Embedded bonding pad for image sensors
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsYuan-Chih Hsieh, Shih-Chang Liu, Shih-Chi Fu, Tzu-Hsuan Hsu, Chung-Yi Yu, Gwo-Yuh Shiau, Chia-Shiung Tsai
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Abstract
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface, elements formed on the substrate, interconnect metal layers formed over the front surface of the substrate, including a topmost interconnect metal layer, an inter-metal dielectric for insulating each of the plurality of interconnect metal layers, and a bonding pad disposed within the inter-metal dielectric, the bonding pad in contact with one of the interconnect metal layers other than the topmost interconnect metal layer.
Claims20
A semiconductor device, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface;
- a plurality of elements formed on the substrate;
- a plurality of interconnect metal layers formed over the front surface of the substrate, including a topmost interconnect metal layer having a first topmost surface measured a first distance from the front surface of the substrate and a first bottommost surface measured a third distance from the front surface of the substrate;
- an inter-metal dielectric for insulating each of the plurality of interconnect metal layers disposed therein;
- and
- a bonding pad disposed within the inter-metal dielectric, the bonding pad in contact with one of the plurality of interconnect metal layers other than the topmost interconnect metal layer, the bonding pad having a second topmost surface measured a second distance from the front surface of the substrate and a second bottommost surface measured a fourth distance from the front surface of the substrate;
- wherein:
- the second distance is greater than the first distance;
- the third distance is greater than the fourth distance;
- and
- the first, second, third, and fourth distances are measured in a same direction.
A semiconductor device, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface;
- a plurality of photo-devices formed on the front surface of the substrate;
- a plurality of metal layers formed over the front surface of the substrate, including a topmost metal layer;
- an inter-metal dielectric for insulating each of the plurality of metal layers disposed therein;
- a passivation layer formed over the topmost metal layer and inter-metal dielectric;
- and
- a bonding pad partially embedded within the passivation layer and inter-metal dielectric, the bonding pad in direct contact with the one of the plurality of metal layers except for the topmost metal layer;
- wherein a surface of the bonding pad and a surface of the passivation layer are co-planar.
An image sensor device, comprising:
- a substrate having a front surface and a back surface;
- a plurality of light-sensing elements formed on the front surface of the substrate;
- a plurality of interconnect metal layers formed over the plurality of light-sensing elements;
- an inter-metal dielectric insulating each of the plurality of interconnect metal layers disposed therein;
- a passivation layer formed over the plurality of interconnect metal layers;
- a color filter layer formed over the passivation layer, the color filter layer being adapted to allow a wavelength of light radiation to pass through to each of the plurality of light-sensing elements;
- a plurality of micro-lens formed over the color filter layer;
- and a bonding pad embedded in the passivation layer and inter-metal dielectric, the bonding pad being in direct contact with one of the plurality of interconnect metal layers other than a topmost interconnect metal layer;
- wherein a surface of the bonding pad and a surface of the passivation layer are co-planar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.