Optical color sensor system

1. A method of manufacture of an optical color sensor system comprising:

providing a substrate having an optical sensor therein;

forming a passivation layer over the substrate;

planarizing the passivation layer;

forming color filters over the passivation layer;

forming a planar transparent layer over the color filters, the planar transparent layer exposing a sidewall of at least one of the color filters; and

forming microlenses on the planar transparent layer over the color filters.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

forming the passivation layer further comprises:

depositing an encapsulating passivation layer, and

forming a top passivation layer on the encapsulating passivation layer; and

planarizing the passivation layer further comprises:

planarizing the top passivation layer to remove the top passivation layer and a portion of the encapsulating passivation layer.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

providing a metal pad on the substrate connected to the optical sensor;

forming the passivation layer further comprises:

encapsulating the metal pad in an encapsulating passivation layer, and

forming a top passivation layer on the encapsulating passivation layer; and

planarizing the passivation layer further comprises:

planarizing the top passivation layer to remove the top passivation layer and a portion of the encapsulating passivation layer.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

providing a metal pad on the substrate connected to the optical sensor;

forming the passivation layer further comprises:

depositing a hard mask layer on the passivation layer,

forming a passivation mask on the hard mask layer,

processing the hard mask layer using the passivation mask, and

processing the passivation layer using the hard mask layer;

coating the metal pad and the hard mask layer with a coating layer;

removing the coating layer from the metal pad; and

forming the color filters forms the color filters on the coating layer.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

depositing a coating layer over the passivation layer;

forming the color filters further includes:

depositing a red color filter, a blue color filter, and a green color filter on the coating layer;

depositing a planar transparent layer on the color filters; and

forming the microlenses further comprises:

forming the microlenses on the coating layer over the red color filter, the blue color filter, and the green color filter.

6. A method of manufacture of an optical color sensor system comprising:

providing a substrate having an optical sensor therein;

depositing a passivation layer over the substrate;

planarizing the passivation layer;

depositing color filters over the passivation layer after planarization;

depositing a planar transparent layer on and over the color filters, the planar transparent layer exposing a sidewall of at least one of the color filters; and

forming microlenses on the planar transparent layer over each of the color filters.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:

depositing the passivation layer further comprises:

depositing an encapsulating passivation layer on the substrate, and

forming a top passivation layer on the encapsulating passivation layer; and

planarizing the passivation layer further comprises:

polishing the top passivation layer to remove the top passivation layer and a portion of the encapsulating passivation layer.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:

providing a metal pad on the substrate connected to the optical sensor;

depositing the passivation layer further comprises:

encapsulating the metal pad in an encapsulating passivation layer, the encapsulating passivation layer includes a material selected from silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, an alloy thereof, a compound thereof, and a combination thereof, and

depositing a top passivation layer on the encapsulating passivation layer; and

planarizing the passivation layer further comprises:

polishing the top passivation layer to remove the top passivation layer and a portion of the encapsulating passivation layer, the polishing back of the encapsulating passivation layer to a thickness of about 6,000 Å over the metal pad.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:

providing a metal pad on the substrate connected to the optical sensor;

depositing the passivation layer further comprises:

depositing a hard mask layer on the passivation layer,

forming a passivation mask on the hard mask layer,

processing the hard mask layer using the passivation mask, and

processing the passivation layer using the hard mask layer;

coating the metal pad and the hard mask layer with a bottom anti-reflective coating;

removing the coating layer from the metal pad; and

depositing the color filters form the color filters on the coating layer.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:

depositing a coating layer over the passivation layer; and

depositing the color filters further includes:

depositing a red color filter, a blue color filter, and a green color filter on the coating layer;

depositing a planar transparent layer on the color filters; and

forming the microlenses further comprises:

forming the microlenses on the planar transparent layer over the red color filter, the blue color filter, and the green color filter.

11. An optical color sensor system comprising:

a substrate;

an optical sensor in the substrate;

a planarized passivation layer over the substrate;

color filters over the passivation layer;

a planar transparent layer over the color filters, the planar transparent layer exposing a sidewall of at least one of the color filters; and

microlenses on the planar transparent layer over the color filters.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

the passivation layer further comprises:

an encapsulating passivation layer.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

a metal pad on the substrate connected to the optical sensor;

the passivation layer further comprises:

an encapsulating passivation layer encapsulating the metal pad with the top surface of the metal pad exposed.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

a coating layer over the passivation layer;

the color filters further include:

a red color filter, a blue color filter, and a green color filter on the coating layer;

a planar transparent layer on the color filters; and

the microlenses further comprise:

the microlenses on the coating layer over the red color filter, the blue color filter, and the green color filter.

15. The system as claimed in claim 11 comprising:

the substrate having an optical sensor therein for detecting light thereon;

the passivation layer over the substrate providing a planarized surface;

the color filters over the planarized surface of the passivation layer;

the planar transparent layer on and over the color filters; and

the microlenses on and over the planar transparent layer over each of the color filters.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising:

the passivation layer further comprises an encapsulating passivation layer on the substrate, the encapsulating passivation layer characterized in having a planar top surface.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising:

a metal pad on the substrate connected to the optical sensor; and

the passivation layer further comprises an encapsulating passivation layer encapsulating the metal pad of a thickness of about 6,000 Å over the metal pad.

18. The system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising:

a metal pad on the substrate connected to the optical sensor;

the passivation layer further comprises:

a hard mask layer on the passivation layer, and

a passivation mask on the hard mask layer;

a coating layer of a bottom anti-reflective coating on the hard mask layer; and

the color filters formed on the coating layer.

19. The system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising:

a coating layer over the passivation layer;

the color filters further includes a red color filter, a blue color filter, and a green color filter on the coating layer;

a planar transparent layer on the color filters; and

the microlens further comprises the microlenses formed on the coating layer over the red color filter, the blue color filter, and the green color filter.