IP Library Granted Patent US 7,776,225
Granted Patent B2
US 7,776,225 · App. 11/727,651 · Granted Aug 17, 2010

Method for forming on-chip lens including process of forming depression by using etch-back method, and method for manufacturing solid-state imaging apparatus including process of forming in-layer micro lens using the method for forming on-chip lens

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,776,225
App. No.
11/727,651
Granted
Aug 17, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a method for forming a lens according to the present invention, a digging step of digging a depression includes a depositing substep of depositing a pattern film on a surface of a base film, the pattern film being made of a second material and in an inverted shape of the depression, a forming substep of forming an embedding film to flatten the surface of the pattern film, the embedding film being made of a third material and embedding therein the pattern film, and an etch-back substep of conducting etch-back on a surface of the embedding film toward the base film to dig the depression, and an etch rate of the second material is higher than an etch rate of the third material.

Claims (70)

1. A method for forming an on-chip lens, comprising:

a depositing step of depositing a base film on a surface of a substrate, the base film being translucent and made of a first material; and

a digging step of digging a depression in a portion of the base film, wherein

the digging step includes

a depositing substep of depositing a pattern film on a surface of the base film, the pattern film being made of a second material and in an inverted shape of the depression,

a forming substep of forming an embedding film to flatten the surface of the pattern film, the embedding film being made of a third material and embedding therein the pattern film, and

an etch-back substep of conducting etch-back on a surface of the embedding film toward the base film to dig the depression, and

an etch rate of the second material is higher than an etch rate of the third material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

an etch rate ratio of the second material to the third material is from 1.5 to 2.5 inclusive.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein

an etch rate ratio of the third material to the first material is from 0.5 to 1.5 inclusive.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein

an etch rate ratio of the second material to the first material is from 1.5 to 2.5 inclusive.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein

in the depositing substep of depositing the pattern film,

a photosensitive resin is used as the second material,

a film made of the photosensitive resin is formed on the base film,

a mask having a prescribed opening is formed on the film made of the photosensitive resin, and

the film made of the photosensitive resin is exposed and developed from above the mask to form the pattern film.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein

in the forming substep of forming the embedding film,

a viscous fluid material with hardenability is used as the third material, and

the viscous fluid material is applied on the pattern film formed on the base film to form the embedding film.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein

in the depositing substep of depositing the pattern film and the forming substep of forming the embedding film,

a synthetic resin is used as the second material and the third material, and

a double bond density of the second material is higher than a double bond density of the third material.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein

in the depositing substep of depositing the pattern film,

silicon nitride or silicon nitroxide is used as the second material, and

in the forming substep of forming the embedding film,

the etch-back is conducted by dry etching using a gas including fluorine.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein further comprising

a filling step of filling a fourth material in the depression formed in the digging step of digging the depression, the fourth material being translucent and having a refractive index different from a refractive index of the first material.

10. A method for manufacturing a solid-state imaging apparatus, comprising, for forming an in-layer lens, of:

a depositing step of depositing a base film on a surface of a substrate, the base film being translucent and made of a first material; and

a digging step of digging a depression in a portion of the base film, wherein

the digging step includes

a depositing substep of depositing a pattern film on a surface of the base film, the pattern film being made of a second material and in an inverted shape of the depression,

a forming substep of forming an embedding film to flatten the surface of the pattern film, the embedding film being made of a third material and embedding therein the pattern film, and

an etch-back substep of conducting etch-back on a surface of the embedding film toward the base film to dig the depression, and

an etch rate of the second material is higher than an etch rate of the third material.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein

an etch rate ratio of the second material to the third material is from 1.5 to 2.5 inclusive.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein

an etch rate ratio of the third material to the first material is from 0.5 to 1.5 inclusive.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein

an etch rate ratio of the second material to the first material is from 1.5 to 2.5 inclusive.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein

in the depositing substep of depositing the pattern film,

a photosensitive resin is used as the second material,

a film made of the photosensitive resin is formed on the base film,

a mask having a prescribed opening is formed on the film made of the photosensitive resin, and

the film made of the photosensitive resin is exposed and developed from above the mask to form the pattern film.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein

in the forming substep of forming the embedding film,

a viscous fluid material with hardenability is used as the third material, and

the viscous fluid material is applied on the pattern film formed on the base film to form the embedding film.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein

in the depositing substep of depositing the pattern film and the forming substep of forming the embedding film,

a synthetic resin is used as the second material and the third material, and

a double bond density of the second material is higher than a double bond density of the third material.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein

in the depositing substep of depositing the pattern film,

silicon nitride or silicon nitroxide is used as the second material, and

in the forming substep of forming the embedding film,

the etch-back is conducted by dry etching using a gas including fluorine.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein

a filling step of filling a fourth material in the depression formed in the digging step of digging the depression, the fourth material being translucent and having a refractive index different from a refractive index of the first material.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2020
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 052755/0917 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 21, 2008
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021897/0606 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 27, 2007
From: TSUKAMOTO, AKIRA
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 020167/0171 →