Solid-state image-capturing device and production method thereof, and electronic appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016343753-A1
Application number	US-201414900242-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 25, 2014
Priority date	Jul 3, 2013
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A high degree of phase difference detection accuracy can be obtained using a phase difference pixel ( 2 B) with a simpler configuration. A solid-state image-capturing device includes a pixel array unit in FIG. 2 which a plurality of pixels including a phase difference pixel ( 2 B) which is a pixel for focal point detection and an image-capturing pixel ( 2 A) which is a pixel for image generation are arranged in a two-dimensional array. In this case, a predetermined layer ( 50 ) between a light shielding layer ( 47 ) and a micro lens ( 52 ) formed in the image-capturing pixel has a higher refraction index than a refraction index of the predetermined layer ( 51 ) formed in the phase difference pixel. The technique of the present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a back-illuminated-type solid-state image-capturing device and the like.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A solid-state image-capturing device, comprising:
a pixel array unit having a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array, the plurality of pixels including a phase difference pixel and an image-capturing pixel; and a layer between a light shielding layer and a micro lens formed in the image-capturing pixel, wherein the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens formed in the image-capturing pixel has a higher refraction index than a refraction index of a layer formed in the phase difference pixel.

2 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein a difference between the refraction index of the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the image-capturing pixel and the refraction index of the layer of the phase difference pixel is greater than or equal to 0.2.

3 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein the phase difference pixel includes a light shielding layer and a micro lens, and wherein at least one of the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the image-capturing pixel and the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the phase difference pixel is provided between the micro lens and a color filter at an upper side of the light shielding layer.

4 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein a second layer having a refraction index less than the refraction index of the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the image-capturing pixel is provided between the micro lens and the layer of the image-capturing pixel.

5 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein the phase difference pixel includes a light shielding layer and a micro lens and wherein at least one of the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the image-capturing pixel and the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the phase difference pixel is provided between the light shielding layer and a color filter layer at a lower side of the micro lens.

6 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the image-capturing pixel and the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the phase difference pixel is a color filter layer.

7 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 6 , wherein the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the phase difference pixel is a transparent color filter layer.

8 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the image-capturing pixel is a color filter layer, and the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the phase difference pixel is made of a same material as the micro lens.

9 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens of the phase difference pixel is made of a same material as a planarization film for planarizing an upper portion of the light shielding layer.

10 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein light incident upon a light shielding layer of the phase difference pixel forms at least two corner areas, and wherein an aperture shape of the light shielding layer of the phase difference pixel is a shape having at least two edges inset from the at least two corner areas.

11 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 10 , wherein the aperture shape of the light shielding layer of the phase difference pixel is a polygonal shape.

12 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein an aperture shape of a light shielding layer of the phase difference pixel is a semicircular shape.

13 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pixels include a plurality of phase difference pixels having light shielding layers of different aperture widths.

14 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pixels include a plurality of phase difference pixels having light shielding layers of different aperture directions.

15 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein the phase difference pixel is a pixel for focal point detection and the image-capturing pixel which is a pixel for image generation.

16 . The solid-state image-capturing device according to claim 1 , wherein the layer formed in the phase difference pixel is a layer formed between a light shielding layer and a micro lens of the phase difference pixel.

17 . A production method for producing a solid-state image-capturing device having a plurality of pixels including a phase difference pixel and an image-capturing pixel, the method comprising:
forming a light shielding layer in at least the image-capturing pixel; forming a first layer in the image-capturing pixel with a material having a higher refraction index than a refraction index of a first in the phase difference pixel; and forming a micro lens above the first layer.

18 . An electronic appliance comprising a solid-state image-capturing device including a pixel array unit having a plurality of pixels including a phase difference pixel and an image-capturing pixel arranged in a two-dimensional array; and
a layer between a light shielding layer and a micro lens formed in the image-capturing pixel, wherein the layer between the light shielding layer and the micro lens formed in the image-capturing pixel has a higher refraction index than a refraction index of a layer formed in the phase difference pixel.

19 . An electronic appliance comprising a solid-state image-capturing device including a pixel array unit having a plurality of pixels including a phase difference pixel and an image-capturing pixel arranged in a two-dimensional array,
wherein an aperture shape of a light shielding layer of the phase difference pixel is a shape for shielding light in areas in proximity to the four corners of a rectangular pixel area.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Asatsuma Tomohiko

Classifications

• H10F39/024

  of coatings or optical elements · CPC title

• H10F39/199

  Back-illuminated image sensors · CPC title

• H10F39/8053

  Colour filters · CPC title

• H10F39/8063

  Microlenses · CPC title

• H10F39/802

  Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes · CPC title