A cmos imager with cu wiring and method of eliminating high reflectivity interfaces therefrom

A method for fabricating an image sensor array of pixels comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a corresponding light sensitive element in a semiconductor substrate for each array pixel, said element adapted to receive light incident to a respective pixel;
• b. forming a first interlevel dielectric layer formed atop said substrate;
• c. forming at least one metal interconnect layer formed atop said first interlevel dielectric layer, said formed metal interconnect layer including a Cu metal wire structure formed between each light sensitive element in said array;
• and,
• d. forming a second interlevel dielectric layer atop said Cu metal interconnect layer in said array, wherein said Cu metal interconnect layer enables formation of thin first and interlevel dielectric layers to shorten an optical path and thereby increase an amount of light received by each light sensitive element in said array.

A method for fabricating an image sensor array of pixels comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a corresponding light sensitive element in a semiconductor substrate for each array pixel, said element adapted to receive incident light;
• and,
• b. forming a stack of interlevel dielectric layers atop said substrate, and between forming of adjacent interlevel dielectric layers of said stack, the steps of:
• forming a Cu metallization level including a Cu metal wire structure formed between each light sensitive element in said array, wherein said Cu metallization levels enables a thinner stack of interlevel dielectric layers to shorten an optical path and thereby increase amount of light received by each light sensitive element in said array.