Stmicroelectronics (crolles 2) Sas

Emmanuel Gourvest

Olivier Hinsinger

Daniel Benoit

Laurent Favennec

Yannick Le Friec

A back-side illuminated image sensor includes memory regions formed in a semiconductor wafer. Each memory region is located between two opaque walls which extend into the semiconductor wafer. An opaque screen is arranged at the rear surface of the memory region and in electrical contact with the opaque walls.

Back-side illuminated image sensor

Two phase-change memory cells are formed from a first conductive via, a second conductive and a central conductive via positioned between the first and second conductive vias where a layer of phase-change material is electrically connected to the first and second conductive vias by corresponding resistive elements and insulated from the central conductive via by an insulating layer. The conductive vias each include a lower portion made of a first metal (such as tungsten) and an upper portion made of a second metal (such as copper). Drains of two transistors are coupled to the first and second conductive vias while sources of those two transistors are coupled to the central conductive via.

Growing community of inventors

Voiron, France

Emmanuel Gourvest