Semiconductor image sensor device having back side illuminated image sensors with embedded color filters

A device comprising:

• a substrate having a front side and a back side that is opposite the front side;
• an interconnect structure disposed over the front side of the substrate;
• a first pixel disposed in the substrate;
• a light-reflective structure disposed over the back side of the substrate;
• a color filter disposed over the back side of the substrate, the color filter having a top surface at a first height, the top surface of the color filter facing away from the substrate;
• a reference pixel disposed in the substrate, wherein a first portion of the light-reflective structure is disposed directly over the reference pixel thereby preventing light from reaching the reference pixel;
• and
• a passivation layer disposed over the light-reflective structure and having a top surface at the first height, the top surface of the passivation layer facing away from the substrate and interfacing with the top surface of the color filter at the first height.

A device comprising:

• a substrate having a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side, the substrate further including a sidewall extending from the first side to the second side of the substrate;
• an interconnect structure disposed over the first side of the substrate;
• a first pixel disposed in the substrate and extending from the first side of the substrate toward the second side, wherein a portion of the substrate is disposed between the first pixel and the second side of the substrate;
• a radiation-blocking structure disposed over the second side of the substrate, wherein the radiation-blocking structure includes a first portion and a second portion and wherein the first pixel is disposed within the substrate between the first and second portions of the radiation-blocking structure;
• a passivation layer extending from over the light-reflective structure to the sidewall of the substrate such that the passivation layer extends along and physically contacts the sidewall of the substrate;
• a shallow trench isolation structure disposed within the substrate;
• and
• a bond pad interfacing with shallow trench isolation structure such that the bond pad physically contacts the shallow trench isolation structure.