US 12,218,165 B2
Semiconductor image sensor and method of manufacturing the same
Min-Feng Kao, Chiayi (TW); Dun-Nian Yaung, Taipei (TW); Jen-Cheng Liu, Hsin-Chu (TW); Hsing-Chih Lin, Tainan (TW); and Che-Wei Chen, Hsinchu (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jun. 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/351,228.
Prior Publication US 2022/0406824 A1, Dec. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 27/146 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 27/1463 (2013.01) [H01L 27/14629 (2013.01); H01L 27/14636 (2013.01); H01L 27/14685 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image sensor, comprising:
a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
a plurality of pixel sensors disposed in the substrate;
a sensor isolation feature disposed in the substrate defining an active region;
a dielectric layer between the sensor isolation feature and the substrate;
a periphery connecting feature disposed in the substrate at a periphery region outside the active region; and
a conductive grid disposed on the second surface and over the sensor isolation feature,
wherein the sensor isolation feature comprises a conductive material,
wherein the dielectric layer is disposed in a bottom of the sensor isolation feature and is inserted into an isolation region disposed in the substrate, and
wherein a portion of the isolation region is present between the dielectric layer disposed in the bottom of the sensor isolation feature and the first surface of the substrate,
wherein the conductive grid connects the sensor isolation feature to the periphery connecting feature, and
wherein the periphery connecting feature penetrates through the first surface of the substrate, an etch stop layer formed on the first surface of the substrate, and an inter-layer dielectric layer formed on the etch stop layer.