# US 12,009,374 B2 · Image sensor including color filter grid including portion overlapping super phase detection (PD) pixel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,374 B2 - Document ID: US12009374B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/216,170 - Filed: 2023-06-29 - Published: 2023-10-26 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-06 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: In Sung Joe; Min Kyung Kim; Min Kwan Kim; Ji Su Kim; Tae Hoon Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009374B2 ## CPC - H10F 39/8023: {Disposition of the elements in pixels, e.g. smaller elements in the centre of the imager compared to larger elements at the periphery} - H04N 25/13: characterised by the spectral characteristics of the filter elements - H04N 25/704: Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets - H10F 39/182: {Colour image sensors} - H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors} - H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters} - H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses} - H10F 39/807: {Pixel isolation structures} - H10F 39/809: {of hybrid image sensors} - H10F 39/811: {Interconnections} - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image sensor a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a first pixel region; a second pixel region; a third pixel region; a first lens on the first pixel region; a second lens on the second and third pixel regions; an element separation film provided in the substrate and interposed between the first pixel region the second pixel region; a first color filter configured to transmit light focused by the second lens to the second pixel region and the third pixel region; and a color filter grid forming a region in which the first color filter is provided. A width of the first pixel region in a first direction is between 0.5 um and 0.9 um. The first lens is disposed on the second surface. The first direction is parallel to the second surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image sensor comprising: a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a first pixel region; a second pixel region; a third pixel region; a first lens on the first pixel region; a second lens on the second and third pixel regions; an element separation film provided in the substrate and being interposed between the first pixel region the second pixel region; a first color filter configured to transmit light focused by the second lens to the second pixel region and the third pixel region; and a color filter grid forming a region in which the first color filter is provided, wherein a width of the first pixel region in a first direction is between 0.5 um and 0.9 um, wherein the first lens is disposed on the second surface, and wherein the first direction is parallel to the second surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the first color filter is a green color filter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image sensor of claim 2, wherein the color filter grid comprises a first layer on the second surface and a second layer on the first layer, and wherein the first layer is a TiN layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image sensor of claim 3, wherein a peak of the second lens with respect to the substrate is higher than a peak of the first lens with respect to the substrate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The image sensor of claim 2, wherein the color filter grid comprises a first layer on the second surface and a second layer on the first layer, wherein the first layer is a TiN layer, wherein a thickness of the second layer in a second direction is between 200 nm and 500 nm, and wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image sensor of claim 5, wherein a thickness of the first layer in the second direction is between 3 nm and 100 nm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image sensor of claim 6, further comprising a transfer transistor, wherein a part of the transfer transistor extends into the substrate from the first surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The image sensor of claim 6, wherein the element separation film extends from the second surface to the first surface, and wherein a lowermost surface of the element separation film is spaced apart from the first surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image sensor of claim 8, wherein the element separation film comprises an aluminum oxide film. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image sensor of claim 8, wherein the element separation film comprises a tantalum oxide film. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The image sensor of claim 8, wherein a width of the element separation film decreases from the second surface toward to the first surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The image sensor of claim 9, wherein a peak of the second lens with respect to the substrate is higher than a peak of the first lens with respect to the substrate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The image sensor of claim 10, wherein a peak of the second lens with respect to the substrate is higher than a peak of the first lens with respect to the substrate. ### Claim 14 An image sensor comprising: a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a first pixel region; a second pixel region; a third pixel region; a fourth pixel region; a first lens on the first pixel region; a second lens on the second and third pixel regions; a third lens on the fourth pixel region; a first element separation film provided in the substrate and being interposed between the first pixel region the second pixel region; a second element separation film provided in the substrate and being interposed between the third pixel region and the fourth pixel region; a first color filter configured to transmit light focused by the first lens to the first pixel region; a second color filter configured to transmit light focused by the second lens to the second pixel region and the third pixel region; a third color filter configured to transmit light focused by the third lens to the fourth pixel region; a first color filter grid disposed between the first color filter and the second color filter; and a second color filter grid disposed between the second color filter and the third color filter, wherein a width of the first pixel region and a width of the fourth pixel region in a first direction are between 0.5 um and 0.9 um respectively, wherein the first lens is disposed on the second surface, and wherein the first direction is parallel to the second surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The image sensor of claim 14, wherein the second color filter is a green color filter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image sensor of claim 15, wherein the first to third color filters are sequentially arranged is the first direction, and wherein the third color filter is a blue color filter and the first color filter is not the blue color filter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The image sensor of claim 15, wherein the first color filter grid comprises a first layer on the second surface and a second layer on the first layer, wherein the first layer is a TiN layer, wherein a thickness of the second layer in a second direction is between 200 nm and 500 nm, and wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image sensor of claim 17, wherein a thickness of the first layer in the second direction is between 3 nm and 100 nm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The image sensor of claim 14, wherein the first element separation film comprises an aluminum oxide film, and wherein a peak of the second lens with respect to the substrate is higher than a peak of the first lens with respect to the substrate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The image sensor of claim 14, wherein a first portion of the first color filter grid overlaps with the first lens in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein a second portion of the first color filter grid overlaps with the second lens in the second direction, and wherein a width of the first portion in the first direction is less than a width of the second portion in the first direction.