IP Library Granted Patent US 12696563
Granted Patent B2
US 12696563 · App. 18/455,255 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Image sensor

Inventors: Kwang-Min Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Kisang Yoon (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H10F39/805G02B1/116H10F39/024H10F39/182H10F39/8053H10F39/8063H10F39/807H10F39/809H10F39/811
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12696563
App. No.
18/455,255
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is an image sensor, which includes a first substrate that has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and includes a pixel array area and an edge area, the edge area including a first conductive pad; an anti-reflection structure on the second surface; a pixel isolator in the first substrate and defining and separating pixels; and a micro lens array that is disposed on the anti-reflection structure, in which the anti-reflection structure includes a first insulating layer, a conductive layer, a second insulating layer, and a third insulating layer sequentially stacked, the conductive layer is on the pixel array area, and is not at least in a portion of the edge area where the first conductive pad is arranged, and a voltage is configured to be applied to the conductive layer.

Claims (106)

1 . An image sensor, comprising:

a first substrate that has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and includes a pixel array area and an edge area, the edge area including first conductive pad;

an anti-reflection structure on the second surface;

a pixel isolator in the first substrate defining and separating pixels; and

a micro lens array on the anti-reflection structure,

wherein the anti-reflection structure includes a first insulating layer, a conductive layer, a second insulating layer, and a third insulating layer that are sequentially stacked,

the conductive layer is on the pixel array area, and is not at least in a portion of the edge area where the first conductive pad is, and

the conductive layer is configured to receive a voltage.

2 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein:

the first insulating layer includes aluminum oxide,

the second insulating layer includes silicon oxide,

the third insulating layer includes hafnium oxide, and

the conductive layer includes titanium oxide.

3 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein:

the first substrate has a first refractive index,

the first insulating layer has a second refractive index,

the conductive layer has a third refractive index,

the second insulating layer has a fourth refractive index, and

an average value of the second refractive index and the third refractive index is less than the first refractive index and is greater than the fourth refractive index.

4 . The image sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:

a contact on the second surface of the first substrate and in the edge area,

wherein the conductive layer is electrically connected to the contact.

5 . The image sensor of claim 4 , wherein,

the pixel isolator includes an isolation conductive pattern and an isolation insulating pattern interposed between the isolation conductive pattern and the first substrate, and

the pixel isolator extends to the edge area, and the contact passes through a portion of the first substrate and contacts the isolation conductive pattern of the pixel isolator.

6 . The image sensor of claim 4 , further comprising:

a first interlayer insulating layer on the first surface of the first substrate;

a first wire within the first interlayer insulating layer;

a second interlayer insulating layer under the first interlayer insulating layer;

a second wire within the second interlayer insulating layer;

a second substrate under the second interlayer insulating layer; and

a first via and a second via, the first via and second via partially penetrating through the first substrate, the first interlayer insulating layer, and the second interlayer insulating layer, and that contact at least one of the first wire and the second wire.

7 . The image sensor of claim 6 , further comprising:

a connection wire that connects between the first via and the contact,

wherein the voltage is configured to be applied to the conductive layer through the first via and the contact.

8 . The image sensor of claim 7 , wherein an edge of the conductive layer is disposed between the contact and the first via.

9 . The image sensor of claim 6 , wherein an edge of the conductive layer is disposed between the contact and the first via.

10 . The image sensor of claim 9 , wherein

the first insulating layer, the second insulating layer, and the third insulating layer are arranged across the pixel array area and the edge area, and

the conductive layer is only in the pixel array area and a portion of the edge area.

11 . The image sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second conductive pad on the second surface of the first substrate in the edge area,

wherein the conductive layer includes a main body part on the pixel array area and a connection part connecting the main body part and the second conductive pad.

12 . The image sensor of claim 11 , further comprising:

a first interlayer insulating layer on the first surface of the first substrate;

a first wire within the first interlayer insulating layer;

a second interlayer insulating layer under the first interlayer insulating layer;

a second wire within the second interlayer insulating layer;

a second substrate under the second interlayer insulating layer; and

a first via, a second via, and a third via, the first via, the second via, and the third via partially penetrating through the first substrate, the first interlayer insulating layer, and the second interlayer insulating layer, and that contact at least one of the first wire and the second wire,

wherein the third via is electrically connected to the second conductive pad, and the voltage is configured to be applied to the conductive layer through the third via and the second conductive pad.

