# US 8,772,895 B2 · Dark current reduction for back side illuminated image sensor

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- Number: US 8,772,895 B2
- Document ID: US8772895B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/305,069
- Filed: 2011-11-28
- Published: 2013-05-30
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-11-28
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Shou-Shu Lu; Hsun-Ying Huang; Hsin-Jung Huang; Chun-Mao Chiu; Chia-Chi Hsiao; Yung-Cheng Chang
- Inventors: Shou-Shu Lu; Hsun-Ying Huang; Hsin-Jung Huang; Chun-Mao Chiu; Chia-Chi Hsiao; Yung-Cheng Chang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772895B2

## CPC

- H10F 39/026: {Wafer-level processing}
- H10F 39/011: {Manufacture or treatment of image sensors covered by group H10F39/12}
- H10F 39/024: {of coatings or optical elements}
- H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors}
- H10F 39/804: {Containers or encapsulations}
- H10F 39/805: {Coatings}
- H10F 39/811: {Interconnections}
- H10F 77/122: comprising only Group IV materials
- H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters}
- H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses}
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION

## Abstract

Provided is a semiconductor image sensor device that includes a non-scribe-line region and a scribe-line region. The image sensor device includes a first substrate portion disposed in the non-scribe-line region. The first substrate portion contains a doped radiation-sensing region. The image sensor device includes a second substrate portion disposed in the scribe-line region. The second substrate portion has the same material composition as the first substrate portion. Also provided is a method of fabricating an image sensor device. The method includes forming a plurality of radiation-sensing regions in a substrate. The radiation-sensing regions are formed in a non-scribe-line region of the image sensor device. The method includes forming an opening in a scribe-line region of the image sensor device by etching the substrate in the scribe-line region. A portion of the substrate remains in the scribe-line region after the etching. The method includes filling the opening with an organic material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor image sensor device, comprising:
a radiation-sensing region located in a silicon substrate, the radiation-sensing region being operable to sense radiation projected from a back side of the silicon substrate;
a silicon component located adjacent to the silicon substrate, wherein the silicon component is free of a dielectric material;
an organic component located over a back side of the silicon component; and
an interconnect structure located over a front side of the silicon substrate and a front side of the silicon component;
wherein:
the radiation-sensing region is located in a pixel region of the image sensor device; and
the silicon component and the organic component are located in a scribe-line region of the image sensor device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image sensor device of claim 1, further comprising: an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer located over the back side of the silicon substrate, wherein the silicon substrate is separated from the organic component by a portion of the ARC layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The image sensor device of claim 2, wherein the silicon component is at least partially separated from the organic component by another portion of the ARC layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein the silicon substrate is contiguous with the silicon component.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein the interconnect structure includes one or more bonding pads.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein the silicon component is substantially thinner than the silicon substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor image sensor device of claim 1, wherein the silicon component and the silicon substrate have substantially identical material compositions.

### Claim 8

A semiconductor image sensor device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate having a pixel region;
a radiation-sensing region located in the pixel region;
a silicon component contiguous with the semiconductor substrate and located outside of the pixel region of the image sensor device;
an organic component located over a back side of the silicon component and located outside of the pixel region of the image sensor device; and
an interconnect structure located over a front side of the silicon component;
wherein the silicon component and the organic component are located in a scribe-line region of the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the silicon component has a substantially similar material composition as the semiconductor substrate and is free of a dielectric material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The semiconductor image sensor device of claim 8, further comprising: an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer located over a back side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate is separated from the organic component by a portion of the ARC layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The semiconductor image sensor device of claim 9, wherein the silicon component is at least partially separated from the organic component by another portion of the ARC layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The semiconductor image sensor device of claim 8, wherein the interconnect structure includes one or more bonding pads.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The semiconductor image sensor device of claim 8, wherein the silicon component is substantially thinner than the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 13

A semiconductor image device, comprising:
a radiation-sensing element disposed in a semiconductor substrate, the radiation-sensing element being configured to detect radiation that enters the semiconductor substrate from a back side of the semiconductor device, wherein the radiation-sensing element is disposed within a pixel-region of the semiconductor device;
a semiconductor element disposed adjacent to the semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor element and the semiconductor substrate have substantially identical material compositions, and wherein the semiconductor element is disposed in a scribe-line region of the semiconductor device;
an organic element disposed over the semiconductor element in the back side, wherein the organic element is disposed in the scribe-line region of the semiconductor device; and
an interconnect structure disposed over a front side of the semiconductor device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor image sensor device of claim 13, wherein a first depth of the semiconductor element is substantially less than a second depth of the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The semiconductor image sensor device of claim 14, wherein:
the first depth is less than about 4000 Angstroms; and
the second depth is less than about 3 microns.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor image sensor device of claim 13, wherein the semiconductor element is in physical contact with a portion of the semiconductor substrate disposed within the pixel region of the semiconductor device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor image sensor device of claim 13, further comprising an anti-reflective layer disposed over the portion of the semiconductor substrate in the pixel region and over the semiconductor element in the scribe-line region.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor image sensor device of claim 13, wherein the scribe-line region of the semiconductor device is free of any radiation-sensing elements.