CMOS image sensors and methods for fabricating the same

A complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate having a device dividing area and an active area defined thereon;
• a trench formed on the device dividing area of the semiconductor substrate;
• a first p-type impurity area formed on inner walls of the trench;
• a device dividing layer formed on the active area adjacent to the first p-type impurity area;
• a second p-type impurity area formed on a surface of the photodiode area;
• and
• color filter layers and micro-lenses formed on a vertical line of the photodiode.

A method for fabricating a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, comprising:

• forming at least a first pad layer and a second pad layer on a p-type semiconductor substrate having an active area and a device dividing area defined thereon;
• removing the first pad layer and the second pad layer on the device dividing area, so as to expose the p-type semiconductor layer and selectively removing the exposed p-type semiconductor layer, thereby forming a trench;
• forming a first p-type impurity area on a portion of the p-type semiconductor substrate formed on inner walls of the trench;
• forming a device dividing insulating layer on an entire surface of the p-type semiconductor substrate so as to fill the trench;
• removing the device dividing insulating layer, so that the device dividing insulating layer remains only in the trench, and removing the second pad layer;
• and
• injecting n-type impurity ions onto the active area, thereby forming a photodiode area.