13 . The image sensor of claim 11 , further comprising:

a contact on the second surface of the first substrate in the edge area, wherein the pixel isolator includes an isolation conductive pattern and an isolation insulating pattern interposed between the isolation conductive pattern and the first substrate, and

the pixel isolator extends to the edge area, and the contact passes through a portion of the first substrate and contacts the isolation conductive pattern of the pixel isolator.

14 . The image sensor of claim 13 , wherein an edge of the main body part is between the pixel array area and the contact and is separated from the contact.

15 . The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein the pixel isolator includes an isolation conductive pattern and a buried insulating pattern,

wherein the image sensor further includes:

a first interlayer insulating layer that is disposed on the first surface of the first substrate, the buried insulating pattern interposed between the isolation conductive pattern and the first interlayer insulating layer;

a first wire that is disposed within the first interlayer insulating layer;

an internal connection contact that penetrates through the buried insulating pattern and connects the first wire and the isolation conductive pattern;

a second interlayer insulating layer that is disposed under the first interlayer insulating layer;

a second wire that is disposed within the second interlayer insulating layer; and

a second substrate that is disposed under the second interlayer insulating layer, and

wherein the second conductive pad is connected to the isolation conductive pattern connected to the internal connection contact.

16 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein:

the first insulating layer is disposed over the pixel array area and the edge area, and

the second insulating layer and the third insulating layer have edges substantially coinciding with the conductive layer.

17 . An image sensor, comprising:

a first substrate that has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and that includes a pixel array area and an edge area;

an anti-reflection structure on the second surface;

a pixel isolator on the first substrate defining and separating pixels;

a color filter on the anti-reflection structure;

a micro lens array on the color filter;

a first interlayer insulating layer on the first surface of the first substrate;

a first wire within the first interlayer insulating layer;

a second interlayer insulating layer under the first interlayer insulating layer;

a second wire within the second interlayer insulating layer;

a second substrate under the second interlayer insulating layer;

a contact on the second surface of the first substrate in the edge area;

a conductive pad on the second surface of the first substrate in the edge area and at a position farther from the pixel array area than the contact; and

a first via and a second via, the first via and the second via partially passing through the first substrate, the first interlayer insulating layer, and the second interlayer insulating layer in the edge area, and contact at least one of the first wire and the second wire,

wherein the anti-reflection structure includes a first insulating layer, a titanium oxide layer, a second insulating layer, and a third insulating layer sequentially stacked, and

an edge of the titanium oxide layer is between the contact and the conductive pad, and the titanium oxide layer is electrically connected to the contact.

18 . The image sensor of claim 17 , wherein:

the first via is electrically connected to the contact, and the second via is electrically connected to the conductive pad, and

a negative voltage is configured to be applied to the titanium oxide layer through the first via and the contact.

19 . An image sensor, comprising:

a first substrate that has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and that includes a pixel array area and an edge area;

an anti-reflection structure on the second surface;

a pixel isolator on the first substrate defining and separating pixels;

a color filter on the anti-reflection structure;

a micro lens array on the color filter;

a first interlayer insulating layer on the first surface of the first substrate;

a first wire within the first interlayer insulating layer;

a second interlayer insulating layer under the first interlayer insulating layer;

a second wire within the second interlayer insulating layer;

a second substrate under the second interlayer insulating layer; and

a first conductive pad and a second conductive pad that are on the second surface of the first substrate in the edge area,

wherein the anti-reflection structure includes a first insulating layer, a titanium oxide layer, a second insulating layer, and a third insulating layer sequentially stacked,

the titanium oxide layer includes a main body part having an edge between the pixel array area and the first conductive pad and a connection part connecting between the main body part and the second conductive pad, and

the connection part is electrically connected to the second conductive pad.

20 . The image sensor of claim 19 , further comprising:

a contact on the second surface of the first substrate in the edge area, and

a first via, a second via, and a third via, the first via, the second via, and the third via partially penetrating through the first substrate, the first interlayer insulating layer, and the second interlayer insulating layer, and that contact at least one of the first wire and the second wire,

wherein the first via is electrically connected to the contact, the second via is electrically connected to the first conductive pad, and the third via is electrically connected to the second conductive pad, and

a negative voltage is configured to be applied to the titanium oxide layer through the third via and the second conductive pad.