Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Tzu-Jui Wang

Dun-Nian Yaung

Jen-Cheng Liu

Szu-Ying Chen

Yuichiro Yamashita

Jhy-Jyi Sze

Kuo-Chin Huang

Hsiao-Hui Tseng

Ming-Chieh Hsu

Ching-Chun Wang

Chun-Yuan Chen

Shyh-Fann Ting

Keng-Yu Chou

Chun-Hao Chuang

Yen-Ting Chiang

Yu-Jen Wang

Ping-Yin Liu

Cheng-Chieh Hsieh

Lan-Lin Chao

Jung-Kuo Tu

Ren-Jie Lin

Tzu-Hsuan Hsu

Bruce C S Chou

Kuan-Chieh Huang

Chen-Jong Wang

Wei-Cheng Hsu

Jyh-Ming Hung

Cheng-Hsien Chou

Sheng-Chau Chen

Sheng-Chan Li

Calvin Yi-Ping Chao

Meng-Hsun Wan

Alexander Kalnitsky

Min-Feng Kao

Yu-Hung Cheng

Yi-Shin Chu

Shang-Fu Yeh

Seiji Takahashi

Ching I Li

Hsiang-Lin Chen

Chin-Chia Kuo

Jung-I Lin

Hung-Chang Chien

Chi-Hsien Chung

Hua-Mao Chen

Bruce Cs Chou

Shih-Min Huang

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a single-photon avalanche detector (SPAD) device including a silicon substrate including a recess in an upper surface of the silicon substrate. A p-type region is arranged in the silicon substrate below a lower surface of the recess. An n-type avalanche region is arranged in the silicon substrate below the p-type region and meets the p-type region at a p-n junction. A germanium region is disposed within the recess over the p-n junction.

Semiconductor device including germanium region disposed in semiconductor substrate

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an image sensor. The image sensor comprises a substrate. A photodetector is in the substrate and includes a semiconductor guard ring extending into a first side of the substrate. A shallow trench isolation (STI) structure extends into the first side of the substrate. An outer isolation structure extends into a second side of the substrate, opposite the first side of the substrate, to the STI structure. The STI structure and the outer isolation structure laterally surround the photodetector. An inner isolation structure extends into the second side of the substrate and overlies the photodetector. The inner isolation structure is vertically separated from the photodetector by the substrate. Further, the outer isolation structure laterally surrounds the inner isolation structure.

Image sensor with dual trench isolation structure

A boron (B) layer may be formed as a passivation layer in a recess in which a vertical transfer gate is to be formed. The recess may then be filled with a gate electrode of the vertical transfer gate over the passivation layer (and/or one or more intervening layers) to form the vertical transfer gate. The passivation layer may be formed in the recess by epitaxial growth. The use of epitaxy to grow the passivation layer enables precise control over the profile, uniformity, and boron concentration in the passivation layer. Moreover, the use of epitaxy to grow the passivation layer may reduce the diffusion length of the passivation layer into the substrate of the pixel sensor, which provides increased area in the pixel sensor for the photodiode.

Passivation for a vertical transfer gate in a pixel sensor

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor. The image sensor includes a first chip bonded to a second chip. The first chip includes a semiconductor substrate. The first chip includes a first transistor cell and a second transistor cell. The second transistor cell is laterally spaced from the first transistor cell. A first through-substrate via (TSV) extends vertically through the semiconductor substrate. The first transistor cell is electrically coupled to the first TSV. A second TSV extends vertically through the first semiconductor substrate. The second transistor cell is electrically coupled to the second TSV. The second chip comprises a first readout circuit that is electrically coupled to the first TSV and the second TSV. The first readout circuit is disposed laterally between the first TSV and the second TSV. The first readout circuit is configured to receive a first signal from the first transistor cell.

High-speed readout image sensor

A photovoltaic cell includes a germanium-containing well embedded in a single crystalline silicon substrate and extending to a proximal horizontal surface of the single crystalline silicon substrate, wherein germanium-containing well includes germanium at an atomic percentage greater than 50%. A silicon-containing capping structure is located on a top surface of the germanium-containing well and includes silicon at an atomic percentage greater than 42%. The silicon-containing capping structure prevents oxidation of the germanium-containing well. A photovoltaic junction may be formed within, or across, the trench by implanting dopants of a first conductivity type and dopants of a second conductivity type.

