Method for fabricating CMOS image sensor

1. A method for fabricating a CMOS image sensor, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, said semiconductor substrate including a light-sensing region;

forming a gate electrode of a transfer transistor of said CMOS image sensor on said semiconductor substrate, wherein an end portion of said gate electrode is adjacent to said light-sensing region;

performing a self-aligned ion implantation process to form a diode diffusion region of a second conductivity type in said semiconductor substrate within said light-sensing region;

performing an oblique ion implantation process to form a pocket diffusion region of said second conductivity type in said semiconductor substrate directly under said end portion of said gate electrode adjacent to said diode diffusion region;

forming a floating diffusion region of said second conductivity type in said semiconductor substrate, said floating diffusion region being disposed at a side of said gate electrode and space-apart from said pocket diffusion region;

after forming said diode diffusion region and said pocket diffusion region, forming spacers on sidewalls of said gate electrode; and

forming a surface pinning diffusion region of said first conductivity type in said diode diffusion region, wherein said surface pinning diffusion region, said diode diffusion region, said pocket diffusion region and said semiconductor substrate constitute a pinned photodiode.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein prior to forming the gate electrode of the transfer transistor, the method further comprises the following step:

forming a diffusion well of said first conductivity type in said semiconductor substrate, said diffusion well being adjacent to said light-sensing region of said CMOS image sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said self-aligned ion implantation process comprises the following steps:

forming a first photoresist layer on said semiconductor substrate, wherein said first photoresist layer has a first opening that exposes a portion of said light-sensing region and a portion of said gate electrode; and

implanting dopant species of said second conductivity type into said semiconductor substrate through said first opening, thereby forming said diode diffusion region.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said oblique ion implantation process comprises the following step:

obliquely implanting dopant species of said second conductivity type into said semiconductor substrate through said first opening, thereby forming said pocket diffusion region.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said oblique ion implantation process comprises the following steps:

forming a second photoresist layer on said semiconductor substrate, wherein said second photoresist layer has a second opening that exposes a portion of said light-sensing region and a portion of said gate electrode; and

obliquely implanting dopant species of said second conductivity type into said semiconductor substrate through said second opening, thereby forming said pocket diffusion region.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said first conductivity type is P type and said second conductivity type is N type.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said spacers are formed by depositing a conformal insulating layer over said semiconductor substrate, and then anisotropically dry etching said insulating layer.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein prior to forming said gate electrode, a gate dielectric layer is formed on said semiconductor substrate, and said gate electrode is stacked on said gate dielectric layer.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein said gate electrode comprises polysilicon, polycide and metal alloys.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein said CMOS image sensor comprises four transistors.