Method of forming a shallow pinned photodiode

A method comprising:

• forming a dielectric layer over an upper surface of a substrate;
• forming a conductive structure over the dielectric layer, wherein the conductive structure has an opening;
• implanting dopants of a first type through the opening in the conductive structure into the substrate;
• etching away portions of the dielectric layer that are exposed through the opening in the conductive structure;
• forming at least one additional dielectric layer over the substrate;
• and
• implanting dopants of a second type into the at least one additional dielectric layer.

A method comprising:

• forming a dielectric layer over an upper surface of a substrate;
• forming a conductive structure over the dielectric layer, wherein the conductive structure has an opening;
• implanting dopants of a first type through the opening in the conductive structure into the substrate;
• etching away portions of the dielectric layer that are exposed through the opening in the conductive structure;
• forming at least one additional dielectric layer over the substrate;
• and
• implanting dopants of a second type into a pinning region, wherein the pinning region has a concentration of the dopants of the second type greater than 1E18 atoms per cubic centimeter in the at least one additional dielectric layer and a concentration of the dopants of the second type less than 1E18 atoms per cubic centimeter in the substrate.