Uniform color filter arrays in a moat

• US 7,675,080 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Boettiger, Ulrich C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson; Allan R.
• Application Number:
  US11/328,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20070158772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 257/98, 257/432, 257/E31.127
• US Class Current: 257/98
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for improving the planarity of a recessed color filter array when the recessed region or trench depth exceeds the thickness of the color filter film. The method includes the steps of coating the entire wafer with an additional coating material after applying the CFA, then planarizing that resist layer using CMP and then using a dry etch to transfer that planar surface down as far as required to achieve a planar color filter with a uniform thickness.

Claims

1. A pixel comprising:

a photo-conversion device formed within a substrate;

a lens over said photo-conversion device;

a plurality of fabricated layers between said photo-conversion device and lens, the plurality of fabricated layers comprising at least a planarization layer, which extends to other pixels and which supports the lens, and at least one other layer between the planarization layer and the substrate;

a trench having a depth and being formed at a location between said planarization layer and photo-conversion device and in at least the at least one other layer; and

a color filter having a uniform thickness recessed in said trench, the uniform thickness being less than the depth of said trench.

2. The pixel of claim 1, wherein said photo-conversion device is a photosensor.

3. The pixel of claim 1, wherein said photo-conversion device is a photo emitter.

4. The pixel of claim 1, wherein said color filter extends from a layer below a layer of said planarization layer to a layer above said substrate.

5. The pixel of claim 4, wherein said layer below the level of said planarization layer comprises a passivation layer.

6. The pixel of claim 4, wherein said layer above said substrate comprises a boron-phosphorous silicon glass layer.

7. The pixel of claim 1, wherein said color filter is a part of a color filter array comprising a plurality of color filters.

8. The pixel of claim 1, wherein the at least one other layer comprises at least one of a passivation layer, a dielectric layer, and a boron-phosphorous silicon glass layer.

9. The pixel of claim 8, wherein the at least one other layer is a passivation layer.

10. A pixel comprising:

a photo-conversion device formed within a substrate;

a lens over said photo-conversion device;

a plurality of fabricated materials between said photo-conversion device and lens, the plurality of fabricated materials comprising at least a planarization material, which extends to other pixels and which supports the lens, and at least one other material between the planarization material and the substrate;

a trench having a depth and being formed in the at least one other material; and

a color filter material having a uniform thickness recessed within said trench, the uniform thickness being less than the depth of said trench.

11. The pixel of claim 10, wherein said photo-conversion device is a photosensor.

12. The pixel of claim 10, wherein said photo-conversion device is a photo emitter.

13. The pixel of claim 11, wherein the color filter material is part of a color filter array comprising a plurality of color filters.

14. The pixel of claim 10, wherein the at least one other material comprises a passivation material.

15. The pixel of claim 14, wherein the at least one other material further comprises a dielectric material and a boron-phosphorous silicon glass material.

16. An image sensor comprising:

at least one pixel comprising;

a photo-conversion device formed within a substrate;

a lens over said photo-conversion device; and

a plurality of fabricated materials between said photo-conversion device and lens, the plurality of fabricated materials comprising at least a planarization material, which extends to other pixels and which supports the lens, and at least one other material between said planarization material and the substrate;

a trench having a depth and being formed in at least the at least one other material between said planarization material and said photo-conversion device; and

a color filter material having a uniform thickness recessed within said trench, the uniform thickness being less than the depth of said trench.

17. The image sensor of claim 16, wherein said photo-conversion device is a photosensor.

18. The image sensor of claim 16, wherein said photo-conversion device is a photo emitter.

19. The image sensor of claim 16, wherein the color filter material is part of a color filter array comprising a plurality of color filters.

20. The image sensor of claim 16, wherein the at least one other material comprises a passivation material, and the trench and color filter material are formed within the passivation material.

21. An image sensor comprising:

a pixel array comprising;

a plurality of photosensors formed within a substrate;

a plurality of lenses, each respectively located over a respective photosensor;

a plurality of fabricated layers between said plurality of photosensors and said plurality of lenses, the plurality of fabricated layers comprising at least a planarization layer, and at least one other layer;

a plurality of trenches of a depth formed in at least the at least one other layer located between a respective lens and a respective photosensor; and

a plurality of color filters, each having a uniform thickness less than the depth of said plurality of trenches and being recessed within a respective trench, said plurality of color filters including color filters for different colors.

22. The image sensor of claim 21, wherein the at least one other layer comprises a passivation layer.

23. The image sensor of claim 21, wherein the at least one other layer comprises a passivation layer and a dielectric layer.

24. The image sensor of claim 21, wherein the at least one other layer comprises a passivation layer or a dielectric layer.

25. The image sensor of claim 24, wherein the planarization layer is a layer below the plurality of lenses, the passivation layer is a layer below the planarization layer, and the boron-phosphorous silicon glass layer is a layer above the substrate.

26. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to an image sensor, said image sensor comprising;

at least one pixel comprising;

a photo-conversion device formed within a substrate;

a lens over said photo-conversion device;

a plurality of fabricated layers between said photo-conversion device and lens, partially formed in one of said plurality of fabricated layers, the plurality of fabricated layers comprising at least a planarization layer, and at least one other material;

a trench having a depth and being formed in at least the at least one other material at a location between said at least one other material and said photo-conversion device; and

a color filter having a uniform thickness recessed within said trench, the uniform thickness being less than the depth of said trench.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said photo-conversion device is a photosensor.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said photo-conversion device is a photo emitter.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the color filter is part of a color filter array comprising a plurality of color filters.