US 12,294,012 B2
Image sensor
Yuichiro Yamashita, Hsinchu (TW); Chun-Hao Chuang, Hsinchu (TW); and Hirofumi Sumi, Yokohama (JP)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jul. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/360,212.
Application 16/892,428 is a division of application No. 16/201,083, filed on Nov. 27, 2018, granted, now 10,700,117, issued on Jun. 30, 2020.
Application 16/201,083 is a division of application No. 14/942,441, filed on Nov. 16, 2015, granted, now 10,163,959, issued on Dec. 25, 2018.
Application 18/360,212 is a continuation of application No. 17/224,813, filed on Apr. 7, 2021, granted, now 11,776,983.
Application 17/224,813 is a continuation of application No. 16/892,428, filed on Jun. 4, 2020, granted, now 10,991,747, issued on Apr. 27, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0369374 A1, Nov. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 27/146 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 27/1464 (2013.01) [H01L 27/1462 (2013.01); H01L 27/14623 (2013.01); H01L 27/1463 (2013.01); H01L 27/14638 (2013.01); H01L 27/14643 (2013.01); H01L 27/14689 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image sensor structure, comprising:
a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface;
a light-sensing region formed in the substrate and extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the substrate;
a first isolation structure formed in the substrate and extending from the top surface of the substrate to a middle portion of the substrate;
a second isolation structure formed in the substrate and extending from the bottom surface of the substrate to the middle portion of the substrate and in contact with the first isolation structure, wherein the second isolation structure compasses a bottom portion of the light-sensing region while a first sidewall surface of an upper portion of the light-sensing region is partially exposed from the first isolation structure and is partially covered by the first isolation structure;
a first gate structure formed over the substrate and overlapping the light-sensing region, the first isolation structure, and the second isolation structure; and
a cap layer overlapping the first gate structure, the light-sensing region, the first isolation structure, and the second isolation structure in a top view, wherein the cap layer is spaced apart from the first gate structure.