X-Y address type solid state image pickup device and method of producing the same

• US 8,519,460 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Ryoji, Mabuchi, Keiji, Mori, Tomonori
• Primary Examiner(s): Rizkallah, Kimberly
• Assistant Examiner(s): Belousov, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/396,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20120175719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 257/294, 257/184, 257/187, 257/292, 257/444, 257/E31.058
• US Class Current: 257/294
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14609 Pixel-elements with integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements scanning details of imagers (circuitry of solid-state image sensors H04N25/00); circuitry of imagers H04N25/70
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14623 Optical shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14632 Wafer-level processed structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1464 Back illuminated imager structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14643 Photodiode arrays; MOS imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14685 Process for coatings or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14687 Wafer level processing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14689 MOS based technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02164 for shielding light, e.g. light blocking layers, cold shields for infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0232 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device H01L31/0236 takes precedence; for photovoltaic cells H01L31/054; for photovoltaic modules H02S40/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02327 the optical elements being integrated or being directly associated to the device, e.g. back reflectors optical coatings H01L31/0216
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/79 Arrangements of circuitry being divided between different or multiple substrates, chips or circuit boards, e.g. stacked image sensors

Abstract

In an X-Y address type solid state image pickup device represented by a CMOS image sensor, a back side light reception type pixel structure is adopted in which a wiring layer is provided on one side of a silicon layer including photo-diodes formed therein, and visible light is taken in from the other side of the silicon layer, namely, from the side (back side) opposite to the wiring layer. Wiring can be made without taking a light-receiving surface into account, and the degree of freedom in wiring for the pixels is enhanced.

Claims

1. A solid state image pickup device comprising:

a first region of a first conductivity-type in physical contact with a second region of a second conductivity-type, said first region being at a first surface of a semiconductor layer;

a photo-diode region of the second conductivity-type in physical contact with said second region, a conductivity of the second conductivity-type being higher in said second region than in said photo-diode region;

a back side region of the first conductivity-type in physical contact with said photo-diode region, said back side region being at a second surface of the semiconductor layer,

wherein said photo-diode region is between a first well region of the first conductivity-type and a second well region of the first conductivity-type,

wherein said first well region and said second well region are in physical contact with said back side region.

2. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second region is between said first region and said photo-diode region, said photo-diode region being between said second region and said back side region.

3. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first conductivity-type is P-type.

4. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first conductivity-type is opposite to said second conductivity-type.

5. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second surface being opposite to said first surface.

6. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a portion of the photo-diode region is between said back side region and said first well region.

7. A solid state image pickup device comprising:

a first region of a first conductivity-type in physical contact with a second region of a second conductivity-type, said first region being at a first surface of a semiconductor layer;

a photo-diode region of the second conductivity-type in physical contact with said second region, a conductivity of the second conductivity-type being higher in said second region than in said photo-diode region;

a back side region of the first conductivity-type in physical contact with said photo-diode region, said back side region being at a second surface of the semiconductor layer,

wherein said photo-diode region is between a first well region of the first conductivity-type and a second well region of the first conductivity-type,

wherein said first region and said second region are in physical contact with said first well region.

8. A solid state image pickup device comprising:

a first region of a first conductivity-type in physical contact with a second region of a second conductivity-type, said first region being at a first surface of a semiconductor layer;

a photo-diode region of the second conductivity-type in physical contact with said second region, a conductivity of the second conductivity-type being higher in said second region than in said photo-diode region;

a back side region of the first conductivity-type in physical contact with said photo-diode region, said back side region being at a second surface of the semiconductor layer,

wherein said back side region is in physical contact with a first insulator film, said first insulator film being in physical contact with a second insulator film and a light-shielding film.

9. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said first insulator film is a silicon oxide film.

10. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said second insulator film is a silicon nitride film.

11. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said light-shielding film is a metallic layer.

12. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said semiconductor layer is between said light-shielding film and a wiring layer, electrodes and wirings being within said wiring layer.

13. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 12, wherein said wiring layer is between a substrate support member and said semiconductor layer.

14. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 12, wherein said substrate support member is between said wiring layer and an electrical conductor, a pad within the wiring layer being electrically connected to said electrical conductor.

15. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 8, wherein incident light is transmissible through an opening portion, said opening portion being a hole through said light-shielding film.

16. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 15, wherein a color filter is between said opening portion and a micro-lens.

17. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 15, wherein said incident light is passable through said back side region, said photo-diode region being configured to receive said incident light.

18. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 15, wherein said second insulator film is within said opening portion, said first insulator film being between said second insulator film and said semiconductor layer.

19. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 15, wherein said photo-diode region is configured to convert a spectrum of the incident light into a signal charge.

20. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 19, wherein the thickness of said semiconductor layer correlates to said spectrum.

21. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 20, wherein ultraviolet light is within said spectrum when said thickness is in the range of 3 to 7 μ

m.

22. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 20, wherein visible light is within said spectrum when said thickness is in the range of 5 to 15 μ

m.

23. A solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 20, wherein infrared light is within said spectrum when said thickness is in the range of 15 to 50 μ

m.

24. An X-Y address type solid-state image pickup device comprising:

the solid state image pickup device as set forth in claim 1, vertical and horizontal selection circuits and said solid state image pickup device being on a substrate.