IP Library Granted Patent US 10,020,338
Granted Patent B2
US 10,020,338 · App. 14/944,975 · Granted Jul 10, 2018

Backside illuminated image sensor

Inventors: Jaroslav Hynecek (Lake Oswego, OR); Leonard Forbes (Lake Oswego, OR); Homayoon Haddad (Lake Oswego, OR); Thomas Joy (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES II LLC
H01L27/1464H01L21/76898H01L23/481H01L27/14621H01L27/14627H01L27/14632H01L27/14636H01L27/14643H01L27/14685H01L27/14687H01L27/14698H01L2924/0002
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,020,338
App. No.
14/944,975
Granted
Jul 10, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A backside illuminated image sensor includes a substrate, a backside passivation layer disposed on backside of the substrate, and a transparent conductive layer disposed on the backside passivation layer.

Claims (36)

1. A method for manufacturing a backside illuminated image sensor, the method comprising:

forming a light-receiving element in a front side of a substrate;

forming a patterned conductive layer over the front side of the substrate, wherein the patterned conductive layer includes an interconnection layer and an interlayer insulation layer;

forming an align key spaced apart from the light-receiving element and passing through the interlayer insulation layer and the substrate, wherein the patterned conductive layer is electrically coupled to the align key;

forming a backside passivation layer over a backside of the substrate;

forming a transparent conductive layer over the backside passivation layer and the light-receiving element, wherein the transparent conductive layer is electrically coupled to the align key;

forming a front side passivation layer over a front side of the patterned conductive layer; and

attaching, to the front side passivation layer, a further substrate comprising a voltage applying unit that is configured to apply a voltage to the transparent conductive layer via the align key.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming both a color filter and a microlens over the transparent conductive layer proximate the light-receiving element.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said attaching a further substrate comprises bonding a silicon-on-insulator substrate over the front side passivation layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said forming a backside passivation layer comprises forming a backside passivation layer having a multi-layered structure, wherein refractive indexes of the multi-layer structure decrease as each layer of the multi-layer structure is positioned closer to the backside passivation layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said forming a backside passivation layer comprises forming a backside passivation layer including a layer having a lower refractive index than the substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said forming a transparent conductive layer comprises forming a transparent conductive layer from a material selected from the group consisting of ITO, ZO, SnO, and ZTO.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said forming a transparent conductive layer comprises forming a transparent conductive layer including an ITO layer, and wherein the method further comprises doping the ITO layer with an impurity selected from the group of impurities consisting of Co, Ti, W, Mo, and Cr.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein said forming a transparent conductive layer comprises forming a transparent conductive layer including a ZO layer, and wherein the method further comprises doping the ZO layer with an impurity selected from the group of impurities consisting of Mg, Zr, and Li.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said forming a transparent conductive layer comprises forming a transparent conductive layer having a polysilicon layer, a precious metal layer, or both.

10. A method for manufacturing a backside illuminated image sensor, the method comprising:

forming a light-receiving element in a front side of a substrate;

forming an interlayer insulation layer on the front side of the substrate;

forming an align key spaced apart from the light-receiving element and passing through the interlayer insulation layer and the substrate;

forming, on the interlayer insulation layer, a patterned conductive layer that is electrically coupled to the align key;

forming a backside passivation layer over a backside of the substrate;

forming a transparent conductive layer over the backside passivation layer and the light-receiving element, wherein the transparent conductive layer is electrically coupled to the align key; and

forming a voltage applying unit that is configured to apply a voltage to the transparent conductive layer via the align key.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming both a color filter and a microlens over the transparent conductive layer proximate the light-receiving element.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

forming a front side passivation layer over a front side of the patterned conductive layer; and

forming a further substrate over the front side passivation layer.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said forming a further substrate over the front side passivation layer comprises bonding a silicon-on-insulator substrate over the front side passivation layer.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein said forming a backside passivation layer comprises forming a backside passivation layer having a multi-layered structure, wherein refractive indexes of the multi-layer structure decrease as each layer of the multi-layer structure is positioned closer to the backside passivation layer.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein said forming a backside passivation layer comprises forming a backside passivation layer including a layer having a lower refractive index than the substrate.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

forming a front side passivation layer over a front side of the patterned conductive layer; and

attaching, to the front side passivation layer, a further substrate comprising the voltage applying unit that is configured to apply the voltage to the transparent conductive layer via the align key.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming the voltage applying unit such that the voltage applying unit applies a negative voltage to the transparent conductive layer via the align key.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming the voltage applying unit such that the voltage applying unit applies a positive voltage to the transparent conductive layer via the align key.

Assignments (1)
MERGER Recorded Apr 25, 2018
From: CROSSTEK CAPITAL, LLC
To: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES II LLC
Reel/Frame 045636/0069 →
Continuity (4)
Division 13859055 · Apr 9, 2013
Division 12969321 · Dec 15, 2010
Continuation 12255194 · Oct 21, 2008
Related Publication 20160071900A1 · Mar 10, 2016