IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,266,674
Granted Patent B2
US 12,266,674 · App. 17/315,321 · Granted Apr 1, 2025

Image sensor with aluminum grid pattern having openings and copper dummy patterns covering the openings

Inventors: Minho Jang (Suwon-si, KR); Kyoungwon Na (Seoul, KR); Seungkuk Kang (Seoul, KR); Hyunchul Kim (Seoul, KR); Hyun Young Yeo (Hwaseong-si, KR); In Sung Joe (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO, LTD.
H01L27/14636H01L27/14603H01L27/14643
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 12,266,674
App. No.
17/315,321
Granted
Apr 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image sensor includes a first chip that includes a pixel region and a pad region, and a second chip that is in contact with one surface of the first chip and includes circuits that drive the first chip. The first chip includes a first substrate, an interlayer insulating layer disposed between the first substrate and the second chip, first interconnection lines disposed in the interlayer insulating layer, a conductive pad disposed in the pad region between the second chip and the first interconnection lines, and a recess region formed in the pad region that penetrates the first substrate and the interlayer insulating layer and exposes the conductive pad.

Claims (34)

1. An image sensor, comprising:

a first chip that includes a pixel region and a pad region; and

a second chip that is connected with one surface of the first chip and includes a first connection pad, a second connection pad, second interconnection lines, and circuits that drive the first chip,

wherein the first chip comprises:

a first substrate;

an interlayer insulating layer disposed between the first substrate and the second chip;

first interconnection lines disposed in the interlayer insulating layer;

a conductive pad entirely disposed within the interlayer insulating layer in the pad region of the first chip between the second chip and the first interconnection lines;

a metal pattern disposed in the pixel region between the second chip and the first interconnection lines and disposed at a same level as the conductive pad, wherein the metal pattern is connected to the second chip by a conductive connection pad;

a third connection pad disposed between the conductive pad and the second chip;

a fourth connection pad disposed between the conductive pad and the second chip; and

a recess region formed in the pad region that penetrates the first substrate and the interlayer insulating layer and exposes the conductive pad,

wherein the conductive pad is disposed on and connected to the third connection pad and the fourth connection pad,

wherein the first connection pad is connected to the third connection pad and the second connection pad is connected to the fourth connection pad,

wherein the conductive pad is connected to the second chip through the third and first connection pads, and through the fourth and second connection pads,

wherein the first and second connection pads are connected to the second interconnection lines, and

wherein the metal pattern includes a first barrier layer disposed on its bottom surface, the conductive connection pad includes a second barrier layer disposed on its top surface and sidewall, and a connection portion of the conductive connection pad and the metal pattern has a step structure in which the second barrier layer penetrates the first barrier layer of the bottom surface of the metal pattern.

2. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first connection pad is directly connected to the third connection pad and the second connection pad is directly connected to the fourth connection pad.

3. The image sensor of claim 1 ,

wherein the first connection pad and the third connection pad include a same metal, and

wherein the conductive pad includes a metal that differs from that of the first connection pad and the third connection pad.

4. The image sensor of claim 3 ,

wherein the conductive pad includes aluminum, and

wherein the first connection pad and the third connection pad include copper.

5. The image sensor of claim 3 , wherein the conductive pad is thicker than the first connection pad.

6. The image sensor of claim 3 , wherein the metal pattern includes a same material as the conductive pad.

7. The image sensor of claim 6 ,

wherein the metal pattern has a grid shape that includes openings.

8. The image sensor of claim 7 ,

wherein the first chip further comprises: a contact plug that connects the first interconnection lines to the conductive pad, and

wherein the contact plug is not provided in the pixel region between the metal pattern and the first interconnection lines.

9. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the conductive pad comprises a barrier layer at each of a top surface and a bottom surface of the conductive pad, and

wherein the recess region penetrates the barrier layer.

10. The image sensor of claim 9 , wherein the barrier layer is not provided on a sidewall of the conductive pad.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2021
From: JANG, MINHO; NA, KYOUNGWON; KANG, SEUNGKUK; KIM, HYUNCHUL; YEO, HYUN YOUNG; JOE, IN SUNG
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 056179/0528 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0103288 · Aug 18, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220059596A1 · Feb 24, 2022
References Cited (57)
US 8247852B2 · Tai et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8502335B2 · Tseng et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 9548329B2 · Lin et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 10038026B2 · Huang et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10115763B2 · Itonaga et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10121814B2 · Hayashi · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10229948B2 · Shimotsusa · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10229949B2 · Park et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10297831B2 · Ho et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10367022B2 · Kobayashi · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10403670B2 · Umebayashi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10411057B2 · Jeon et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10453886B2 · Takahashi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10573679B2 · Kwon · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10622397B2 · Ishino et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10804304B2 · Noh et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10804313B2 · Kagawa et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 11201185B2 · Mitsuhashi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11563049B2 · Nishizawa · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11869853B2 · Mitsuhashi et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 20080173966A1 · Lin · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20120153419A1 · Itonaga · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20130153901A1 · JangJian · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20150221695A1 · Park et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160020235A1 · Yamashita · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160351617A1 · Frey · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170125459A1 · Tsai · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180175091A1 · Jeon · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190123088A1 · Kwon · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190221597A1 · Noh · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200091209A1 · Han · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200105814A1 · Hashiguchi et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200105836A1 · Kim et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200258923A1 · Ono et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20220028804A1 · Mitsuhashi · 2022 [cited by examiner]
JP 2011151375A2 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2011204915A2 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012015278A2 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012164870A2 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013125970A2 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014072296A2 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017022207A2 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019102619A2 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019125784A2 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020092146A2 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020150091714A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020160067844A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020180071802A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020190045642A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020190086246A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020200035940 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 2015050000A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO 2018186195A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019188026A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2020044943 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance dated Dec. 9, 2024, in corresponding Korean Patent Application Serial No. 10-2020-0103288, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
Japanese Examination Report dated Jan. 28, 2025 in corresponding Japanese Patent Application 2021-15538, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]