IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,471,400
Granted Patent B2
US 12,471,400 · App. 17/443,791 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Image sensor

Inventors: Kyungduck Lee (Hwaseong-si, KR); Seungki Baek (Suwon-si, KR); Kyungho Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Hyuncheol Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Doosik Seol (Suwon-si, KR); Taesub Jung (Hwaseong-si, KR); Masato Fujita (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
H10F39/807H10F39/182H10F39/8053H10F39/8063
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,471,400
App. No.
17/443,791
Filed
Jul 27, 2021
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Examiner
NARAGHI, ALI
Art Unit
2817
USPC
257/292
Abstract

An image sensor includes: (1) a substrate having first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction and a plurality of unit pixels, (2) first and second photodiodes disposed in the substrate in each of the plurality of unit pixels and isolated from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, (3) a first device isolation film disposed between the plurality of unit pixels, and (4) a pixel internal isolation film disposed in at least one of the plurality of unit pixels. A second device isolation film overlaps at least one of the first and second photodiodes in the first direction. A pair of third device isolation films: (a) extend from the first device isolation film into the unit pixel in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction and (b) oppose each other.

Claims (52)

1 . An image sensor comprising:

a substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposing each other in a first direction and including a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a direction parallel to the first surface;

a first photodiode and a second photodiode disposed in the substrate in each of the plurality of unit pixels and configured to be isolated from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

a first device isolation film disposed between the plurality of unit pixels; and

a pixel internal isolation film disposed in at least one of the plurality of unit pixels, wherein:

the pixel internal isolation film includes:

a second device isolation film configured to overlap at least one of the first photodiode and the second photodiode in the first direction, and

a pair of third device isolation films configured to extend from the first device isolation film into the unit pixel in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction and to oppose each other.

2 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein a length of the second device isolation film is less than a length of the pair of third device isolation films in the first direction.

3 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the second device isolation film is configured to extend in a direction intersecting with the second direction and the third direction.

4 . The image sensor of claim 3 , wherein the pair of third device isolation films are configured to extend in the same direction as an extending direction of the second device isolation film.

5 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the second device isolation film is configured to be isolated from the first device isolation film.

6 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein:

the second device isolation film includes a first region overlapping at least one of the first photodiode and the second photodiode and a second region disposed between the first photodiode and the second photodiode, and

the first region and the second region are configured to extend in different directions.

7 . The image sensor of claim 6 , wherein:

the first region includes a first overlap region configured to overlap the first photodiode and a second overlap region configured to overlap the second photodiode, and

the first overlap region is configured to be spaced apart from the second overlap region.

8 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the pair of third device isolation films are disposed between the first photodiode and the second photodiode in the second direction.

9 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the pair of third device isolation films overlap at least one of the first photodiode and the second photodiode in the first direction.

10 . The image sensor of claim 9 , wherein the pair of third device isolation films are connected to the second device isolation film.

11 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein:

the first device isolation film and the pair of third device isolation films are configured to extend from the second surface to the first surface, and

the second device isolation film is configured to extend from the first surface and to be isolated from the second surface.

12 . An image sensor comprising:

a pixel array including a plurality of pixel groups arranged in a direction parallel to an upper surface of a substrate, wherein each of the plurality of pixel groups includes a plurality of unit pixels; and

a logic circuit configured to obtain a pixel signal from the plurality of unit pixels, wherein:

the plurality of unit pixels are configured to be isolated from each other by a first device isolation film configured to extend in a first direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate,

each of the plurality of unit pixels includes:

a first photodiode and a second photodiode configured to be spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,

a second device isolation film configured to overlap at least one of the first photodiode and the second photodiode,

a color filter disposed on a first surface of the substrate, and

a pixel circuit disposed on a second surface of the substrate,

the plurality of unit pixels included in any one of the plurality of pixel groups include the color filter of the same color, and

at least one of the second device isolation films is configured to extend in a fourth direction, intersecting with the second direction and a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions.

13 . The image sensor of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of unit pixels further includes a pair of third device isolation films configured to extend from the first device isolation film into the unit pixel.

14 . The image sensor of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of pixel groups includes four or nine unit pixels.

15 . The image sensor of claim 14 , wherein in at least a part of the plurality of unit pixels included in each of the plurality of pixel groups, the second device isolation films are configured to extend in different directions.

16 . The image sensor of claim 15 , wherein:

each of the plurality of pixel groups includes first to fourth unit pixels, and

the second device isolation film disposed on each of first unit pixels, among the plurality of unit pixels, is configured to extend in the same direction.

17 . The image sensor of claim 16 , wherein the second device isolation film disposed on each of second unit pixels, among the plurality of unit pixels, is configured to extend in a direction different from an extending direction of the second device isolation film disposed on each of the first unit pixels.

18 . An image sensor comprising:

a substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposing each other in a first direction and including a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a direction parallel to the first surface;

a first photodiode and a second photodiode configured to be spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in the substrate;

a first device isolation film disposed between the plurality of unit pixels each including the first photodiode and the second photodiode; and

a second device isolation film disposed in at least one of the plurality of unit pixels and configured to overlap a portion of at least one of the first photodiode and the second photodiode in the first direction, wherein:

the first device isolation film is configured to extend from the second surface to the first surface,

the second device isolation film is configured to extend from the first surface and to be isolated from the second surface, and

at least a portion of the second device isolation film is inclined relative to the second direction and a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to the first and second directions.

19 . The image sensor of claim 18 , wherein the first device isolation film and the second device isolation film are configured to be spaced apart from each other.

20 . The image sensor of claim 18 , further comprising a third device isolation film disposed in at least one of the plurality of unit pixels and configured to be connected to the first device isolation film.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2021
From: LEE, KYUNGDUCK; BAEK, SEUNGKI; LEE, KYUNGHO; KIM, HYUNCHEOL; SEOL, DOOSIK; JUNG, TAESUB; FUJITA, MASATO
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057050/0297 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0162586 · Nov 27, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220173139A1 · Jun 2, 2022
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