Image sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11222918-B1
Application number	US-202117320873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 14, 2021
Priority date	Aug 10, 2020
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

An image sensor comprising a substrate including an upper surface and a lower surface opposite each other and extending in a first direction and a second direction, a first isolation region in the substrate and apart from the upper surface in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and second direction, the first isolation region defining a boundary of a photoelectric conversion region, a second isolation region in the substrate and extending in the third direction from the lower surface to the first isolation region, a plurality of transistors on the upper surface in the photoelectric conversion region, and a photoelectric conversion device in the substrate in the photoelectric conversion region. The first isolation region includes a potential well doped with an impurity of a first conductivity type, and the second isolation region includes an insulating material layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image sensor comprising:
a substrate including an upper surface and a lower surface opposite each other and extending in a first direction and a second direction;
a first isolation region in the substrate and apart from the upper surface in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, the first isolation region defining a boundary of a photoelectric conversion region;
a second isolation region in the substrate and extending in the third direction from the lower surface to the first isolation region;
a plurality of transistors on the upper surface in the photoelectric conversion region; and
a photoelectric conversion device in the substrate in the photoelectric conversion region,
wherein the first isolation region comprises a potential well doped with an impurity of a first conductivity type, and
the second isolation region comprises an insulating material layer.

2. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein, along a planar view of the upper surface, all sides of the photoelectric conversion device are surrounded and enclosed by the first isolation region.

3. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the impurity of the first conductivity type comprises an N-type impurity.

4. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the second isolation region has a tapered shape in which a width thereof decreases as the second isolation region extends in the third direction away from the lower surface, and
the second isolation region is formed in a trench of a deep trench isolation pattern.

5. The image sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a contact region electrically connected to the first isolation region and extending from the upper surface in the third direction.

6. The image sensor of claim 5 , wherein the contact region is doped with the impurity of the first conductivity type.

7. The image sensor of claim 5 , wherein the contact region comprises a conductive material layer.

8. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first isolation region functions as a drain of photo charges overflowed from the photoelectric conversion device.

9. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein a first length of the first isolation region in the third direction is less than a second length of the second isolation region in the third direction.

10. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein, when viewed from a plane parallel to the first direction, the plurality of transistors overlap a portion of the photoelectric conversion device.

11. An image sensor comprising:
a plurality of unit pixels extending in a first direction and second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a plurality of photoelectric conversion regions constituting each of the plurality of unit pixels; and
an isolation region having a grid shape and insulating spaces between the plurality of photoelectric conversion regions,
wherein the isolation region comprises:
a first isolation region doped with an impurity of a first conductivity type; and
a second isolation region comprising an insulating material layer.

12. The image sensor of claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of contact regions electrically connected to the first isolation region and in contact with the first isolation region in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and second direction.

13. The image sensor of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of contact regions are at intersections where portions in the first direction and portions in the second direction of the first isolation region cross each other.

14. The image sensor of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of contact regions are apart from each other in the first direction or the second direction.

15. The image sensor of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of contact regions are configured to apply a voltage to the first isolation region.

16. An image sensor comprising:
a substrate comprising an upper surface and a lower surface extending in a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a plurality of photoelectric conversion regions arranged in the substrate;
a first isolation region apart from the upper surface in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, between the plurality of photoelectric conversion regions and arranged in a grid shape in the substrate, the first isolation region being doped with an impurity of a first conductivity type;
a second isolation region in a grid shape in the substrate, and extending from the lower surface to the first isolation region in the third direction to separate the plurality of photoelectric conversion regions, the second isolation region comprising an insulating material layer;
a plurality of contact regions each extending from the upper surface in the third direction and electrically connected to the first isolation region;
a plurality of transistors on the upper surface of the substrate in each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion regions;
a transfer gate on the upper surface of the substrate in each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion regions; and
a photoelectric conversion device inside the substrate in each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion regions.

17. The image sensor of claim 16 , wherein a first length of the first isolation region in the third direction is about 0.5 μm to about 1 μm, and
a second length of the second isolation region in the third direction is about 1.5 μm to about 2 μm.

18. The image sensor of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of contact regions apply a voltage to the first isolation region, and
the first isolation region functions as a drain of photo charges overflowed from the photoelectric conversion device.

19. The image sensor of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of contact regions are doped with the impurity of the first conductivity type, and
the impurity of the first conductivity type comprises an N-type impurity.

20. The image sensor of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of contact regions comprise a conductive material layer.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Sungchul
• Kim Jaeho
• Kwon Uihui
• Kim Seoksan
• Seo Minwoong

Classifications

• H04N25/622

  by controlling anti-blooming drains · CPC title

• H10F39/8037

  the integrated elements comprising a transistor · CPC title

• H10F39/807 Primary

  Pixel isolation structures · CPC title

• H10F39/803

  Pixels having integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements · CPC title

• H10F39/186 Primary

  having arrangements for blooming suppression · CPC title