Image Sensor with Decreased Optical Interference Between Adjacent Pixels
AssigneeIntellectual Ventures II LLC
InventorsWon-Ho Lee, Dong-Heon Cho
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Abstract
An image sensor with decreased optical interference between adjacent pixels is provided. An image sensor, which is divided into a pixel region and a peripheral region, the image sensor including a photodiode formed in a substrate in the pixel region, first to Mth metal lines formed over the substrate in the pixel region, where M is a natural number greater than approximately 1, first to Nth metal lines formed over a substrate in the peripheral region, where N is a natural number greater than M, at least one layer of dummy metal lines formed over the Mth metal lines but formed not to overlap with the photodiode, and a microlens formed over the one layer of the dummy metal lines to overlap with the photodiode.
Claims60
An image sensor comprising:
- a plurality of pixels, each including:
- a photodiode;
- and
- a dummy metal line;
- wherein the dummy metal lines in adjacent pixels of the plurality of pixels combine to form a light shield.
An image sensor pixel comprising:
- a photodiode in a pixel region of the image sensor pixel;
- a metal line in the pixel region configured to connect the image sensor pixel to at least one of a logic circuit or a power line;
- and
- a first dummy metal line in the pixel region and positioned to block a light from outside of the pixel region from impinging on the photodiode.
An image sensor pixel comprising:
- a peripheral region including:
- a first layer comprising a first peripheral region metal line;
- a second layer positioned above the first layer and comprising a second peripheral region metal line;
- and
- a via contact connecting the first peripheral region metal line with the second peripheral region metal line;
- and
- a pixel region including:
- the first layer comprising a first pixel region metal line;
- the second layer positioned above the first layer;
- and
- a via contact positioned between the first pixel region metal line and the second layer;
- wherein the via contact in the pixel region comprises a dummy metal line positioned to block a light from outside of the pixel region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.