Image sensor with low step height between back-side metal and pixel array

1. A method comprising:

providing a device wafer having a conductive feature formed at a back-side of the device wafer and having a photo diode formed at a front-side of the device wafer;

forming a dielectric layer at the front-side of the device wafer, wherein the dielectric layer comprises one or more metallization layers formed therein, and wherein the photo diode is located between the dielectric layer and the back-side of the device wafer in a thickness direction of the device wafer;

lining the back-side of the device wafer and the conductive feature with a passivation layer, the passivation layer physically contacting the back-side of the device wafer;

forming a grid film over the passivation layer, wherein the grid film comprises a first portion over the conductive feature and a second portion over the photo diode, and wherein a top surface of the first portion of the grid film and a top surface of the second portion of the grid film are at different levels;

reducing the first portion of the grid film;

patterning the second portion of the grid film to form a grid pattern over the photo diode, the grid pattern exposing portions of the passivation layer; and

forming a color filter in the grid pattern and over the photo-diode, wherein no portion of the color filter is disposed over the conductive feature, and wherein the color filter physically contacts the passivation layer lining the back-side of the device wafer.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the grid pattern aligns the color filter to the photo-diode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the grid film comprises forming the grid film to a thickness between about 1000 Å and about 8000 Å.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the grid film is reduced to a height less than about 2000 Å with a first surface of the passivation layer over the conductive feature.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the grid film is reduced to a height less than about 2000 Å with a first surface of the conductive feature.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grid film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a dielectric, a metal, an insulator, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , the patterning the second portion of the grid film further comprising:

patterning a photo-resist over the second portion of the grid film; and

removing sections of the second portion of the grid film using an etch back process.

8. The method of claim 1 , the reducing the first portion of the grid film further comprising:

thinning the first portion of the grid film using a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) step.

9. The method of claim 1 , the reducing the first portion of the grid film further comprising:

thinning the first portion of the grid film using an etching step.

10. A method comprising:

providing a device wafer having a plurality of conductive features formed on a first major surface of the device wafer and having a plurality of pixel devices formed on a second major surface of the device wafer opposite the first major surface of the device wafer, the device wafer further having a dielectric layer formed at the second major surface of the device wafer, the dielectric layer having one or more metallization layers formed therein, and wherein the second major surface of the device wafer is between the dielectric layer and the first major surface of the device wafer in a thickness direction of the device wafer;

forming a grid film over the first major surface of the device wafer and the plurality of conductive features, wherein the grid film comprises a first portion over the plurality of conductive features and a second portion over the plurality of pixel devices, and wherein a top surface of the first portion of the grid film and a top surface of the second portion of the grid film are at different levels;

reducing the first portion of the grid film;

patterning a region of the second portion of the grid film directly opposing the plurality of pixel devices to form a grid pattern comprising a plurality of recesses laterally separated from each other by material of the grid film, the plurality of recesses fully disposed within the region of the second portion of the grid film; and

forming a color filter array in the plurality of recesses, wherein no portion of the color filter array is disposed over the plurality of conductive features, and wherein the color filter array physically contacts a passivation layer formed on the first major surface of the device wafer.

11. The method of claim 10 ,

wherein each of a color filter of the color filter array is aligned to each of a corresponding pixel device of the plurality of pixel devices.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the forming the grid film comprises forming the grid film to a thickness between about 1000 Å and about 8000 Å.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the grid film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a dielectric, an insulator, a metal and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 10 , the patterning the second portion of the grid film further comprising:

patterning a photo-resist over the second portion of the grid film; and

removing sections of the second portion of the grid film using an etch back process.

15. The method of claim 10 , the reducing the first portion of the grid film further comprising:

thinning the first portion of the grid film using a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) step.

16. The method of claim 10 , the reducing the first portion of the grid film further comprising:

thinning the first portion of the grid film using an etching step.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the top surface of the first portion of the grid film is farther from the first major surface of the device wafer than the top surface of the second portion of the grid film is from the first major surface of the device wafer.