Back side illuminated image sensor with deep trench isolation structures and self-aligned color filters

1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor image sensor device, comprising:

forming a plurality of layers over a substrate that includes a plurality of radiation-sensing elements;

etching a plurality of trenches that vertically extend through the plurality of layers and at least partially into the substrate, wherein the trenches interleave horizontally with the radiation-sensing elements;

forming an isolation structure in each of the trenches, wherein the isolation structure includes a light-reflective material;

partially etching a topmost layer of the plurality of layers between the isolation structures to expose segments of the isolation structures, wherein the exposed segments of the isolation structures and a remaining portion of the plurality of layers define a plurality of recesses; and

forming color filters in the recesses.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: forming a passivation layer between the exposed segments of the isolation structures and the color filters.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of layers include a first layer and a second layer formed over the first layer, the second layer being the topmost layer, and wherein the partially etching the topmost layer comprises partially removing the second layer without removing the first layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming the isolation structure includes performing a planarization process to the isolation structure until upper surfaces of the isolation structure are co-planar with upper surfaces of the topmost layer of the plurality of layers.

5. A method of fabricating a semiconductor image sensor device, comprising:

providing a substrate that contains a plurality of radiation-sensing regions formed therein, the substrate having a first side and a second side;

bonding the first side of the substrate to a carrier substrate;

thinning the substrate from the second side after the bonding;

forming a dielectric layer over the second side of the substrate after the thinning;

forming a plurality of trenches from the second side, the trenches extending through the dielectric layer and at least partially through the substrate;

forming a plurality of isolation structures in the trenches, including filling the trenches with a material that reflects radiation and performing a polishing process to the material until portions of the material filling the trenches are co-planar with the dielectric layer; and

thereafter removing at least a portion of the dielectric layer such that portions of the isolation structures protrude out of the dielectric layer.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the filling of the trenches comprises depositing tungsten as the material to fill the trenches.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising coating a passivation layer around the portions of the isolation structures that protrude out of the dielectric layer.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein after the removing, the portions of the isolation structures protruding out of the dielectric and a remaining portion of the dielectric layer collectively define a plurality of openings, and further comprising: forming a plurality of color filters in the plurality of openings, respectively.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising: before the bonding, forming an interconnect structure over the first side of the substrate, wherein the bonding is performed such that the interconnect structure is bonded between the substrate and the carrier substrate.

10. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, before the forming of the dielectric layer:

forming an antireflective coating (ARC) layer over the second side of the substrate; and

forming a buffer layer over the ARC layer;

wherein the dielectric layer is formed over the buffer layer, and wherein the trenches are formed so that they extend through the ARC layer and the buffer layer.

11. A method of fabricating a semiconductor image sensor device, comprising:

forming a plurality of layers over a substrate that includes a plurality of radiation-sensing elements;

forming a trench that extend through the plurality of layers and at least partially into the substrate, wherein the trench is located between a pair of adjacent radiation-sensing elements;

filling the trench with a radiation-reflective material; and

performing an etching process to partially remove a topmost layer of the plurality of layers so that a segment of the radiation-reflective material filling the trench is exposed.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising: coating a barrier layer on surfaces of the trench before the filling the trench with the radiation-reflective material.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising: removing portions of the radiation-reflective material outside the trench via a planarization process.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the filling the trench comprises filling the trench with a metal material as the radiation-reflective material.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the filling the trench comprises filling the trench with tungsten as the metal material.

16. The method of claim 11 , comprising: forming a passivation layer on surfaces of the exposed segment of the radiation-reflective material.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising: forming a color filter on a first portion of the passivation layer, wherein the color filter and the segment of the radiation-reflective material are horizontally separated by a second portion of the passivation layer.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming of the one or more layers includes forming a dielectric layer over the substrate.

19. The method of claim 18 , the forming of the plurality of layers further comprises forming an anti-reflective coating layer and a buffer layer between the substrate and the dielectric layer.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the etching process partially removes the dielectric layer without removing the anti-reflective coating layer and the buffer layer.