Semiconductor device including vanadium oxide sensor element with restricted current density

Abstract

In a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate and at least one sensor element made of vanadium oxide formed over the semiconductor substrate, the sensor element is designed so that a density of a current flowing through the sensor element is between 0 and 100 μA/μm2.

1 . A semiconductor device comprising:
 a semiconductor substrate; and   at least one sensor element made of vanadium oxide formed over said semiconductor substrate, said sensor element is designed so that a density of a current flowing through said sensor element is between 0 to 100 μA/μm 2 .   
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said sensor element is configured so that a resistance of said sensor element is changed in accordance with an electromagnetic wave incident to said device. 
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said electromagnetic wave is an infrared ray. 
     
     
         4 . The semiconductor device as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising a reflection plate made of Cr/Pt provided on said semiconductor substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The semiconductor device as set forth in  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said sensor elements which are arranged in a matrix. 
     
     
         6 . The semiconductor device as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a plurality of MOS transistors each connected to one of said sensor elements;   a plurality of gate lines;   a plurality of data lines;   a vertical shift register, connected to said gate lines, for sequentially selecting said gate lines; and   a horizontal shift register, connected to said data lines, for sequentially selecting said data lines,   one of said MOS transistors and one of said sensor elements being connected at each intersection between said gate lines and said data lines.