Image sensors with antireflective layers
View Patent ↗An electronic device may have an image sensor array that captures images. The image sensor array may include antireflective layers that increase the efficiency of the image sensor in gathering incoming light. The image sensor array may include a first antireflective layer between a color filter layer and a passivation layer and a second antireflective layer between the passivation layer and a dielectric stack. The first antireflective layer may have an index of refraction that is between the indexes of refraction of the color filter layer and the passivation layer and the second antireflective layer may have an index of refraction that is between the indexes of refraction of the dielectric stack and the passivation layer, thereby reducing the proportion of incident light that reflects off the interface between the color filter layer and the passivation layer and the interface between the passivation layer and the dielectric stack.
1. An image sensor, comprising:
a layer of photosensitive devices;
dielectric stack layers that include at least one metal layer with metal lines and at least one via layer with vias and that are formed above the layer of photosensitive devices, wherein the dielectric stack layers cover the photosensitive devices;
a first antireflective layer that is formed on the dielectric stack layers;
a passivation layer that is formed above the first antireflective layer;
a second antireflective layer that is formed above the passivation layer; and
a color filter array layer that is formed above the second antireflective layer, wherein the dielectric stack layers have a first index of refraction, wherein the passivation layer has a second index of refraction that is different than the first index of refraction, and wherein the first antireflective layer has a third index of refraction that is between the first and second indices of refraction.
2. The image sensor defined in claim 1 wherein the color filter array layer comprises a plurality of red filters, a plurality of green filters, and a plurality of blue filters.
3. The image sensor defined in claim 1 wherein the color filter array layer comprises a plurality of filters, each of which is associated with and located above a respective one of the photosensitive devices.
4. The image sensor defined in claim 1 further comprising a substrate in which the photosensitive devices are formed, wherein the dielectric stack layers are formed on the substrate.
5. The image sensor defined in claim 1 further comprising a layer of lenses that is formed above the color filter array.
6. The image sensor defined in claim 5 wherein the color filter array layer comprises a plurality of filters, each of which is associated with and located above a respective one of the photosensitive devices and wherein the layer of lenses comprises a plurality of lenses, each of which is associated with and located above a respective one of filters in the color filter array layer.
7. The image sensor defined in claim 1 wherein the color filter array layer has a fourth index of refraction that is different than the second index of refraction, and wherein the second antireflective layer has a fifth index of refraction that is between the second and fourth indices of refraction.
8. The image sensor defined in claim 1 wherein first and second antireflective layers comprise silicon oxynitride.
9. The image sensor defined in claim 1 wherein the dielectric stack layers comprise silicon oxide.
10. The image sensor defined in claim 1 wherein the passivation layer comprises silicon nitride.
11. An integrated circuit, comprising:
a passivation layer between a layer of photosensitive devices and a layer of lenses;
an antireflective layer adjacent to the passivation layer, wherein the antireflective layer is interposed between the passivation layer and the layer of photosensitive devices;
dielectric stack layers that include at least one metal layer with metal lines and at last one via layer with vias and that is formed above the layer of photosensitive devices, wherein the dielectric stack layers are interposed between the antireflective layer and the photosensitive devices, wherein the dielectric stack layers have a first index of refraction, wherein the passivation layer has a second index of refraction that is different than the first index of refraction, and wherein the antireflective layer has a third index of refraction that is between the first and second indices of refraction.
12. The integrated circuit defined in claim 11 further comprising:
a color filter array layer that is formed above the passivation layer.
13. The integrated circuit defined in claim 12 wherein the antireflective layer is a first antireflective layer, the integrated circuit further comprising:
a second antireflective layer that is between the passivation layer and the color filter array layer and that is adjacent to the passivation layer.
14. The integrated circuit defined in claim 13 wherein the layer of lenses comprises a layer of microlenses, each of which is associated with and located above a respective one of the photosensitive devices.
15. The integrated circuit defined in claim 13 wherein the color filter array layer comprises a plurality of filters, each of which is associated with and located above a respective one of the photosensitive devices.
16. A method of forming an image sensor, comprising:
forming a dielectric stack above photosensitive devices;
forming a color filter array above the dielectric stack, wherein the dielectric stack is interposed between the color filter array and the photosensitive devices, and wherein the dielectric stack covers the photosensitive devices;
forming a passivation layer between the color filter array and the dielectric stack; and
forming at least one antireflective layer adjacent to the passivation layer, wherein the dielectric stack has a first index of refraction, wherein the passivation layer has a second index of refraction that is different than the first index of refraction, and wherein the at least one antireflective layer has a third index of refraction that is between the first and second indices of refraction.
17. The method defined in claim 16 wherein forming the least one antireflective layer adjacent to the passivation layer comprises:
forming a first antireflective layer between the dielectric stack and the passivation layer; and
forming a second antireflective layer between the passivation layer and the color filter array.
18. The method defined in claim 16 wherein the color filter array has a fourth index of refraction that is different than the second index of refraction, and wherein forming the least one antireflective layer adjacent to the passivation layer comprises:
forming a first antireflective layer that is between the dielectric stack and the passivation layer and that has the third index of refraction that is between the first and second indices of refraction; and
forming a second antireflective layer that is between the passivation layer and the color filter array and that has a fifth index of refraction that is between the second and fourth indices of refraction.