The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 29, 2014
Filed:
Jun. 05, 2008
Jeffrey P. Gambino, Westford, VT (US);
Zhong-xiang He, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Kevin N. Ogg, Burlington, VT (US);
Richard J. Rassel, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Robert M. Rassel, Colchester, VT (US);
Jeffrey P. Gambino, Westford, VT (US);
Zhong-Xiang He, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Kevin N. Ogg, Burlington, VT (US);
Richard J. Rassel, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Robert M. Rassel, Colchester, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A conductive light shield is formed over a first dielectric layer of a via level in a metal interconnect structure. The conductive light shield is covers a floating drain of an image sensor pixel cell. A second dielectric layer is formed over the conductive light shield and at least one via extending from a top surface of the second dielectric layer to a bottom surface of the first dielectric layer is formed in the metal interconnect structure. The conductive light shield may be formed within a contact level between a top surface of a semiconductor substrate and a first metal line level, or may be formed in any metal interconnect via level between two metal line levels. The inventive image sensor pixel cell is less prone to noise due to the blockage of light over the floating drain by the conductive light shield.