IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,364,029
Granted Patent B2
US 12,364,029 · App. 17/228,229 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Image sensing device including light reception alignment marks

Inventors: Seok Jae Shin (Icheon-si, KR); Woo Yung Jung (Icheon-si, KR); Jae Hyun Park (Icheon-si, KR)
Assignee: SK HYNIX INC.
H10F39/026H01L23/544H01L24/08H10F39/182H10F39/8053H10F39/8063H10F39/809H01L2223/54426H01L2224/0224H01L2224/08145
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,364,029
App. No.
17/228,229
Granted
Jul 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image sensing device includes an upper substrate configured to include a pixel region and a first peripheral region located outside the pixel region, a lower substrate configured to include a logic region and a second peripheral region located outside the logic region, the logic region configured to generate an image based on the electrical signals from the unit pixels, light reception elements disposed over the upper substrate and configured to transmit the incident light to the pixel region, an insulation layer disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, a light reception alignment mark disposed in the first peripheral region and configured to assist positioning of the light reception elements, and an alignment pattern disposed between the first peripheral region and the second peripheral region and in the insulation layer. The alignment pattern is configured to absorb light used to measure the light reception alignment mark.

Claims (44)

1. An image sensing device, comprising:

an upper substrate configured to include a pixel region and a first peripheral region located outside the pixel region, the pixel region including unit pixels configured to generate electrical signals through conversion of incident light;

a lower substrate configured to include a logic region and a second peripheral region located outside the logic region, the logic region coupled to receive the electrical signals from the unit pixels and configured to generate an image based on the electrical signals from the unit pixels;

light reception elements disposed over a first surface of the upper substrate, and configured to transmit the incident light to the pixel region;

an insulation layer disposed over a second surface located opposite to the first surface of the upper substrate and between the upper substrate and the lower substrate;

a light reception alignment mark disposed in the first peripheral region of the upper substrate and configured to assist positioning of the light reception elements formed over the first surface of the upper substrate in the pixel region; and

an alignment pattern disposed between the first peripheral region and the second peripheral region and in the insulation layer, the alignment pattern disposed to overlap with the light reception alignment mark disposed in the first peripheral region and configured to absorb light used to measure the light reception alignment mark, and

wherein the alignment pattern is disposed not to overlap with the pixel region.

2. The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the light reception alignment mark includes:

a trench that is etched to a predetermined depth from the first surface in the first peripheral region; and

an insulation material buried in the trench,

wherein the first surface is a surface on which light is incident.

3. The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the alignment pattern includes:

a plurality of dot patterns that are alternately disposed in the insulation layer.

4. The image sensing device according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of dot patterns includes first dot patterns disposed in a first layer and second dot patterns disposed in a second layer disposed under the first layer.

5. The image sensing device according to claim 4 , wherein the first dot patterns and the second dot patterns are disposed at staggered positions in a checkerboard shape, the alignment pattern configured to overlap an entirety of the light reception alignment mark.

6. The image sensing device according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of dot patterns is of an equal size.

7. The image sensing device according to claim 3 , wherein each dot pattern includes copper (Cu).

8. The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the insulation layer includes:

an upper insulation layer formed over a second surface located opposite to the first surface and formed to include the alignment pattern; and

a lower insulation layer formed over a first surface of the lower substrate to be in contact with the upper insulation layer.

9. The image sensing device according to claim 8 , wherein the lower insulation layer includes additional patterns.

10. The image sensing device according to claim 9 , wherein the alignment pattern is disposed to overlap with the additional patterns.

11. The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein each light reception element includes a lens or filter.

12. An image sensing device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate configured to include a pixel region and a peripheral region located outside the pixel region, the pixel region including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements configured to generate electrical signals through conversion of light;

a plurality of light reception elements formed over a first surface of the semiconductor substrate, and configured to transmit incident light to the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements;

an insulation layer disposed over a second surface located opposite to the first surface;

a light reception alignment mark disposed in the peripheral region of the semiconductor substrate, and configured to assist positioning of the plurality of light reception elements; and

an alignment pattern formed in the insulation layer and disposed to overlap with the light reception alignment mark,

wherein the alignment pattern includes a plurality of dot patterns that are disposed in different sub-layers of the insulation layer, and

wherein the alignment pattern is disposed not to overlap with the pixel region.

13. The image sensing device according to claim 12 , wherein the alignment pattern includes:

first dot patterns disposed in a first sub-layer of the insulation layer; and

second dot patterns disposed in a second sub-layer disposed under the first sub-layer.

14. The image sensing device according to claim 13 , wherein the first dot patterns and the second dot patterns are disposed at staggered positions in a checkerboard shape, the alignment pattern configured to overlap an entirety of the light reception alignment mark.

15. The image sensing device according to claim 13 , wherein the first dot patterns and the second dot patterns have a same size.

16. The image sensing device according to claim 12 , wherein the plurality of dot patterns includes a metal.

17. The image sensing device according to claim 12 , wherein the insulation layer includes:

an upper insulation layer formed over the second surface located opposite to the first surface and formed to include the alignment pattern; and

a lower insulation layer formed to be in contact with the upper insulation layer.

18. The image sensing device according to claim 12 , further comprising an additional substrate disposed under the insulation layer and configured to include a logic region configured to generate an image upon receiving the electrical signals from the pixel region.

19. The image sensing device according to claim 17 , wherein the lower insulation layer includes additional patterns, and the alignment pattern is disposed to overlap with the additional patterns.

20. The image sensing device according to claim 12 , wherein each light reception element includes a lens or filter.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2021
From: SHIN, SEOK JAE; JUNG, WOO YUNG; PARK, JAE HYUN
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 055894/0690 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0118257 · Sep 15, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220085091A1 · Mar 17, 2022
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