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US RE51,061 E1Granted
Image sensors including conductive pixel separation structures
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.
Claims31
An image sensor, comprising:
- a substrate comprising a plurality of 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;
- photoelectric conversion parts in the pixel regions of the substrate;
- gate electrodes and floating diffusion regions in the pixel regions of the substrate;
- a pixel separation structure including a first isolation region and a second isolation region in the substrate that separate the pixel regions from each other, wherein the first isolation region includes an insulating device isolation layer and a metal element, and the second isolation region includes an impurity-doped region;
- and
- doped ground regions disposed between adjacent ones of the floating diffusion regions,
- wherein the first isolation region is in contact with the second surface and spaced apart from the first surface, and the second isolation region is disposed between the first isolation region and the first surface.
4 more elements
An image sensor, comprising:
- a substrate comprising a plurality of 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;
- photoelectric conversion parts in the pixel regions of the substrate;
- gate electrodes and floating diffusion regions in the pixel regions of the substrate;
- a pixel separation structure including a first isolation region and a second isolation region in the substrate that separate the pixel regions from each other, wherein the first isolation region includes an insulating device isolation layer, and the second isolation region includes an impurity-doped region;
- and
- doped ground regions disposed between adjacent ones of the floating diffusion regions,
- wherein the first isolation region is in contact with the second surface and spaced apart from the first surface, and the second isolation region is disposed between the first isolation region and the first surface, and
- wherein in plan view, the floating diffusion regions and the doped ground regions are arranged in a straight line.
5 more elements
An image sensor, comprising:
- a substrate comprising a plurality of 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;
- a first photoelectric conversion part (PD) in a first pixel region;
- a second PD in a second pixel region directly adjacent to the first pixel region;
- a first floating diffusion region on the first surface of the substrate in the first pixel region;
- a first trench in contact with the first surface of the substrate and between the first PD and the second PD;
- a second trench in contact with the second surface and vertically overlapping with the first trench;
- an insulating layer on a sidewall and a bottom of the second trench;
- a metal-containing layer on the insulating layer and filling the second trench;
- a first ground region in the first pixel region and adjacent to the first trench;
- and
- a second floating diffusion region in the second pixel region and adjacent to the first trench,
- wherein a surface of the metal-containing layer facing the first surface of the substrate has an uneven structure,
- wherein a length of the second trench from the second surface of the substrate in a first direction is longer than a length of the first trench from the first surface of the substrate in the first direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the first surface of the substrate, and
- wherein the bottom of the second trench faces the first surface of the substrate and is spaced apart from the first surface of the substrate.
13 more elements
An image sensor, comprising:
- a substrate comprising a plurality of pixel regions, the substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the second surface of the substrate is arranged to receive incident light;
- a first photoelectric conversion part (PD) in a first pixel region;
- a second PD in a second pixel region directly adjacent to the first pixel region;
- a first floating diffusion region in the first pixel region;
- a first trench in contact with the first surface of the substrate and between the first PD and the second PD;
- a first p-type doped region in the first pixel region and in contact with the first trench;
- a second floating diffusion region in the second pixel region and in contact with the first trench;
- and
- a second trench in contact with the second surface of the substrate and vertically overlapping with the first trench,
- wherein a length of the second trench from the second surface of the substrate in a first direction is longer than a length of the first trench from the first surface of the substrate in the first direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the first surface of the substrate,
- wherein a width of a first surface of the second trench spaced apart from the second surface of the substrate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction is smaller than a width of a first surface of the first trench spaced from the first surface of the substrate in the second direction.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.