Color charge-coupled device and method of manufacturing the same

• US 5,677,200 A
• Filed: 05/17/1995
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: LG Semico Company Limited (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Park, Chul Ho, Shim, Jin Seop, Song, Kwang Bok
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dutton, Brian K.
• Application Number:
  US08/442,879
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 437/213, 437/53, 257/431, 257/432, 359/619
• US Class Current: 438/70
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14685 Process for coatings or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14843 Interline transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14868 CCD or CID colour imagers

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a color charge-coupled device is disclosed including the steps of alternately forming a plurality of light detectors corresponding to first to third colors and a plurality of charge transmission regions on a semiconductor substrate; forming a pad on one side of the substrate excluding a portion where the light detectors and charge transmission regions are formed; forming a planarizing film on the substrate excluding the pad; coating a microlens material on the planarizing film and patterning the microlens material so as to be left only on the planarizing film above the light detectors; thermally flowing the microlens material, to thereby form microlenses on the planarizing film above the light detectors; and hard-baking first to third dyeing layer, to thereby form first to third color filter layers on each microlens excluding the edge portion.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a color charge-coupled device, comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of light detectors corresponding to first, second and third colors and a plurality of charge transmission regions in alternate locations on a semiconductor substrate;

forming a pad on one side of said substrate where no said light detectors and no said charge transmission regions are formed;

forming a planarizing film on said substrate, said light detectors, said charge transmission regions, and said pad;

removing said planarizing film from said pad;

coating a microlens material on said planarizing film and patterning said microlens material so as to be left only on said planarizing film above said light detectors;

thermally flowing said microlens material to thereby form microlenses on said planarizing film above said light detectors; and

performing a hard-baking process to thereby form said first, second and third color filter layers directly on said microlenses corresponding to said light detectors of said first to third colors.

2. A method of manufacturing a color charge-coupled device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of performing said hard-baking process includes:

restricting the size of said first, second and third color filter layers on said microlenses to expose annular edge portions of said microlenses between said color filter layers and said planarizing film so that white light is permeated through said annular edge portions of said microlenses.

3. A method of manufacturing a color charge-coupled device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of performing said hard-baking process includes the steps of:

coating a first dyeing layer on said planarizing film and said microlenses;

dyeing and adhering said first dyeing layer with said first color;

patterning said first dyeing layer so as to be left only on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said first color;

performing a first hard-baking step of said hard-baking process on said first dyeing layer to thereby form said first color filter layer on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said first color;

coating a second dyeing layer on said planarizing film, said microlenses, and said first color filter layer;

dyeing and adhering said second dyeing layer with said second color;

patterning said second dyeing layer so as to be left only on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said second color; and

performing a second hard-baking step of said hard-baking process on said second dyeing layer to thereby form said second color filter layer on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said first color;

coating a third dyeing layer on said planarizing film, said microlenses, said first color filter layer, and said second color filter layer;

dyeing and adhering said third dyeing layer with said third color;

patterning said third dyeing layer so as to be left only on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said third color; and

performing a third hard-baking step of said hard-baking process on said third dyeing layer to thereby form said third color filter layer on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said third color.

4. A method of manufacturing a color charge-coupled device is claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of performing said hard-baking process includes the steps of:

coating said first color layer having said first color on said planarizing and said microlenses;

patterning said first color layer so as to be left only on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said first color;

performing a first hard-baking step of said hard-baking process on said first color layer to thereby form said first color filter layer on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said first color;

coating said second color layer having said second color on said planarizing film, said microlenses, and said first color filter layer;

patterning said second color layer so as to be left only on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said second color;

performing a second hard-baking step of said hard baking process on said second color layer to thereby form said second color filter layer on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said second color;

coating said third color layer having said third color on said planarizing film, said microlenses, said first color filter layer, and said second color filter layer;

patterning said third color layer so as to be left only on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said third color; and

performing a third hard-baking step of said hard-baking process on said third color layer to thereby form said third color filter layer on said planarizing film above said light detector corresponding to said third color.

5. A method of manufacturing a color charge-coupled device, comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of light detectors corresponding to first, second and third colors and a plurality of charge transmission regions in alternate locations on a semiconductor substrate;

forming a pad on one side of said substrate where no said light detectors and no said charge transmission regions are formed;

forming a planarizing film on said substrate excluding said pad; and

performing a thermal-flow process to thereby form said microlenses on said planarizing film;

performing a hard-baking process to thereby form said first, second and third color filter layers on said microlenses, respectively.

6. A method of manufacturing a color charge-coupled device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said step of performing said hard-baking process includes:

restricting the size of said first, second and third color filter layers on said microlenses to exclude annular edge portions of said microlenses between said color filters and said planarizing film so that white light is permeated through said edge portions of said microlenses.

