Method of manufacturing a CMOS image sensor
A CMOS image sensor may include at least one of: a semiconductor substrate over which a photodiode and transistors are formed; passivation layers formed over a semiconductor substrate; and color PRs buried in trenches formed in the passivation layers and formed to be higher than the trenches.
1. A method comprising:
forming at least one passivation layer over a semiconductor substrate;
forming at least one trench in said at least one passivation layer and said semiconductor substrate; and
forming an optical element in each of said at least one trench, wherein the optical element comprises a color filter and a micro-lens,
wherein the color filter and the micro-lens are combined to have a single layer integrated structure.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one passivation layer comprises a USG passivation layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one passivation layer comprises a d-TEOS passivation layer.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one passivation layer comprises a SiN passivation layer.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one trench is formed by forming a photoresist pattern over the at least one passivation layer and etching the at least one passivation layer.
6. The method of claim 5 , comprising filling the at least one trench with a color photoresist.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the color photoresist is formed to be higher than the at least one passivation layer.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein said optical element is formed by reflowing the color photoresist.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is for forming a CMOS image sensor.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the color filter and the micro-lens are formed of same materials.
11. An apparatus comprising:
at least one passivation layer formed over a semiconductor substrate;
at least one trench formed in said at least one passivation layer and said semiconductor substrate; and
an optical element in each of said at least one trench, wherein the optical element comprises a color filter and a micro-lens,
wherein the color filter and the micro-lens are combined to have a single layer integrated structure.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said at least one passivation layer comprises a USG passivation layer.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said at least one passivation layer comprises a d-TEOS passivation layer.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said at least one passivation layer comprises a SiN passivation layer.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said at least one trench is formed by forming a photoresist pattern over the at least one passivation layer and etching the at least one passivation layer.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one trench is filled with a color photoresist.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the color photoresist is formed to be higher than the at least one passivation layer.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said optical element is formed by reflowing the color photoresist.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is a CMOS image sensor.
20. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the color filter and the micro-lens are formed of same materials.