Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Fu-Cheng Chang

Ching-Hung Kao

Chia-Pin Cheng

Chih-Fei Lee

Kuo-Cheng Lee

Hsin-Chi Chen

Hsin-Hsiang Tseng

Kuo-Hung Lee

Chi-Cherng Jeng

Yen-Liang Lin

Hsun-Ying Huang

Chia-Yu Wei

Ping-Hao Lin

Po-Han Chen

Volume Chien

Ssu-Chiang Weng

Yuan-Ko Hwang

Chen-Chun Chen

Che-Chun Lu

Shiu-Ko JangJian

Chih-Mu Huang

Jheng-Hong Jiang

Fu-Tsun Tsai

Yi-Hsing Chu

Zen-Fong Huang

Po-Chun Chiu

Kuo-cheng Lee

Kai-Yi Chen

Chai-Der Yen

A semiconductor device includes a plurality of isolation structures, wherein each isolation structure of the plurality of isolation structures is spaced from an adjacent isolation structure of the plurality of isolation structures. The semiconductor device further includes a gate structure. The gate structure includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall angled with respect to the first sidewall. The gate structure further includes a first surface extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, wherein a dimension of the gate structure in a first direction is less than a dimension of each of the plurality of isolation structures in the first direction.

Wide channel semiconductor device

An image sensor device includes nanostructures for improving light absorption efficiency. The image sensor device includes a substrate, a light absorption region, and a nanostructure array. The light absorption region is over the substrate. The nanostructure array us over the light absorption region. The nanostructure array includes a plurality of nanostructures repeatedly arranged from a top view.

Semiconductor device with nanostructures

A method includes bonding a first wafer to a second wafer. The first wafer includes a plurality of dielectric layers, a metal pipe penetrating through the plurality of dielectric layers, and a dielectric region encircled by the metal pipe. The dielectric region has a plurality of steps formed of sidewalls and top surfaces of portions of the plurality of dielectric layers that are encircled by the metal pipe. The method further includes etching the first wafer to remove the dielectric region and to leave an opening encircled by the metal pipe, extending the opening into the second wafer to reveal a metal pad in the second wafer, and filling the opening with a conductive material to form a conductive plug in the opening.

Protection structures for bonded wafers

A method of making an image sensor includes depositing a shield layer over a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a first photodiode (PD) and a second PD. The method further includes etching the shield layer to define a first recess aligned with the first PD and a second recess aligned with the second PD. The method further includes depositing a flicker reduction layer in the first recess and in the second recess. The method further includes etching the flicker reduction layer to remove the flicker reduction layer from the first recess.

Image sensor and method of making

Photosensors may be formed on a front side of a semiconductor substrate. An optical refraction layer having a first refractive index may be formed on a backside of the semiconductor substrate. A grid structure including openings is formed over the optical refraction layer. A masking material layer is formed over the grid structure and the optical refraction layer. The masking material layer may be anisotropically etched using an anisotropic etch process that collaterally etches a material of the optical refraction layer and forms non-planar distal surface portions including random protrusions on physically exposed portions of the optical refraction layer. An optically transparent layer having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index may be formed on the non-planar distal surface portions of the optical refraction layer. A refractive interface refracts incident light in random directions, and improves quantum efficiency of the photo sensors.

Backside refraction layer for backside illuminated image sensor and methods of forming the same

A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes forming an alignment mark layer on a substrate; patterning the alignment mark layer for forming at least one alignment mark feature; forming a bottom conductive layer on the patterned alignment mark layer in a substantially conformal manner; forming an insulator layer on the bottom conductive layer; and forming a top conductive layer on the insulator layer.

Method for fabricating semiconductor structure having alignment mark feature

A semiconductor device includes a plurality of isolation structures, wherein each isolation structure of the plurality of isolation structures is spaced from an adjacent isolation structure of the plurality of isolation structures in a first direction. The semiconductor device further includes a gate structure. The gate structure includes a top surface; a first sidewall angled at a non-perpendicular angle with respect to the top surface; and a second sidewall angled with respect to the top surface. The gate structure further includes a first horizontal surface extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, wherein the first horizontal surface is parallel to the top surface, and a dimension of the gate structure in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, is less than a dimension of each of the plurality of isolation structures in the second direction.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a photo sensing region, and a plurality of semiconductor plugs. The photo sensing region is in the substrate. The photo sensing region forms a p-n junction with the substrate. The semiconductor plugs extend from above the photo sensing region into the photo sensing region.

A method of forming a semiconductor structure is disclosed. A multi-layer structure is formed over a substrate. A photoresist stack with a stepped sidewall is formed on the multi-layer structure. A pattern of the photoresist stack is transferred to the multi-layer structure.

Method of forming semiconductor structure

An image sensor includes a substrate and a first photodiode (PD) having a first size in the substrate. The image sensor further includes a second PD having a second size in the substrate, wherein the first size is different from the second size. The image sensor further includes a first buffer layer over the substrate. The image sensor further includes a shield layer over the first buffer, wherein the first buffer layer and the shield layer define a first recess aligned with the first PD and a second recess aligned with the second PD. The image sensor further includes a flicker reduction layer in the first recess, wherein the second recess is free of the flicker reduction layer.

An image sensor device includes a substrate, a deep-trench isolation structure, a buffer layer, and a light blocking structure. The substrate has a photosensitive region. The deep-trench isolation structure is in the substrate and adjacent the photosensitive region. The buffer layer is over the photosensitive region and the deep-trench isolation structure. The light blocking structure is over the buffer layer. A bottom portion of the light blocking structure is embedded in the buffer layer.

Manufacturing method of image sensor device having metal grid partially embedded in buffer layer

Photosensors may be formed on a front side of a semiconductor substrate. An optical refraction layer having a first refractive index may be formed on a backside of the semiconductor substrate. A grid structure including openings is formed over the optical refraction layer. A masking material layer is formed over the grid structure and the optical refraction layer. The masking material layer may be anisotropically etched using an anisotropic etch process that collaterally etches a material of the optical refraction layer and forms non-planar distal surface portions including random protrusions on physically exposed portions of the optical refraction layer. An optically transparent layer having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index may be formed on the non-planar distal surface portions of the optical refraction layer. A refractive interface refracts incident light in random directions, and improves quantum efficiency of the photosensors.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a photo sensing region, and a plurality of nanostructures. The semiconductor substrate has a first dopant. The photo sensing region is embedded in the semiconductor substrate, has a top surface level with a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, and has a second dopant that is of a different conductivity type than the first dopant. The plurality of nanostructures is on the photo sensing region and is made of a material the same as the photo sensing region.

Semiconductor device with nanostructures and methods of forming the same

A gate structure includes a gate and a first isolation structure having a top surface and a bottom surface. The gate includes a first sidewall adjacent to the first isolation structure, a second sidewall, a first horizontal surface adjacent to a bottom edge of the first sidewall and a bottom edge of the second sidewall, the first horizontal surface being between the top surface of the first isolation structure and the bottom surface of the first isolation structure. The gate also includes a second horizontal surface adjacent to a top edge of the second sidewall. An effective channel width defined by the gate structure includes a height of the second sidewall and a width of the second horizontal surface.

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Tainan, Taiwan

Fu-Cheng Chang