystalline semiconductor material.   
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein forming the light receiving unit, the first adjacent unit, and the second adjacent unit includes:
 forming an amorphous semiconductor material layer on the substrate; and   selectively crystallizing a region of the amorphous semiconductor material layer, the region corresponding to at least one of the first adjacent unit and the second adjacent unit.   
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising performing a single patterning process on the amorphous semiconductor material layer to form the light receiving unit, the first adjacent unit, and the second adjacent unit after selectively crystallizing the region of the amorphous semiconductor material layer. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the amorphous semiconductor material of the light receiving unit includes amorphous silicon. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein a surface of the light receiving unit opposite to another surface thereof facing the substrate, a surface of the first adjacent unit opposite to another surface thereof facing the substrate, and a surface of the second adjacent unit opposite to another surface thereof facing the substrate are coplanar. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first adjacent unit and the second adjacent unit include the crystalline semiconductor material, the crystalline semiconductor material including crystallized silicon,   the first adjacent unit is doped with a P-type dopant, and   the second adjacent unit is doped with an N-type dopant.   
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the amorphous semiconductor material of the light receiving unit includes silicon, and   forming the light receiving unit, the first adjacent unit, and the second adjacent unit includes:
 forming an amorphous semiconductor material layer on the substrate; and 
 selectively crystallizing a region of the amorphous semiconductor material layer corresponding to the first adjacent unit. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first adjacent unit is doped with a P-type dopant, and   the second adjacent unit is doped with an N-type dopant.   
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first adjacent unit is doped with an N-type dopant, and   the second adjacent unit is doped with a P-type dopant.   
     
     
         17 . A display apparatus, comprising:
 a substrate;   a display device;   a light receiving unit on the substrate, the light receiving unit including an amorphous semiconductor material;   a first adjacent unit and a second adjacent unit formed as one body with the light receiving unit, the first adjacent unit and the second adjacent unit being separated from each other by the light receiving unit; and   a first photo sensor electrode electrically connected to the first adjacent unit; and   a second photo sensor electrode electrically connected to the second adjacent unit,   wherein at least one of the first adjacent unit and the second adjacent unit includes a crystalline semiconductor material.   
     
     
         18 . The display apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the display device is an organic light emitting display device or a liquid crystal display device.