Germanium-containing photodetector and methods of forming the same

The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device that includes a first die bonded to a second die with interconnect structures in the first die. The first die includes a photodiode having first and second electrodes on a first side of a first dielectric layer, and first, second, and third interconnect structures in the first dielectric layer. The first and second interconnect structures are connected to the first and second electrodes, respectively. The second electrode has a polarity opposite to the first electrode. The second and third interconnect structures extend to a second side opposite to the first side of the first dielectric layer. The second die includes a second dielectric layer and a fourth interconnect structure in the second dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer is bonded to the second side of the first dielectric layer. The fourth interconnect structure connects the second and third interconnect structures.

Backside diode design

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an image sensor integrated chip. The image sensor integrated chip includes a semiconductor substrate having sidewalls that form one or more trenches. The one or more trenches are disposed along opposing sides of a photodiode and vertically extend from an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate to within the semiconductor substrate. A doped region is arranged along the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and along opposing sides of the photodiode. A first dielectric lines the sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate and the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. A second dielectric lines sidewalls and an upper surface of the first dielectric. The doped region has a width laterally between a side of the photodiode and a side of the first dielectric. The width of the doped region varies at different heights along the side of the photodiode.

Extra doped region for back-side deep trench isolation

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor. The image sensor includes a deep trench isolation (DTI) structure disposed in a substrate. A pixel region of the substrate is disposed within an inner perimeter of the DTI structure. A photodetector is disposed in the pixel region of the substrate. A gate electrode structure overlies, at least partially, the pixel region of the substrate. A first gate dielectric structure partially overlies the pixel region of the substrate. A second gate dielectric structure partially overlies the pixel region of the substrate. The gate electrode structure overlies both a portion of the first gate dielectric structure and a portion of the second gate dielectric structure. The first gate dielectric structure has a first thickness. The second gate dielectric structure has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

Image sensor having a gate dielectric structure for improved device scaling

The present disclosure relates to an image sensor including a pixel along a substrate. The pixel includes a first semiconductor region having a first doping type. A second semiconductor region is directly over the first semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region has a second doping type opposite the first doping type and meets the first semiconductor region at a p-n junction. A ring-shaped third semiconductor region laterally surrounds the first and second semiconductor regions. The ring-shaped third semiconductor region has the first doping type. A ring-shaped fourth semiconductor region laterally surrounds the ring-shaped third semiconductor region. The ring-shaped fourth semiconductor region has the second doping type. A ring-shaped fifth semiconductor region is directly over the ring-shaped third semiconductor region and has the second doping type.

Image sensor with photosensitivity enhancement region

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes an image sensor disposed within a substrate. The substrate has sidewalls and a horizontally extending surface defining one or more trenches extending from a first surface of the substrate to within the substrate. One or more isolation structures are arranged within the one or more trenches. A doped region is arranged within the substrate laterally between sidewalls of the one or more isolation structures and the image sensor and vertically between the image sensor and the first surface of the substrate. The doped region has a higher concentration of a first dopant type than an abutting part of the substrate that extends along opposing sides of the image sensor.

A single photon avalanche diode (SPAT) image sensor is disclosed. The SPAT) image sensor include: a substrate of a first conductivity type, the substrate having a front surface and a back surface; a deep trench isolation (DTI) extending from the front surface toward the back surface of the substrate, the DTI having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first surface being level with the front surface of the substrate; an epitaxial layer of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, the epitaxial layer surrounding sidewalls and the second surface of the DTI; and an implant region of the first conductivity type extending from the front surface to the back surface of the substrate. An associated method for fabricating the SPAD image sensor is also disclosed.

SPAD image sensor and associated fabricating method

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes an image sensing element disposed within a semiconductor substrate. One or more isolation structures are arranged within one or more trenches disposed along a first surface of the semiconductor substrate. The one or more isolation structures are separated from opposing sides of the image sensing element by non-zero distances. The one or more trenches are defined by sidewalls and a horizontally extending surface of the semiconductor substrate. A doped region is laterally arranged between the sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate defining the one or more trenches and is vertically arranged between the image sensing element and the first surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Fengshan, Taiwan

Tzu-Jui Wang