Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Taehun Lee

Jinyoung Kim

Kwangyoung Oh

Donghoon Khang

Chongkwang Chang

Jihee Yang

An image sensor includes: a semiconductor substrate having a first side and a second side opposite to each other; a plurality of photoelectric regions arranged in the semiconductor substrate in a first direction and a second direction, perpendicular to each other, in a first region of the semiconductor substrate; and a first separation structure disposed between the plurality of photoelectric regions in the first region of the semiconductor substrate. The first separation structure includes a lower separation structure and an upper separation structure disposed above the lower separation structure, and the first separation structure includes a linear portion located between the plurality of photoelectric regions and extending in the first direction, wherein, in a cross-sectional structure of the linear portion of the first separation structure in the first direction, at least one of an upper surface of the lower separation structure and a lower surface of the upper separation structure has a wavy shape.

Image sensor

An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second opposing surfaces thereon and a photoelectric conversion region of first conductivity type therein, which extends between the first and second surfaces. A two-dimensional array of semiconductor photoelectric conversion devices of second conductivity type is provided within the photoelectric conversion region. A first grid-shaped isolation region is provided, which extends into the photoelectric conversion region from the first surface, and has a first electrically conductive material therein. A second grid-shaped isolation region is provided, which extends into the photoelectric conversion region from the second surface. An electrically conductive contact region is provided, which (i) extends on the second surface and into a portion of the photoelectric conversion region that is outside the two-dimensional array of semiconductor photoelectric conversion devices, and (ii) electrically contacts a portion of the first electrically conductive material within the first grid-shaped isolation region.

Image sensors having dual-surface isolation regions and deep through-substrate contacts and methods of forming same

An image sensor includes a substrate having first and second surfaces. A separation structure penetrates the substrate. Photoelectric conversion device regions are spaced apart from each other in the substrate. Color filters are disposed on the second surface of the substrate. Microlenses are disposed on the color filters. The separation structure includes lower and upper separation patterns, first line portions that run parallel to each other, and second line portions that perpendicularly intersect the first line portions. An upper surface of the lower separation pattern or a lower surface of the upper separation pattern has a wavy or sawtooth shape. In intersecting regions in which the first line portions and the second line portions intersect, a vertical length of one of the lower separation pattern and the upper separation pattern is about 2 to 10 times greater than a vertical length of the other.

Growing community of inventors

Suwon-si, South Korea

Taehun Lee