Solid state imaging device with inner lens and manufacture thereof

A solid state imaging device comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate having:
• photosensors disposed in a matrix shape for photoelectrically converting incident light into signal charges;
• vertical transfer channels for transferring the signal charges generated in the photosensors in a vertical direction;
• and a horizontal transfer channel for transferring the signal charges supplied from the vertical transfer channels in a horizontal direction;
• first and second electrodes formed above the vertical transfer channels and extending in a direction crossing the vertical transfer channels;
• a light shielding film formed above said first and second electrodes;
• upward and downward convex inner lenses made of silicon nitride, at the height level above said photosensors and at a process level after forming said light shielding film;
• micro lenses formed above said inner lenses;
• a low refractive index layer covering said micro lenses, said low refractive index layer having a refractive index lower than a refractive index of said micro lenses;
• and
• a transparent plate disposed on said low refractive index layer.