# US 2010/0164040 A1 · Microlens Structure for Image Sensors

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- Number: US 2010/0164040 A1
- Document ID: US20100164040A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/722,372
- Filed: 2010-03-11
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2005-02-23
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Inventors: Ming-Chang Kao; Chih-Kung Chang; Fu-Tien Weng; Bii-Junq Chang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100164040A1

## CPC

- H10F 39/024: {of coatings or optical elements}
- H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses}
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION

## Abstract

A microlens structure and a method of fabrication thereof are provided. The method comprises forming a layer of microlens material over a substrate, which has photo-sensitive elements formed therein. The microlens material, which comprises a photo-resist material, is exposed in accordance with a desired pattern a plurality of times. The energy used with each exposure process is less than the energy required if a single exposure is used. Furthermore, the masks used for each exposure may differ. In an embodiment, the masks are varied so as to create a notch in the upper corner of the microlens. The microlens structure may have a height less than about 0.5 um and/or a gap between microlenses less than about 0.2 um. In an embodiment, one or more dielectric layers having a combined thickness greater than about 3.5 um are interposed between the photo-sensitive elements and the microlenses.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image sensing semiconductor device comprising:
a substrate having an image sensing portion and a logic portion, the image sensing portion having a plurality of photo-sensitive devices formed thereon and the logic portion having one or more interconnection layers; and
a plurality of microlenses, at least one microlens being formed over one or more of the plurality of photo-sensitive devices, the microlenses being less than 0.5 um in height.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein a gap between the microlenses is less than about 0.2 um.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein a gap between the microlenses is less than about 0.1 um.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the logic portion includes more than about 4 interconnection layers.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the photo-sensitive devices are CMOS image sensors.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the photo-sensitive devices are CCD image sensors.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising one or more dielectric layers between the microlenses and the photo-sensitive devices.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 7, wherein the one or more dielectric layers have a combined thickness greater than about 3.5 um.

### Claim 9

An image sensing semiconductor device comprising:
a substrate having an image sensing portion, the image sensing portion having a plurality of photo-sensitive devices formed thereon; and
a plurality of microlenses, at least one microlens being formed over one or more of the plurality of photo-sensitive devices, a gap between the microlenses is less than about 0.2 um.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the microlenses are less than 0.5 um in height.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the gap between the microlenses is less than about 0.1 um.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 9, further comprising one or more dielectric layers between the microlenses and the photo-sensitive devices.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 12, wherein the one or more dielectric layers have a combined thickness greater than about 3.5 um.

### Claim 14

An image sensing semiconductor device comprising:
a substrate having an image sensing portion, the image sensing portion having a plurality of photo-sensitive devices formed thereon;
a plurality of microlenses, at least one microlens being formed over one or more of the plurality of photo-sensitive devices; and
one or more dielectric layers between the microlenses and the photo-sensitive devices, the one or more dielectric layers having a combined thickness greater than about 3.5 um.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 14, wherein the microlenses are less than about 0.5 um in height.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 14, wherein a gap between the microlenses is less than about 0.2 um.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The image sensing semiconductor device of claim 14, wherein a gap between the microlenses is less than about 0.1 um.