Image sensors including conductive pixel separation structures and methods of fabricating the same
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsJunemo Koo, Namgil Kim, Changrok Moon, Byungjun Park, Jongcheol Shin
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Abstract
An image sensor includes a substrate having adjacent pixel regions and respective photodiode regions therein, and a pixel separation portion including a trench extending into the substrate between the adjacent pixel regions. The trench includes a conductive common bias line therein and an insulating device isolation layer between the common bias line and surfaces of the trench. A conductive interconnection is coupled to the common bias line and is configured to provide a negative voltage thereto. Related fabrication methods are also discussed.
Claims11
A method of fabricating an image sensor, comprising:
- forming a pixel separation structure in a substrate to define pixel regions, the substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the second surface is arranged to receive incident light and wherein the pixel separation structure comprises a common bias line and a device isolation layer on the common bias line and extends from the first surface towards the second surface but not completely through the substrate;
- and
- forming a photoelectric conversion part and a gate electrode in or on each of the pixel regions.
A method of forming an image sensor, the method comprising:
- forming a trench that extends into a substrate from a first side of the substrate and that defines a plurality of pixel regions in the substrate;
- forming a device isolation layer conforming to a bottom and side walls of the trench;
- forming a conductive bias line in the device isolation layer in the trench;
- thinning the substrate by removing a portion of the substrate on a second side of the substrate without exposing the device isolation layer;
- and
- forming an optical layer structure on the second side of the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.