Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a main surface;

an element region where photodetectors are formed in the semiconductor substrate; and

a non-element region formed outside the element region over the main surface,

the non-element region including:

a top-layer metal wiring in a top layer of metal wirings formed in the non-element region;

a flattening film covering an upper surface of the top-layer metal wiring; and

a protecting film formed over the flattening film;

a removed part formed by removing the protecting film in at least part of the non-element region; and

a first slot formed by removing only a portion of the flattening film exposed by the removed part, the first slot reaching at least a depth of the upper surface of the top-layer metal wiring from the upper surface of the flattening film.

2. A semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the removed part includes a level difference where a bottom of the level difference is an upper surface of the flattening film located above an upper surface of the top-layer metal wiring on a side opposite to the semiconductor substrate.

3. A semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the top-layer metal wiring surrounds the element region in a plan view.

4. A semiconductor device according to claim 2 , wherein the first slot reaches at least the depth of the upper surface of the top-layer metal wiring from the upper surface of the flattening film in part of a region of the level difference.

5. A semiconductor device according to claim 4 , wherein the first slot is formed immediately above the top-layer metal wiring.

6. A semiconductor device according to claim 4 , wherein the first slot is formed outside the top-layer metal wiring in a plan view.

7. A semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the removed part includes a first slot reaching at least the depth of the upper surface of the top-layer metal wiring from an upper surface of the protecting film, and

wherein the protecting film extends to an end portion of the main surface.

8. A semiconductor device according to claim 7 , wherein the first slot is formed immediately above the top-layer metal wiring.

9. A semiconductor device according to claim 7 , wherein the first slot is formed outside the top-layer metal wiring over the main surface.

10. A semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the first slot extends, in a plan view, along an edge portion of the element region, and

wherein the removed part further includes a second slot, outside the first slot, in a plan view, extending in a direction intersecting with the first slot.

11. A semiconductor device according to claim 7 , wherein a film thickness of the protecting film is 0.3 μm or smaller.

12. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising

providing a semiconductor substrate having a main surface;

forming an element region where photodetecors are formed in the semiconductor substrate and a non-element region outside the element region over the main surface;

forming a top-layer metal wiring in a top layer of metal wirings formed in the non-element region, a flattening film covering an upper surface of the top-layer metal wiring, and a protecting film formed over the flattening film in the non-element region;

forming a removed part where the protecting film is removed such that the flattening film remains over a surface of the top-layer metal wiring in the non-element region; and

forming a first slot by removing only a portion of the flattening film exposed by the removed part, the first slot reaching at least a depth of the upper surface of the top-layer metal wiring from the upper surface of the flattening film.

13. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 12 , wherein the removed part includes a level difference where a bottom of the level difference is an upper surface of the flattening film located above an upper surface of the top-layer metal wiring on a side opposite to the semiconductor substrate.

14. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 13 , wherein the first slot is formed in part of the region of the level difference.

15. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein the first slot is formed immediately above the top-layer metal wiring.

16. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein the first slot is formed, in a plan view, outside the top-layer metal wiring.

17. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 12 ,

wherein the removed part includes a first slot reaching at least the depth of the upper surface of the top-layer metal wiring from an upper surface of the protecting film, and

wherein the protecting film extends to an end portion of the main surface.

18. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 17 , wherein the first slot is formed immediately above the top-layer metal wiring.

19. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 17 , wherein the first slot is formed outside the top-layer metal wiring over the main surface.

20. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 17 ,

wherein the first slot extends, in a plan view, along an edge portion of the element region, and

wherein, in the step of forming the removed part, a second slot is formed outside the first slot, in a plan view, extending in a direction intersecting with the first slot.