# US 10,484,855 B2 · Process module for increasing the response of backside illuminated photosensitive imagers and associated methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,484,855 B2 - Document ID: US10484855B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/391,540 - Filed: 2019-04-23 - Published: 2019-09-19 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-09 - Assignees: SiOnyx, Inc. - Applicants: SiOnyx, LLC - Inventors: Homayoon Haddad; Jeffrey McKee; Jutao Jiang; Drake Miller; Chintamani Palsule; Leonard Forbes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10484855B2 ## CPC - H10F 39/024: {of coatings or optical elements} - H04H 20/57: for mobile receivers - H04H 20/59: for emergency or urgency - H04H 20/72: of terrestrial networks - H04W 4/90: Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] - H10F 39/014: {of CMOS image sensors} - H10F 39/016: {of thin-film-based image sensors} - H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors} - H10F 39/805: {Coatings} - H10F 39/8067: {Reflectors} - H04W 48/16: Discovering, processing access restriction or access information - H10F 77/40: Optical elements or arrangements (surface textures H10F77/70) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - H04H: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION (multiplex communication H04J; pictorial communication aspects of broadcast systems H04N) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Backside illuminated photosensitive devices and associated methods are provided. In one aspect, for example, a backside-illuminated photosensitive imager device can include a semiconductor substrate having multiple doped regions forming a least one junction, a textured region coupled to the semiconductor substrate and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation where the textured region includes surface features sized and positioned to facilitate tuning to a preselected wavelength of light, and a dielectric region positioned between the textured region and the at least one junction. The dielectric region is positioned to isolate the at least one junction from the textured region, and the semiconductor substrate and the textured region are positioned such that incoming electromagnetic radiation passes through the semiconductor substrate before contacting the textured region. Additionally, the device includes an electrical transfer element coupled to the semiconductor substrate to transfer an electrical signal from the at least one junction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A backside-illuminated photosensitive imager device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having multiple doped regions forming a least one junction; a textured region coupled to the semiconductor substrate and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation, wherein the textured region includes surface features sized and positioned to facilitate tuning to a preselected wavelength of light; a dielectric region positioned between the textured region and the at least one junction, the dielectric region being positioned to isolate the at least one junction from the textured region, wherein the semiconductor substrate and the textured region are positioned such that incoming electromagnetic radiation passes through the semiconductor substrate before contacting the textured region; and an electrical transfer element coupled to the semiconductor substrate and operable to transfer an electrical signal from the at least one junction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the surface features have an average center-to-center distance of one half wavelength of the preselected wavelength of light, multiples of one half wavelength of the preselected wavelength of light, or at least one half wavelength of the preselected wavelength of light. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the center-to-center distance distribution is a substantially uniform distance distribution. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the surface features have an average height of about a multiple of a quarter wavelength of the preselected wavelength of light. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a reflecting region coupled to the textured region opposite the dielectric region, the reflecting region being positioned to reflect light passing through the textured region back through the textured region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, further comprising a dielectric layer positioned between the reflecting region and the textured region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the reflecting region includes a member selected from the group consisting of a Bragg reflector, a metal reflector, a metal reflector over a dielectric material, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the preselected wavelength of light in the near infrared or infrared range. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the preselected wavelength of light is greater than or equal to about 800 nm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the surface features are sized and positioned to direct light into the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the surface features include a member selected from the group consisting of sloping, pyramidal, inverted pyramidal, spherical, square, rectangular, parabolic, ellipsoidal, asymmetric, symmetric, scallops, gratings, pillars, cones, microlenses, quantum dots, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the surface features have a size selected from the group consisting of micron-sized, nano-sized, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the textured region has been formed by a process selected from the group consisting of plasma etching, reactive ion etching, porous silicon etching, lasing, chemical etching, nanoimprinting, material deposition, selective epitaxial growth, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the surface features are sized and positioned to reduce specular reflection in the zeroth order direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising an anti-reflective layer deposited on the semiconductor substrate at a surface opposite the at least one junction such that incident light passes through the anti-reflective layer prior to contacting the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, further comprising at least one isolation feature in the semiconductor substrate, the at least one isolation feature being positioned to reflect light impinging thereon back into the semiconductor substrate.