# US 12,218,169 B2 · Semiconductor device and solid-state image sensor including pixel substrate joined with another substrate > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,218,169 B2 - Document ID: US12218169B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/436,985 - Filed: 2020-01-07 - Published: 2022-06-09 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-22 - Assignees: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Applicants: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Inventors: Yosuke Nitta - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12218169B2 ## CPC - H10F 39/811: {Interconnections} - H10F 39/024: {of coatings or optical elements} - H10F 39/12: Image sensors - H10P 14/40: of conductive or resistive materials - H10W 20/01: {Manufacture or treatment} - H10W 20/40: Interconnections external to wafers or substrates, e.g. back-end-of-line [BEOL] metallisations or vias connecting to gate electrodes - H10W 72/963: {Providing mechanical bonding or support, e.g. dummy bond pads} - H10W 72/967: {Multiple bond pads having different functions} - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A semiconductor device includes a first substrate which is individualized and includes a first semiconductor circuit (LOG) including a first terminal, and a second substrate which includes a second semiconductor circuit (PIX) including a second terminal. The first terminal and the second terminal are joined. The second substrate includes a first insulating layer that is arranged above the second substrate, and a second insulating layer that is arranged at least partially above the first insulating layer and in which the second terminal is arranged. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A semiconductor device, comprising: a first substrate including a first semiconductor circuit, wherein the first semiconductor circuit includes a first terminal, and the first substrate is individualized into a first chip; and a second substrate including a second semiconductor circuit, wherein the second semiconductor circuit includes a second terminal, the first terminal is joined to the second terminal, the second substrate further includes: a first insulating layer between the second substrate and the first substrate; and a second insulating layer between the first insulating layer and the first substrate, the second terminal is in the second insulating layer, the second terminal is between the first insulating layer and the first terminal, and the second terminal faces the second substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate further includes: a joining surface joined to the first substrate; and a non-joining surface on a side of the second substrate, and the non-joining surface is opposite to the joining surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the joining surface includes a surface of the second insulating layer, and the non-joining surface includes a surface of the first insulating layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the joining surface includes a first surface of the second insulating layer, and the non-joining surface includes a second surface of the second insulating layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the non-joining surface includes a surface of the second insulating layer, and the surface of the second insulating layer faces the second substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a dissolution rate of the first insulating layer by a chemical solution is lower than a dissolution rate of the second insulating layer by the chemical solution. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate further includes: a third insulating layer above the first substrate; and a fourth insulating layer at least partially above the third insulating layer, and the first terminal is in the fourth insulating layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the first substrate further includes a joining surface, and the joining surface is joined to the second substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein the joining surface of the first substrate includes a surface of the fourth insulating layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein a dissolution rate of the third insulating layer by a chemical solution is lower than a dissolution rate of the fourth insulating layer by the chemical solution. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the second semiconductor circuit is a pixel circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor circuit is a logic circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor circuit is a memory circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein an area of the second substrate is larger than an area of the first substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate is individualized into a second chip, and an area of the second substrate is larger than an area of the first substrate. ### Claim 16 A semiconductor device, comprising: a first substrate including a first semiconductor circuit, wherein the first semiconductor circuit includes a first terminal, and the first substrate is individualized into a chip; and a second substrate including a second semiconductor circuit, wherein the second semiconductor circuit includes a second terminal, the first terminal is joined to the second terminal, the second substrate further includes: a joining surface joined to the first substrate; a non-joining surface on a side of the second substrate; a first insulating layer between the second substrate and the first substrate; and a second insulating layer between the first insulating layer and the first substrate, the non-joining surface is opposite to the joining surface, the first insulating layer is a stopper layer, the second insulating layer includes a third terminal, and the third terminal is electrically isolated from the second semiconductor circuit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein the third terminal is removed from the non-joining surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein the joining surface includes a surface of the second insulating layer, and the non-joining surface includes a surface of the first insulating layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein the joining surface includes a first surface of the second insulating layer, and the non-joining surface includes a second surface of the second insulating layer. ### Claim 20 A solid-state image sensor, comprising: at least one of a logic substrate which includes a logic circuit or a memory substrate which includes a memory circuit, wherein the logic circuit includes a first terminal, the memory circuit includes a third terminal, and the at least one of the logic substrate or the memory substrate is individualized to a chip; and a pixel substrate which includes a pixel circuit, wherein the pixel circuit includes a second terminal, at least one of the first terminal or the third terminal is joined to the second terminal, the pixel substrate further includes: a first insulating layer between the pixel substrate and the at least one of the logic substrate or the memory substrate; and a second insulating layer between the first insulating layer and the at least one of the logic substrate or the memory substrate, the second terminal is in the second insulating layer, the second terminal is between the first insulating layer and the first terminal, and the second terminal faces the pixel substrate.