# US 12,191,334 B2 · Semiconductor device with buffer layer and method of forming

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- Number: US 12,191,334 B2
- Document ID: US12191334B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/536,280
- Filed: 2021-11-29
- Published: 2022-03-17
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-17
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
- Inventors: Ya Chun Teng; Yun-Wei Cheng; Chien Ming Sung
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191334B2

## CPC

- H10F 39/8067: {Reflectors}
- H10F 39/024: {of coatings or optical elements}
- H10F 39/182: {Colour image sensors}
- H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters}
- H10F 39/807: {Pixel isolation structures}
- H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors}
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION

## Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a pixel array comprising a first pixel and a second pixel. The semiconductor device includes a metal structure overlying a portion of a substrate between the first pixel and the second pixel. The semiconductor device includes a first barrier layer adjacent a sidewall of the metal structure. The semiconductor device includes a passivation layer adjacent a sidewall of the first barrier layer. The first barrier layer is between the passivation layer and the metal structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:
forming a metal structure over a first dielectric layer and overlying a portion of a substrate between a first pixel and a second pixel;
forming a first barrier layer over the metal structure and the first dielectric layer;
removing a first portion of the first barrier layer over the first dielectric layer to expose a top surface of the first dielectric layer;
forming a passivation layer over the top surface of the first dielectric layer after removing the first portion of the first barrier layer; and
forming a color filter over the top surface of the first dielectric layer after forming the passivation layer such that a second portion of the first barrier layer is laterally between the color filter and the metal structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
removing a third portion of the first barrier layer over the metal structure; and
forming a passivation layer over the metal structure after removing the third portion of the first barrier layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
forming a second barrier layer over the first dielectric layer prior to forming the metal structure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein forming the first barrier layer comprises forming the first barrier layer to contact the second barrier layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
forming a second dielectric layer over the metal structure prior to forming the first barrier layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein forming the first barrier layer comprises forming the first barrier layer to contact the second dielectric layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
removing a portion of the first dielectric layer prior to forming the color filter to define a first dielectric structure under the metal structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
forming a passivation layer over the top surface of the first dielectric layer after removing the first portion of the first barrier layer and prior to forming the color filter, wherein forming the color filter comprises forming the color filter such that the metal structure is separated from the color filter by the passivation layer and the first barrier layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein removing the first portion of the first barrier layer comprises removing a portion of the first barrier layer overlying the first pixel.

### Claim 10

A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:
forming a first barrier layer over a first dielectric layer;
forming a metal structure over the first barrier layer and the first dielectric layer and overlying a portion of a substrate between a first pixel and a second pixel;
forming a second barrier layer over the metal structure and the first dielectric layer;
removing a first portion of the second barrier layer over the first dielectric layer to expose a top surface of the first dielectric layer; and
forming a color filter over the top surface of the first dielectric layer after removing the first portion of the second barrier layer such that a second portion of the second barrier layer is laterally between the color filter and the metal structure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, comprising:
removing a third portion of the second barrier layer over the metal structure; and
forming a passivation layer over the metal structure after removing the third portion of the second barrier layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein forming the second barrier layer comprises forming the second barrier layer to contact the first barrier layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, comprising:
forming a second dielectric layer over the metal structure prior to forming the second barrier layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein forming the second barrier layer comprises forming the second barrier layer to contact the second dielectric layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, comprising:
forming a passivation layer over the top surface of the first dielectric layer after removing the first portion of the second barrier layer and prior to forming the color filter, wherein forming the color filter comprises forming the color filter such that the metal structure is separated from the color filter by the passivation layer and the second barrier layer.

### Claim 16

A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:
forming a metal structure over a first dielectric layer and overlying a portion of a substrate between a first pixel and a second pixel;
forming a second dielectric layer over the metal structure;
forming a first barrier layer over the metal structure and the first dielectric layer after forming the second dielectric layer;
removing a first portion of the first barrier layer over the first dielectric layer to expose a top surface of the first dielectric layer; and
forming a color filter over the top surface of the first dielectric layer after removing the first portion of the first barrier layer such that a second portion of the first barrier layer is laterally between the color filter and the metal structure.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, comprising:
removing a third portion of the first barrier layer over the metal structure; and
forming a passivation layer over the metal structure after removing the third portion of the first barrier layer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, comprising:
forming a passivation layer over the top surface of the first dielectric layer after removing the first portion of the first barrier layer and prior to forming the color filter, wherein forming the color filter comprises forming the color filter such that the metal structure is separated from the color filter by the passivation layer and the first barrier layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein forming the first barrier layer comprises forming the first barrier layer over the second dielectric layer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, comprising:
removing a portion of the first dielectric layer prior to forming the color filter to define a first dielectric structure under the metal structure.