Solid-state imaging apparatus having an upwardly convex color filter layer and method of manufacturing the same

1. A solid-state imaging apparatus in which a plurality of pixel units are arranged, each of said pixel units comprising:

a photoelectric conversion element formed above a semiconductor substrate; and

a color filter layer formed above said photoelectric conversion element,

wherein a central part of said color filter layer is higher than a peripheral part of said color filter layer,

wherein said color filter layer includes (i) a first layer formed using a smaller dimension than a dimension of each of said pixel units, and (ii) a second layer formed using the same dimension as each of said pixel units, wherein said first layer and said second layer are laminated.

2. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1

wherein said first layer and said second layer are formed using the same material.

3. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1

wherein said first layer and said second layer have different dye concentrations.

4. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 2

wherein a first clear film is disposed between said photoelectric conversion element and said color filter layer, and

wherein said color filter layer has a higher refractive index than a refractive index of said first clear film.

5. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 4

wherein a second clear film is disposed on said color filter layer, and

wherein said said second clear film has a lower refractive index than a refractive index of said color filter layer.

6. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 5

wherein a microlens is disposed on said second clear film, and

wherein said microlens has a higher refractive index than a refractive index of said second clear film.

7. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein a microlens is disposed on said second clear film, and

wherein said the microlens has a higher refractive index than a refractive index of said color filter layer.

8. A solid-state imaging apparatus in which a plurality of pixel units are arranged, each of said pixel units comprising:

a photoelectric conversion element formed above a semiconductor substrate; and

a color filter layer formed above said photoelectric conversion element,

wherein a central part of said color filter layer is thicker than a peripheral part of said color filter layer,

wherein the said color filter layer includes (i) a first layer formed using a smaller dimension than a dimension of each of said pixel units, and (ii) a second layer formed using the same dimension as said each of said pixel units, and

wherein said first layer and said second layer are laminated.

9. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 8 ,

wherein said first layer and said second layer are formed using the same material.

10. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said first layer and said second layer have different dye concentrations.

11. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 9 ,

wherein a first clear film is disposed between said photoelectric conversion element and said color filter layer, and

wherein said color filter layer has a higher refractive index than a refractive index of said first clear film.

12. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 11 ,

wherein a second clear film is disposed on said color filter layer, and

wherein said second clear film has a lower refractive index than a refractive index of said color filter layer.

13. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein a microlens is disposed on said second clear film, and

wherein said microlens has a higher refractive index than a refractive index of said second clear film.

14. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein a microlens is disposed on said second clear film, and

wherein said microlens has a higher refractive index than a refractive index of said color filter layer.

15. A method for manufacturing a solid-state imaging apparatus in which a plurality of pixel units are arranged, each of said pixel units including a photoelectric conversion element formed above a semiconductor substrate, and a color filter layer formed above the photoelectric conversion element, the method comprising:

forming a first layer as a part of the color filter layer, using a smaller dimension than a dimension of each of said pixel units; and

forming, on the first layer, a second layer as a part of the color filter layer, using the same dimension as the dimension of each of said pixel units.

16. The method for manufacturing a solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 15 ,

wherein the first layer and the second layer are formed by performing different exposures to light using the same mask.