IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,027,555
Granted Patent B2
US 12,027,555 · App. 17/333,040 · Granted Jul 2, 2024

Image sensor

Inventor: Cheng-Yu Hsieh (Singapore, SG)
Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
H01L27/1463H01L27/14621H01L27/14629H01L27/14636H01L27/14649
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,027,555
App. No.
17/333,040
Granted
Jul 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a first isolation structure, a visible light detection structure, and an infrared light detection structure. The semiconductor substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface in a vertical direction. The first isolation structure is disposed in the semiconductor substrate for defining pixel regions in the semiconductor substrate. The visible light detection structure and the infrared light detection structure are disposed within the same pixel region, and a first portion of the visible light detection structure is disposed between the second surface of the semiconductor substrate and the infrared light detection structure in the vertical direction.

Claims (31)

1. An image sensor, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface in a vertical direction;

a first isolation structure disposed in the semiconductor substrate for defining pixel regions in the semiconductor substrate;

at least one visible light detection structure disposed in the semiconductor substrate; and

at least one infrared light detection structure disposed in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the at least one visible light detection structure and the at least one infrared light detection structure are disposed within one of the pixel regions, and a first portion of the at least one visible light detection structure is disposed between the at least one infrared light detection structure and the second surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vertical direction,

wherein a second portion of the at least one visible light detection structure is disposed between the at least one infrared light detection structure and the first isolation structure in a horizontal direction.

2. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein each of the pixel regions is surrounded by the first isolation structure in the horizontal direction.

3. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the at least one visible light detection structure is directly connected with the first portion of the at least one visible light detection structure.

4. The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second isolation structure disposed in the semiconductor substrate, wherein a part of the second isolation structure is disposed between the second portion of the at least one visible light detection structure and the at least one infrared light detection structure in the horizontal direction.

5. The image sensor according to claim 3 , wherein the first portion of the at least one visible light detection structure is disposed between the second surface of the semiconductor substrate and the second isolation structure in the vertical direction.

6. The image sensor according to claim 3 , wherein a length of the second isolation structure in the vertical direction is greater than or equal to a length of the at least one infrared light detection structure in the vertical direction.

7. The image sensor according to claim 3 , wherein a length of the second isolation structure in the vertical direction is less than a length of the first isolation structure in the vertical direction.

8. The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a reflective layer disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the at least one infrared light detection structure is disposed between the reflective layer and the first portion of the at least one visible light detection structure in the vertical direction.

9. The image sensor according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one visible light detection structure is disposed between the reflective layer and the second surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vertical direction.

10. The image sensor according to claim 8 , wherein the reflective layer is an electrically floating conductive layer.

11. The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first gate electrode disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and disposed corresponding to the at least one infrared light detection structure; and

a second gate electrode disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and disposed corresponding to the at least one visible light detection structure.

12. The image sensor according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a reflective structure disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein a part of the reflective structure is disposed on the first isolation structure in the vertical direction, and another part of the reflective structure is disposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode.

13. The image sensor according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a second isolation structure disposed in the semiconductor substrate, wherein a part of the second isolation structure is disposed between the second portion of the at least one visible light detection structure and the at least one infrared light detection structure in the horizontal direction, and at least a part of the reflective structure disposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode overlaps the second isolation structure in the vertical direction.

14. The image sensor according to claim 12 , wherein the reflective structure is an electrically floating conductive structure.

15. The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:

color filter units disposed on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the color filter units is disposed corresponding to one of the pixel regions in the vertical direction.

16. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the first isolation structure penetrates through the semiconductor substrate in the vertical direction.

17. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the vertical direction is a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate.

18. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one visible light detection structure comprises a visible light photodiode or a portion of a visible light photodiode, and the at least one infrared light detection structure comprises an infrared photodiode or a portion of an infrared photodiode.

19. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one infrared light detection structure comprises an epitaxial structure disposed in the semiconductor substrate, and the at least one visible light detection structure comprises a doped region comprising a material identical to a material of the semiconductor substrate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2021
From: HSIEH, CHENG-YU
To: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
Reel/Frame 056379/0329 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202110504117.3 · May 10, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220359582A1 · Nov 10, 2022