IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,761,621
Granted Patent B2
US 9,761,621 · App. 14/078,806 · Granted Sep 12, 2017

Color filter array, imagers and systems having same, and methods of fabrication and use thereof

Inventors: Loriston Ford (Nampa, ID); Ulrich C. Boettiger (Boise, ID)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
H01L27/14625H01L27/14621H01L27/14623H01L27/14627H01L27/14632H01L27/14685H01L27/14687
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,761,621
App. No.
14/078,806
Granted
Sep 12, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A pixel cell with a photosensitive region formed in association with a substrate, a color filter formed over the photosensitive region, the color filter comprising a first material layer and a second material layer formed in association with the first shaping material layer.

Claims (37)

1. An imager comprising:

a pixel cell array formed in a substrate, the pixel cell array having an array of at least first, second and third photosensors; and

a color filter array comprising at least first, second, and third color filters corresponding to the first, second, and third photosensors, and comprising respective spaced first, second, and third blocks of base material and corresponding first, second and third shaped materials formed over the respective first, second, and third blocks of base material, the first, second, and third blocks of base materials having spacer structures between them, wherein—

the first block of base material has a first width and a first height, and the first shaped material has a first radius positively correlated with the first width and positively correlated with the first height,

the second block of base material has a second width and a second height, and the second shaped material has a second radius positively correlated with the second width and positively correlated with the second height, and

the first radius is greater than the second radius.

2. An imager as in claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third base materials are arranged such that at least two of the base material blocks are in closer proximity than one of the at least two base material blocks and a third base material block.

3. An imager as in claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third base materials are all clear in color.

4. The imager of claim 1 wherein the first height is greater than the second height.

5. The imager of claim 4 wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

6. An imager comprising:

a pixel cell array formed in a substrate, the pixel cell array having an array of at least first, second and third photosensors; and

a color filter array corresponding to the array of photosensors, and comprising respective first, second, and third base materials and corresponding first, second, and third shaped materials formed over the first, second and third base materials,

wherein the first shaped material and at least one of the second and third shaped materials each have a radius positively correlated with a height of the corresponding base material, and

wherein the first base material has a greater height than at least one of the second and third base materials, wherein the first shaped material has a greater size than the at least one of the second and third base materials by virtue of the positive correlation with the greater height.

7. A method of forming an imaging device, comprising:

forming a pixel cell array in a substrate, the pixel cell array having an array of photosensors;

forming a color filter array corresponding to the array of photosensors, each of the color filters comprising respective shaped materials formed over base layers, wherein the shaped materials are formed having a physical dimension;

forming a coating formed over the color filter array; and

forming spacer structures between at least two of the base materials;

selectively etching the base layers such that (1) at least two of the base layers have different heights, wherein each of the different heights are positively correlated with the physical dimension of the shaped materials, and (2) the corresponding shaped materials formed over the at least two base layers have different sizes corresponding to the different heights.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the conforming layers have a shape defined at least partially by the base layers and the spacer structures.

9. An imager comprising:

a pixel cell array having first, second, and third photo sensors; and

a color filter array comprising first, second, and third color filters corresponding to the first, second, and third photo sensors, and comprising respective first, second and third spaced apart base materials formed on a support surface and first, second, and third conforming materials respectively formed over the first, second, and third base materials such that at least a portion of each of the first and second conforming materials at least partially fill in a space between the first and second base materials and extend to the support surface;

wherein the first base material has a first height and at least one of the second and third base materials has a second height which differs from the first height, wherein the first conforming material projects from the support surface by a first radius that is positively correlated with the first height, and wherein at least one of the second and third conforming materials projects from the support surface by a second radius that differs from the first radius.

10. The imager of claim 1 wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

11. The imager of claim 9 wherein the first cross-sectional width of the first base material is greater than the second cross-sectional width of the at least one of the second and third base materials.

12. The imager of claim 9 wherein the first radius of the first conforming material is greater than the second radius of the at least one of the second and third conforming base materials.

13. An imager comprising:

a pixel cell array formed in a substrate, the pixel cell array having an array of at least first, second and third photosensors; and

a color filter array comprising at least first, second, and third color filters corresponding to the first, second, and third photosensors, and comprising respective spaced first, second, and third blocks of base material and corresponding first, second and third shaped materials formed over the respective first, second, and third blocks of base material, the first, second, and third blocks of base materials having spacer structures between them, wherein—

the first block of base material has a first width and a first height, and the first shaped material has a first radius corresponding to the first width and first height,

the second block of base material has a second width and a second height, and the second shaped material has a second radius corresponding to the second width and second height,

the first radius is greater than the second radius, and

the first height is greater than the second height.

14. The imager of claim 13 wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050937/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 047243/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REPLACE ERRONEOUSLY FILED PATENT #7358718 WITH THE CORRECT PATENT #7358178 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038669 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jun 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043079/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038954/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038669/0001 →
Continuity (2)
Division 11510703 · Aug 28, 2006
Related Publication 20140061836A1 · Mar 6, 2014