Optical member with high refractive index layers, solid-state imaging device having an optical member with high refractive index layers, and manufacturing method thereof

1. A solid state imaging device comprising:

a first layer containing a photodiode;

a second layer over the first layer, the second layer comprised of a single material layer through which incident light can pass and having one or more equiphase layers with a refractive index of n 0 , the second layer having an equiphase wave surface through which the incident light is received and a back surface through which the light exists, the second layer having an optical axis along the direction of the light passing therethrough;

an alternate placement layer within the second layer, the alternate placement layer being comprised of (i) separate high refractive index layers having a great refractive index n 1 and (ii) separate low refractive index layers having a small refractive index n 0 , which high and low refractive index layers are each relatively thin in a lateral direction relative to the optical axis as compared with an optical length of the optical member, the high and low refractive index layers being disposed alternately in the lateral direction; and

an antireflection film on upper and lower sides of each high refractive index layer,

wherein,

the alternate placement layer is effective as a condensing lens for light passing therethrough,

the refractive index n 0 is less than the refractive index n 1 ,

a high refractive index layer is positioned at the mechanical center of the member with the optical axis extending therethrough, and

the low refractive index layer is not air.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said high refractive index layers are each disposed symmetrically so as to be disposed densely at the mechanical center of said member along said lateral direction, and disposed non-densely along said lateral direction farther away from said center.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein:

said high refractive index layers are disposed such that each width of said high refractive index layers increases gradually toward the mechanical center of said member; and

said low refractive index layers are disposed such that each width of said low refractive index layers decreases gradually toward the mechanical center of said member.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the high and low refractive index layers are rectangular in cross section.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the low refractive index layer is made of silicon oxide.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the high refractive index layer is made of silicon nitride.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the high refractive index layer is made of silicon nitride.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second layer and the low refractive index layer are made of the same low refractive index material, and the high refractive index layer is made of a high refractive index material that is embedded within the low refractive index material.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the low refractive index material is silicon oxide.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the high refractive index material is silicon nitride.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the high refractive index material is silicon nitride.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the antireflection films and each of the high refractive index layers have an equal width.