Micron Technology Incorporated

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC

Aptina Imaging Corporation

Richard D Holscher

Zhiping Yin

Ardavan Niroomand

Linda K Somerville

Tom Glass

Gurtej S Sandhu

Luan C Tran

Ravi T Iyer

Fred D Fishburn

Thomas R Glass

Brett W Busch

Pary Baluswamy

Ulrich C Boettiger

Gennadiy A Agranov

Yoshiki Hishiro

David Q Wright

Ziad R Hatab

Brian A Vaartstra

Dongqing Cao

Gershon Rosenblum

Jeffrey Mackey

Alexandre G Dokoutchaev

Niroomand Ardavan

Kenneth H Somerville

An electronic imager includes a pixel sensor array, a plurality elements of a color filter array containing pigments forming multiple color filter patterns on the pixel sensor array and a silylating agent formed between at least first and second elements of the multiple color filter patterns. A method for forming a color filter array on a pixel sensor array of an electronic imager includes forming a pixel sensor array on a substrate, forming a first color filter pattern on the pixel sensor array, depositing a silylating agent on the first color filter pattern, disposing elements of a second color filter pattern on the silylating agent between respective elements of the first color filter pattern and disposing elements of a third color filter pattern on the silylating agent between respective elements of the first color filter pattern.

CFA resist silylation for limiting color interactions and improving crosstalk

An image sensor may have an array of image sensor pixels having varying light collecting areas. The light collecting area of each image pixel may vary with respect to other image pixels due to varied microlens sizes and varied color filter element sizes throughout the array. The light collecting area may vary within unit pixel cells and the variability of the light collecting areas of pixels within each pixel cell may depend on the location of the pixel cell in the pixel array. Each unit pixel cell may include at least one clear pixel having a light collecting area that is smaller than the light collecting areas of other single color pixels in the unit pixel cell.

Imaging systems with image pixels having varying light collecting areas

An image sensor may be provided in which a pixel array includes imaging pixels and application-specific pixels. The application-specific pixels may include depth-sensing pixels, infrared imaging pixels, or other types of application-specific pixels. A color filter array may be formed over the pixel array. The color filter array may include Bayer color filter array formed over the imaging pixels. The color filter array may also include a plurality of green color filter elements formed over the application-specific pixels. Barrier structures may be interposed between imaging pixels and application-specific pixels. The barrier structures may be configured to reduce or eliminate optical crosstalk between imaging pixels and adjacent application-specific pixels. The barrier structures may include an opaque photodefinable material such as black or blue photodefinable material that may be configured to filter out wavelength bands of interest. The barrier structures may be formed during the color filter array fabrication process.

Imaging systems with color filter barriers

In one aspect, the invention includes a semiconductor processing method. An antireflective material layer is formed over a substrate. At least a portion of the antireflective material layer is annealed at a temperature of greater than about 400&#xb0; C. A layer of photoresist is formed over the annealed antireflective material layer. The layer of photoresist is patterned. A portion of the antireflective material layer unmasked by the patterned layer of photoresist is removed. In another aspect, the invention includes the following semiconductor processing. An antireflective material layer is formed over a substrate. The antireflective material layer is annealed at a temperature of greater than about 400&#xb0; C. A layer of photoresist is formed over the annealed antireflective material layer. Portions of the layer of photoresist are exposed to radiation waves. Some of the radiation waves are absorbed by the antireflective material during the exposing.

Semiconductor constructions

An alignment mark mask element protects an underlying alignment mark during subsequent processing of a fabrication substrate. The alignment mark mask element is formed concurrent with formation of a photomask from a dual-tone photoresist that exhibits a pattern reversal upon exposure to an energy level. A portion of the dual-tone photoresist above the alignment mark is exposed to an energy sufficient to reverse a positive tone resist to a negative tone, which remains above the alignment mark after developing. The remainder of the dual-tone photoresist is exposed through a reticle at a lesser energy level and patterned to define aperture locations of a photomask for formation of semiconductor device features. In addition, a photomask for use on a fabrication substrate and an intermediate semiconductor device are disclosed. Methods of forming a photomask and an intermediate semiconductor device structure are also disclosed.

Intermediate semiconductor device structures

Semiconductor constructions having antireflective portions

A method and apparatus are disclosed which provide a color filter array for an imaging device in which the filters of the array are accurately positioned through the use of a patterned mask layer used to form filters for one color of the array. Additionally or alternatively, the color filter array can have a light blocking spacer to block light from being transmitted between color filters and/or to a peripheral circuitry region.

Color filter array and imaging device containing such color filter array and method of fabrication

Semiconductor devices having antireflective material

The present invention includes semiconductor circuitry. Such circuitry encompasses a metal silicide layer over a substrate and a layer comprising silicon, nitrogen and oxygen in physical contact with the metal silicide layer. The present invention also includes a gate stack which encompasses a polysilicon layer over a substrate, a metal silicide layer over the polysilicon layer, an antireflective material layer over the metal silicide layer, a silicon nitride layer over the antireflective material layer, and a layer of photoresist over the silicon nitride layer, for photolithographically patterning the layer of photoresist to form a patterned masking layer from the layer of photoresist and transferring a pattern from the patterned masking layer to the silicon nitride layer, antireflective material layer, metal silicide layer and polysilicon layer. The patterned silicon nitride layer, antireflective material layer, metal silicide layer and polysilicon layer encompass a gate stack.

Circuitry and gate stacks

A patterned mask can be formed as follows. A first patterned photoresist is formed over a masking layer and utilized during a first etch into the masking layer. The first etch extends to a depth in the masking layer that is less than entirely through the masking layer. A second patterned photoresist is subsequently formed over the masking layer and utilized during a second etch into the masking layer. The combined first and second etches form openings extending entirely through the masking layer and thus form the masking layer into the patterned mask. The patterned mask can be utilized to form a pattern in a substrate underlying the mask. The pattern formed in the substrate can correspond to an array of capacitor container openings. Capacitor structure can be formed within the openings. The capacitor structures can be incorporated within a DRAM array.

Methods of forming openings, and methods of forming container capacitors

Use of a dual-tone resist to form photomasks including alignment mark protection, intermediate semiconductor device structures and bulk semiconductor device substrates

Capacitor structures, and DRAM arrays

Semiconductor processing methods

An alignment mark mask element protects an underlying alignment mark during subsequent processing of the fabrication substrate. The alignment mark mask element is formed concurrent with formation of a photomask from a dual-tone photoresist that exhibits a pattern reversal upon exposure to an energy level. A portion of the dual-tone photoresist above the alignment mark is exposed to an energy sufficient to reverse a positive tone resist to a negative tone, which remains above the alignment mark after developing. The remainder of the dual-tone photoresist is exposed through a reticle at a lesser energy level and patterned to define aperture locations of a photomask for formation of semiconductor device features. In addition, a photomask for use on a fabrication substrate and an intermediate semiconductor device are disclosed. Methods of forming a photomask and an intermediate semiconductor device structure are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

Richard D Holscher