Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Ping-Hao Lin

Kuo-Cheng Lee

Hsin-Chi Chen

Yen-Liang Lin

Hsun-Ying Huang

Chia-Yu Wei

Fu-Cheng Chang

Yu Ting Kao

Ssu-Chiang Weng

Chun-Lin Fang

Li-Wen Huang

Chung-Liang Cheng

Chi-Feng Huang

Yun-Wei Cheng

Cheng-Ming Wu

Shih-Hsun Hsu

Hung-Che Liao

Hsiao-Chun Lee

Hung-Ta Huang

Ching-Hua Chu

Hung-Yu Chiu

Chih-Ming Huang

Po-Yuan Su

Chao-Hsuan Pan

Wen-Tsung Chen

Kuan-Ling Pan

Bo-Ge Huang

An image sensor device may include a pixel sensor array and a black level correction (BLC) region. The BLC region may include a sensing region in a substrate and a light-blocking layer above the sensing region. An anti-reflection array may be formed in the light-blocking layer. The anti-reflection array includes holes, trenches, and/or other structural features such that the light-blocking layer includes two or more areas in which the top surface of the light-blocking layer is at different heights in the image sensor device. The different heights of the top surface of the light-blocking layer reduce the likelihood of light being reflected off of the light-blocking layer and toward the pixel sensor array. The anti-reflection array may reduce the likelihood of occurrence of flares or hot spots in images generated by the image sensor device, which may increase the image quality of the images generated by the image sensor device.

Image sensor device and methods of formation

A pixel array may include a plurality of pixel regions including a first pixel region and a second pixel region. The pixel array may include a metal grid structure over the plurality of pixel regions. The pixel array may include a light blocking layer. A first portion of the light blocking layer may be over the first pixel region and under the metal grid structure. The first portion may have a first thickness. A second portion of the light blocking layer may be over the second pixel region and under the metal grid structure. The second portion may have a second thickness that is different from the first thickness.

Pixel array providing flicker reduction and dynamic range

A semiconductor device includes a first type of light sensing units, where each instance of the first type of light sensing units is operable to receive a first amount of radiation; and a second type of light sensing units, where each instance of the second type of light sensing units is operable to receive a second amount of radiation, and the second type of light sensing units is arranged in an array with the first type of light sensing units to form a pixel sensor. The first amount of radiation is smaller than the second amount of radiation, and at least a first instance of the first type of light sensing units is adjacent to a second instance first type of light sensing unit.

Semiconductor device, semiconductor image sensor, and method of manufacturing the same

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

The present disclosure relates to a CMOS image sensor, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the CMOS image sensor comprises a substrate and a transfer gate disposed from a front-side surface of the substrate. The CMOS image sensor further comprises a photo detecting column disposed at one side of the transfer gate within the substrate. The photo detecting column comprises a doped sensing layer comprising one or more recessed portions along a circumference of the doped sensing layer in parallel to the front-side surface of the substrate. By forming the photo detecting column with recessed portions, a junction interface is enlarged compared to a previous p-n junction interface without recessed portions, and thus a full well capacity of the photodiode structure is improved.

CMOS image sensor having indented photodiode structure

An electrode controls transmittance of a blocking layer over a photodiode of a pixel sensor (e.g., a photodiode of a small pixel detector) by changing oxidation of a metal material included in the blocking layer. By using the electrode to adjust transmittance of the blocking layer, pixel sensors for different uses and/or products may be produced using a single manufacturing process. As a result, power and processing resources are conserved that otherwise would have been expended in switching manufacturing processes. Additionally, production time is decreased (e.g., by eliminating downtime that would otherwise have been used to reconfigure fabrication machines.

Pixel sensors and methods of forming the same

In some embodiments, an image sensor is provided. The image sensor comprises a first photodetector disposed within a front-side surface of a semiconductor substrate. A trench isolation structure is disposed over a back-side surface of the semiconductor substrate. The trench isolation structure includes a buffer layer and a dielectric liner. The buffer layer covers the back-side surface of the semiconductor substrate and fills trenches that extend downward into the back-side surface of the semiconductor substrate. The dielectric liner is disposed between the buffer layer and the semiconductor substrate. A composite grid structure has composite grid segments that are aligned over the trenches, respectively. The buffer layer separates the dielectric liner from the composite grid structure. A light shield structure is disposed within the buffer layer and directly overlies the first photodetector.

Embedded light shield structure for CMOS image sensor

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

The present disclosure relates to a CMOS image sensor, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the CMOS image sensor comprises a floating diffusion region disposed at one side of a transfer gate within a substrate and a photo detecting column disposed at the other side of the transfer gate opposing to the floating diffusion region within the substrate. The photo detecting column comprises a doped sensing layer with a doping type opposite to that of the substrate. The photo detecting column and the substrate are in contact with each other at a junction interface comprising one or more recessed portions. By forming the junction interface with recessed portions, the junction interface is enlarged compared to a previous p-n junction interface without recessed portions, and thus a full well capacity of the photodiode structure is improved.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a through substrate via structure. The substrate has a through via hole. The through substrate via structure is disposed in the through via hole. The through substrate via structure disposed in the through via hole includes a liner structure and a metal layer. The liner structure includes at least two insulation liners and at least one conductive shielding layer disposed between the insulation liners, in which the insulation liners and the at least one conductive shielding layer conformally cover a sidewall and a bottom of the through via hole. The metal layer covers the liner structure and fills the through via hole.

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Tainan, Taiwan

Ping-Hao Lin