# US 12,218,173 B2 · Image sensor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,218,173 B2 - Document ID: US12218173B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/511,731 - Filed: 2023-11-16 - Published: 2024-03-14 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-10 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Chia-Yu Wei; Yen-Liang Lin; Kuo-Cheng Lee; Hsun-Ying Huang; Hsin-Chi Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12218173B2 ## CPC - H10F 39/184: {Infrared image sensors} - H10F 30/221: the potential barrier being a PN homojunction - H10F 39/028: {performed after manufacture of the image sensors, e.g. annealing, gettering of impurities, short-circuit elimination or recrystallisation} - H10F 39/182: {Colour image sensors} - H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors} - H10F 39/8033: {Photosensitive area} - H10F 39/807: {Pixel isolation structures} - H10F 77/14: Shape of semiconductor bodies; Shapes, relative sizes or dispositions of semiconductor regions within semiconductor bodies - H10F 10/16: Photovoltaic cells having only PN heterojunction potential barriers - H10F 39/014: {of CMOS image sensors} - H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters} - H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses} - H10F 77/122: comprising only Group IV materials - H10F 77/1226: comprising multiple Group IV elements, e.g. SiC - H10F 77/123: comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or HgCdTe - H10F 77/124: comprising only Group III-V materials, e.g. GaAs - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract An image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a radiation sensing member, a shallow trench isolation, and a color filter layer. The radiation sensing member is in the semiconductor substrate. An interface between the radiation sensing member and the semiconductor substrate includes a direct band gap material. The shallow trench isolation is in the semiconductor substrate and surrounds the radiation sensing member. The color filter layer covers the radiation sensing member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image sensor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a radiation sensing member in the semiconductor substrate, wherein an interface between the radiation sensing member and the semiconductor substrate comprises a direct band gap material; a shallow trench isolation in the semiconductor substrate and surrounding the radiation sensing member; and a color filter layer covering the radiation sensing member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein the direct band gap material comprises a silicon-germanium heteroepitaxial layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein the shallow trench isolation is separated from the radiation sensing member by the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein the radiation sensing member has a thickness greater than a thickness of the shallow trench isolation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the semiconductor substrate is directly between the color filter layer and the radiation sensing member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein the radiation sensing member and the semiconductor substrate are made of different materials. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein the radiation sensing member comprises a semiconductor material of which an optical band gap energy is smaller than about 1.77 eV. ### Claim 8 An image sensor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a radiation sensing member in the semiconductor substrate; a pinned element in the radiation sensing member, wherein an interface between the pinned element and the semiconductor substrate comprises a direct band gap material; and a microlens layer covering the radiation sensing member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image sensor device of claim 8, wherein the pinned element comprises germanium, silicon germanium, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, gallium antimonide, cadmium telluride, indium arsenide, indium antimonide, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image sensor device of claim 8, wherein the radiation sensing member comprises germanium, silicon germanium, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, gallium antimonide, cadmium telluride, indium arsenide, indium antimonide, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The image sensor device of claim 8, further comprising a deep trench isolation in the semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from the radiation sensing member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image sensor device of claim 11, further comprising a shallow trench isolation in the semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from the radiation sensing member and the deep trench isolation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image sensor device of claim 12, wherein the shallow trench isolation is spaced apart from the pinned element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The image sensor device of claim 12, wherein the semiconductor substrate is made of silicon. ### Claim 15 An image sensor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a radiation sensing member in the semiconductor substrate and comprising a first direct band gap material on a sidewall of the radiation sensing member; a deep trench isolation in the semiconductor substrate and surrounding the radiation sensing member; and a metal grid over the deep trench isolation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image sensor device of claim 15, wherein the radiation sensing member further has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface and closer to the metal grid than the top surface to, and the radiation sensing member further comprises a second direct band gap material on the bottom surface of the radiation sensing member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The image sensor device of claim 15, wherein the semiconductor substrate and the radiation sensing member comprise different materials. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The image sensor device of claim 15, wherein an optical band gap energy of the radiation sensing member is smaller than about 1.77 eV. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The image sensor device of claim 15, wherein the first direct band gap material comprises a silicon-germanium heteroepitaxial layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The image sensor device of claim 15, wherein the first direct band gap material is spaced apart from the deep trench isolation.