7. A method of manufacturing a color charge-coupled device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said step of performing said thermal-flow process includes:

coating a microlens material on said planarizing film, and patterning said microlens material to thereby leave said microlens material on said planarizing film corresponding to each of said light detectors;

wherein said step of performing said hard-baking process includes;

coating a first dyeable layer on said microlens-material and said planarizing film;

dying and adhering said first dyeable layer with said first color to form said first color filter layer;

patterning said first color-filter layer so as to be left only on said microlens material above said light detectors corresponding to said first color;

coating a second dyeable layer on said planarizing film;

dyeing and adhering said second dyeing layer with said second color to form said second color filter layer;

patterning said second color filter layer so as to be left only on said microlens material above said light detectors corresponding to said second color;

coating a third dyeable layer on said planarizing film;

dyeing and adhering said third dyeable layer with said third color to form said third color filter layer;

patterning said third color filter layer so as to be left only on said microlens material above said light detectors corresponding to said third color; and

wherein said step of performing said thermal-flow process also includes a step of thermally flowing said microlens material and said step of performing said hard-baking process also includes a step, performed simultaneously with said step of thermally flowing, of hard-baking said first, second and third color filter layers to thereby form microlenses and first, second, and third color filter layers, respectively.

8. A method of manufacturing a color charge-coupled device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said step of performing said thermal-flow process includes:

coating a microlens material on said planarizing film, and patterning said microlens material, to thereby leave said microlens material on said planarizing film corresponding to each of said light detectors;

wherein said step of performing said hard-baking process includes;

coating said first color layer having said first color on said planarizing film;

patterning said first color layer so as to be left only on said microlens material above said light detectors corresponding to said first color;

coating said second color layer having said second color on said planarizing film;

patterning said second color layer so as to be left only on said microlens material above said light detectors corresponding to said second color;

coating said third color layer having said third color on said planarizing film;

patterning said third color layer so as to be left only on said material for microlens above said light detectors corresponding to said third color; and

wherein said step of performing said thermal-flow process also includes a step of thermally flowing said microlens material and said step of performing said hard-baking process also includes a step, performed simultaneously with said step of thermally flowing, of hard-baking said first, second and third color layers to thereby form said microlenses and first, second and third color filter layers, respectively.

9. A method of forming a charge-coupled device comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate having light detectors interspersed with charge transmission regions;

forming a planarizing film on said substrate;

forming microlenses on said planarizing film over said light detectors; and

forming a color filter, corresponding to one of three colors, on each of said microlenses.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein said step of forming a color filter includes:

restricting the size of said filters so that an annular edge portion of each of said microlenses, between said planarizing film and said filter, remains uncovered by said filter such that white light passes through said edge portion of said lens and mixes with colored light that has passed through said filter and then through said microlens.

11. A method as in claim 9, wherein:

said step of forming microlenses includes;

forming a layer of microlens material on said substrate;

removing portions of said layer of microlens material over said charge transfer regions; and

thermally flowing said layer of microlens material to form said microlenses over said light detectors;

wherein said step of forming a color filter on each of said microlenses includes;

forming a layer of first-color-filtering material on said layer of microlens material over light detectors corresponding to a first color;

forming a layer of second-color-filtering material on said layer of microlens material over light detectors corresponding to a second color;

forming a layer of third-color-filtering material on said layer of microlens material over light detectors corresponding to a third color; and

hard-baking said layers of first-color-filtering material, second-color-filtering material and third-color-filtering material to form first color filters, second color filters and third color filters, respectively.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein said steps of thermally flowing and hard-baking are performed simultaneously.

13. A method as in claim 11, wherein:

said step of forming a layer of first-color-filtering material on said layer of micrcolens material over light detectors corresponding to a first color includes;

putting a first layer of dyeable material on said layer of microlens material and said planarizing film;

dyeing said first layer of dyeable material with a first color to form said layer of first-color-filtering material; and

selectively removing portions of said layer of first-color-filtering material over said charge transfer regions and over light detectors corresponding to a second or a third color;

said step of forming a layer of second-color-filtering material on said layer of microlens material over light detectors corresponding to a second color includes;

putting a second layer of dyeable material on said layer of first-color-filtering material, said layer of microlens material and said planarizing film;

dyeing said second layer of dyeable material with said second color to form said layer of second-color-filtering material; and

selectively re,loving portions of said layer of second-color-filtering material over said charge transfer regions and over light detectors corresponding to said first or third colors; and

said step of forming a layer of third-color-filtering material on said layer of microlens material over light detectors corresponding to a third color includes;

putting a third layer of dyeable material on said layer of first-color-filtering material, said second-color-filtering material, said layer of microlens material and said planarizing film;

dyeing said third layer of dyeable material with said second color to form said layer of third-color-filtering material; and

selectively removing portions of said layer of third-color-filtering material over said charge transfer regions and over light detectors corresponding to said first or second colors.

14. A method as in claim 11, wherein:

said step of forming a layer of first-color-filtering material on said layer of microlens material over light detectors corresponding to a first color includes;

putting said layer of first-color-filtering material on said layer of microlens material and said planarizing film; and

selectively removing portions of said layer of first-color-filtering material over said charge transfer regions and over light detectors corresponding to a second or a third color;

said step of forming a layer of second-color-filtering material on said layer of microlens material over light detectors corresponding to a second color includes;

putting said layer of second-color-filtering material on said layer of first-color-filtering material, said layer of microlens material and said planarizing film; and

selectively removing portions of said layer of second-color-filtering material over said charge transfer regions and over light detectors corresponding to said first or third colors; and

said step of forming a layer of third-color-filtering material on said layer of microlens material over light detectors corresponding to a third color includes;

putting said layer of third-color-filtering material on said layer of first-color-filtering material, said second-color-filtering material, said layer of microlens material and said planarizing film; and

selectively removing portions of said layer of third-color-filtering material over said charge transfer regions and over light detectors corresponding to said first or second colors.