IP Library Granted Patent US 7,936,036
Granted Patent B2
US 7,936,036 · App. 12/434,474 · Granted May 3, 2011

Solid-state image sensor with two different trench isolation implants

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,936,036
App. No.
12/434,474
Granted
May 3, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solid-state image sensor includes: a trench isolation region; a photodiode region for converting incident light to signal charges and accumulating the signal charges therein; a floating diffusion region for accumulating the signal charges of the photodiode region; a gate electrode formed over the element formation region located between the photodiode region and the floating diffusion region, and formed so that both ends of the gate electrode respectively overlap a part of the photodiode region and a part of the floating diffusion region; and an inactive layer formed in a region located in a bottom portion and sidewall portions of the trench isolation region. An impurity concentration in a region located under the gate electrode in the inactive layer is lower than that in a region other than the region located under the gate electrode in the inactive layer.

Claims (26)

1. A solid-state image sensor, comprising:

a trench isolation region formed in a semiconductor substrate, and defining an element formation region;

a photodiode region formed in the element formation region, for converting incident light to signal charges and accumulating the signal charges therein;

a floating diffusion region formed in the element formation region, for accumulating the signal charges of the photodiode region;

a gate electrode formed over the element formation region located between the photodiode region and the floating diffusion region, and formed so that both ends of the gate electrode respectively overlap a part of the photodiode region and a part of the floating diffusion region; and

an inactive layer formed in a region located in a bottom portion and sidewall portions of the trench isolation region in the semiconductor substrate, wherein

an impurity concentration in a region located under the gate electrode in the inactive layer is lower than that in a region other than the region located under the gate electrode in the inactive layer.

2. The solid-state image sensor of claim 1 , wherein

the region other than the region located under the gate electrode in the inactive layer includes a region near the photodiode region in the inactive layer.

3. The solid-state image sensor of claim 1 , wherein

in the region located in the sidewall portions of the trench isolation region in the inactive layer, an impurity concentration in an upper part close to a surface side of the semiconductor substrate is higher than that in a lower part close to the bottom portion of the trench isolation region.

4. The solid-state image sensor of claim 1 , wherein

a first width in a gate width direction of the photodiode region located under one end of the gate electrode is smaller than a second width in a longitudinal direction in a middle of the photodiode region.

5. The solid-state image sensor of claim 1 , wherein

the photodiode region is formed by a p-n-p junction region, and the p-n-p junction region is formed by a first p-type region formed in the element formation region, an n-type region formed on the first p-type region, and a second p-type region formed on the n-type region.

6. The solid-state image sensor of claim 1 , wherein

a gate width direction of the gate electrode is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the photodiode region.

7. The solid-state image sensor of claim 1 , wherein

a gate width direction of the gate electrode is tilted with respect to a longitudinal direction of the photodiode region.

8. The solid-state image sensor of claim 7 , wherein

the gate width direction of the gate electrode is tilted at 45° with respect to the longitudinal direction of the photodiode region.

9. The solid-state image sensor of claim 1 , wherein a control implantation layer is formed in a region located under the gate electrode, and surrounded by the photodiode region, the floating diffusion region, and the inactive layer.

10. The solid-state image sensor of claim 1 , wherein a width of the element formation region under the gate electrode is smaller than 500 nm, and

a control implantation layer is not formed in a region located under the gate electrode, and surrounded by the photodiode region, the floating diffusion region, and the inactive layer.

11. The solid-state image sensor of claim 1 , wherein a region of the inactive layer located under the gate electrode has a peak concentration of 1.0×10 16 to 4.5×10 18 cm −3 .

12. The solid-state image sensor of claim 11 , wherein the region of the inactive layer located under the gate electrode has a diffusion layer width of 10 nm to 250 mm.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: COLLABO INNOVATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 033021/0806 →
LIEN Recorded Jan 13, 2014
From: COLLABO INNOVATIONS, INC.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031997/0445 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2009
From: TANAKA, SHOUZI; MIYAGAWA, RYOHEI
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 022926/0227 →