IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,310,138
Granted Patent B2
US 12,310,138 · App. 17/969,663 · Granted May 20, 2025

Photosensor having a scattering structure comprises circular ring and peripheral patterns

Inventors: Eknath Sarkar (New Taipei, TW); Yichen Ma (Taipei, TW); Yu-Chieh Lee (Taipei, TW); Chee-Wee Liu (Taipei, TW)
Assignee: Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation
H10F39/807H10F39/8063H10F39/811
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 12,310,138
App. No.
17/969,663
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A photosensor provided herein includes a sensing structure and a microlens. The sensing structure includes an epitaxial layer, a deep trench and a scattering structure. The epitaxial layer has an illuminated surface and a non-illuminated surface. The deep trench isolation is located along an edge of the epitaxial layer. The scattering structure is embedded in the epitaxial layer and extends inwardly from the illuminated surface. The scattering structure includes a first circular ring pattern and a peripheral pattern. The deep trench isolation surrounds the scattering structure, the peripheral pattern is connected with the deep trench isolation and the first circular ring pattern is separated from the peripheral pattern and the deep trench isolation. The microlens is disposed on the epitaxial layer, wherein the illuminated surface of the epitaxial layer is relatively close to the microlens than the non-illuminated surface.

Claims (25)

1. A photosensor, comprising:

a sensing structure including:

an epitaxial layer having an illuminated surface and a non-illuminated surface;

a deep trench isolation located along an edge of the epitaxial layer;

a scattering structure embedded in the epitaxial layer and extending inwardly from the illuminated surface, wherein the scattering structure comprises a first circular ring pattern and a peripheral pattern, wherein the deep trench isolation surrounds the scattering structure, the peripheral pattern is connected with the deep trench isolation and the first circular ring pattern is separated from the peripheral pattern and the deep trench isolation; and

a microlens disposed on the sensing structure, wherein the illuminated surface of the epitaxial layer is relatively close to the microlens than the non-illuminated surface.

2. The photosensor according to claim 1 , wherein a material of the scattering structure is different from the epitaxial layer.

3. The photosensor according to claim 1 , wherein the scattering structure has taper sidewalls.

4. The photosensor according to claim 1 , wherein a depth of the deep trench isolation is not less than a depth of the scattering structure.

5. The photosensor according to claim 1 , wherein the scattering structure further comprises a second circular ring pattern, wherein the first circular ring pattern and the second circular ring pattern are centered at a center point, and a radius of the first circular ring pattern is different from a radius of the second circular ring pattern.

6. The photosensor according to claim 1 , wherein the scattering structure further comprises a traversal pattern extending in an extending direction traversing the first circular ring pattern, and the first circular ring pattern is centered at a center point and the traversal pattern extends across the center point.

7. The photosensor according to claim 6 , wherein the peripheral pattern is located at a terminal of the traversal pattern.

8. The photosensor according to claim 6 , wherein the traversal pattern extends along the extending directions substantially parallel to a side edge of the sensing structure.

9. The photosensor according to claim 6 , wherein the traversal pattern extends along an extending direction substantially parallel to a diagonal line of the sensing structure.

10. The photosensor according to claim 6 , wherein terminals of the traversal pattern are connected to the deep trench isolation.

11. The photosensor according to claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial layer comprises a first doped region and a second doped region laterally spaced from the first doped region by a gap.

12. The photosensor according to claim 11 , wherein the sensing structure further comprises a gate structure and a floating diffusion contact, the gate structure is disposed on the epitaxial layer and located corresponding to the gap between the first doped region and the second doped region and the floating diffusion contact is disposed on the epitaxial layer and in contact with the second doped region.

13. The photosensor according to claim 12 , further comprising an interconnect structure, wherein the interconnect structure is electrically connected to the gate structure and the floating diffusion contact.

14. The photosensor according to claim 12 , wherein the first doped region and the second doped region are disposed close to the non-illuminated surface of the epitaxial layer.

15. The photosensor according to claim 12 , wherein the first doped region and the second doped region are disposed close to the illuminated surface of the epitaxial layer.

16. The photosensor according to claim 15 , wherein the scattering structure is embedded in the first doped region.

17. The photosensor according to claim 11 , wherein the first doped region comprises a first doped layer and a second doped layer on top of the first doped layer, and a dopant type of the first doped layer and a dopant type of the second doped layer are different.

18. The photosensor according to claim 17 , wherein a dopant type of the second doped region is the same as the dopant type of the first doped layer.

19. The photosensor according to claim 1 , further comprising an optical layer disposed between the microlens and the sensing structure.

20. The photosensor according to claim 1 , wherein a top of the scattering structure is coplanar with a top of the epitaxial layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 25, 2022
From: SARKAR, EKNATH; MA, YICHEN; LEE, YU-CHIEH; LIU, CHEE-WEE
To: POWERCHIP SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061522/0390 →
Continuity (2)
Related Publication 20240136382A1 · Apr 25, 2024
Related Publication 20240234465A9 · Jul 11, 2024
References Cited (15)
US 10224364B2 · Zhao et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10504952B2 · Cheng et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200016574A1 · Kovacic et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20220149098A1 · Wang et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220149221A1 · Kurata et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20250056913A1 · Takai · 2025 [cited by examiner]
TW 201929209 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
TW I685986 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
TW 202209661 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
“Office Action of Taiwan Counterpart Application”, issued on Aug. 15, 2023, p. 1-p. 9. [cited by applicant]
I. Oshiyama et al., “Near-infrared sensitivity enhancement of a back-illuminated complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor with a pyramid surface for diffraction structure,” 2017 IEEE International Electron D… [cited by applicant]
Ekaterina Ponizovskaya Devine et al., “Single Microhole per Pixel in CMOS Image Sensor with Enhanced Optical Sensitivity in Near-Infrared,” IEEE Sensors Journal, vol. 21, May 2021, pp. 10556-10562. [cited by applicant]
Jonghoon Park et al., “Pixel Technology for Improving IR Quantum Efficiency of Backside-illuminated CMOS Image Sensor,” International Image Sensor Society, 2019, pp. 1-4. [cited by applicant]
Jungwook Lim et al., “A single chip PPG sensor with enhanced IR sensitivity for low power and small size,” Electronic Imaging, Jan. 2021, pp. 1-5. [cited by applicant]
Tae-Yon Lee et al., “Quantum Efficiency and Optical Cross-talk of Pixels with Backside Scattering Technique for Near-Infrared Imaging,” International Image Sensor Society, 2021, pp. 1-4. [cited by applicant]