US 12,224,302 B2
Image sensor pixels having reduced pitch
Jeff M. Raynor, Edinburgh (GB); Frederic Lalanne, Bernin (FR); and Pierre Malinge, Bernin (FR)
Assigned to STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED, Marlow (GB); and STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS, Crolles (FR)
Filed by STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED, Marlow (GB); and STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS, Crolles (FR)
Filed on Apr. 29, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/862,316.
Claims priority of application No. 1904587 (FR), filed on Apr. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0350355 A1, Nov. 5, 2020
Int. Cl. H01L 27/146 (2006.01); H04N 25/77 (2023.01); H04N 25/53 (2023.01)
CPC H01L 27/14641 (2013.01) [H01L 27/1463 (2013.01); H01L 27/14643 (2013.01); H04N 25/77 (2023.01); H04N 25/53 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image sensor, comprising:
a substrate;
a first active region in the substrate, wherein the first active region is a strip of continuous semiconductor material;
a first pixel that includes:
a first transistor in the first active region;
a second transistor in the first active region; and
a second pixel that includes:
a third transistor in the first active region, wherein the second transistor and the third transistor share a common source/drain terminal in the first active region; and
a fourth transistor in the first active region;
a first isolation trench having a first depth, wherein the first isolation trench delimits the first active region on all sides; and
a second isolation trench separate from the first isolation trench and having a second depth greater than the first depth and surrounding the first pixel, the second pixel, and the first isolation trench.