Selective shielding of ambient light at chip level

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a substrate;
• at least one photo-detecting region formed in the substrate;
• at least one bond pad on the substrate;
• a first passivation layer over the substrate and over step portions at edges of the bond pad;
• a trench having sidewalls and a bottom surface in the substrate;
• a light shielding layer over the first passivation layer covering the substrate and the step portions at the edges of the bond pad and covering the trench sidewalls, wherein portions of the light shielding layer are removed forming end portions thereof at the photo-detecting region, at the step portions at the edges of the bond pad and at the bottom surface of the trench;
• a second passivation layer over the light shielding layer;
• and
• a third passivation layer over the second passivation layer and covering the end portions of the light shielding layer at the photo-detecting region and at the step portions at the edges of the bond pad.