Solid state image sensor and method for fabricating the same

A method for fabricating a solid state image sensor which comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion sections formed at a surface region of a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, a charge transfer section of a second conductivity opposite to that of said first conductivity type semiconductor layer, said charge transfer section being formed in said surface region of said first conductivity type semiconductor layer, adjacent to said photoelectric conversion sections, to transfer a signal charge along said charge transfer section, a plurality of charge reading sections each formed in said surface region of said first conductivity type semiconductor layer, between a corresponding one of said photoelectric conversion sections and said charge transfer section, for reading out a signal charge generated in the corresponding photoelectric conversion section, to said charge transfer section, and tranfer electrodes formed of a single layer of conducting electrode material to cover through a gate insulator film said charge reading sections and said charge transfer section, the method including the steps of:

• forming said single layer of conducting electrode material through said gate insulator film on a surface of said first conductivity type semiconductor layer;
• etch-patterning said single layer of conducting electrode material for dividing said single layer of conducting electrode material in a row direction at a plurality of first regions;
• forming a patterned mask to cover said first regions and said single layer of conducting electrode material but to expose said single layer of conducting electrode material at a second region above each of said photoelectric conversion sections;
• selectively etch-removing said single layer of conducting electrode material using said patterned mask as a mask;
• and
• removing said patterned mask.