Image sensing device and method for fabricating the same

• US 10,170,516 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visera Technologies Company Limited (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Visera Technologies Company Limited (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited)
• Inventors: Wu, Han-Lin, Hsieh, Chin-Chuan, Chang, Chin-Ching
• Primary Examiner(s): Amer, Mounir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Belousov, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US14/339,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20160027829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14629 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14685 Process for coatings or optical elements

Abstract

An image sensing device is provided. The image sensing device includes a substrate having a pixel array with a plurality of pixels. A light guide structure is disposed over the substrate, forming a plurality of light pipes and a plurality of reflecting portions surrounding the light pipes. The light pipes are aligned with the pixels of the pixel array. The invention also provides a method for fabricating the image sensing device.

Claims

1. An image sensing device, comprising:

a substrate, comprising a pixel array having a plurality of pixels;

a light guide structure, disposed over the substrate, forming a plurality of light pipes and a plurality of reflecting portions defining the light pipes, wherein the light pipes are aligned with the pixels of the pixel array;

a microlens array, disposed between the substrate and the light guide structure;

the microlens array including a plurality of microlenses; and

a color filter array, disposed between the substrate and the microlens array,

wherein the substrate, the light guide structure, the microlens array and the color filter array are formed on a single die, and

wherein each light reflecting portion extends to and contacts an outer edge of at least one of the plurality of microlenses.

2. The image sensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a refractive index of the light pipes is greater than a refractive index of the reflecting portions.

3. The image sensing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a difference between the refractive index of the light pipes and the refractive index of the reflecting portions is greater than 0.1 and less than 0.2.

4. The image sensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guide structure forms a flat light incident surface.

5. The image sensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guide structure forms a concave light incident surface.

6. The image sensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guide structure forms a convex light incident surface.

7. The image sensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guide structure is a photosensitive layer, and the light pipes are formed from a plurality of unexposed portions of the photosensitive layer, and the reflecting portions are formed from a plurality of exposed portions of the photosensitive layer.

8. The image sensing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the photosensitive layer comprises polysiloxane, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, diaceton alcohol, methanol, mesityl oxide, or a combination thereof.

9. The image sensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guide structure is a photosensitive layer, and the light pipes are formed from a plurality of exposed portions of the photosensitive layer, and the reflecting portions are formed from a plurality of unexposed portions of the photosensitive layer.

10. A method for fabricating an image sensing device, comprising:

providing a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a pixel array having a plurality of pixels;

forming a photosensitive layer over the substrate;

forming a microlens array between the substrate and the photosensitive layer, the microlens array including a plurality of microlenses;

forming a color filter array between the substrate and the microlens array; and

performing an exposure process on the photosensitive layer to form a plurality of light pipes and a plurality of reflecting portions defining the plurality of light pipes, wherein the light pipes are aligned with the pixels of the pixel array, each light reflecting portion extending to and contacting an outer edge of at least one of the plurality of microlenses, wherein

the substrate, the microlens array, the color filter array, the plurality of light pipes and the plurality of reflecting portions are formed on a single die.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the light pipes are formed from a plurality of unexposed portions of the photosensitive layer during the exposure process, and the reflecting portions are formed from a plurality of exposed portions of the photosensitive layer during the exposure process.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein a refractive index of the light pipes is greater than a refractive index of the reflecting portions.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein a difference between the refractive index of the light pipes and the refractive index of the reflecting portions is greater than 0.1 and less than 0.2.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

forming a curved light incident surface on the photosensitive layer.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the curved light incident surface is formed by molding.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the curved light incident surface is a concave light incident surface opposite to the substrate.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the curved light incident surface is a convex light incident surface opposite to the substrate.

18. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the photosensitive layer comprises polysiloxane, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, diaceton alcohol, methanol, mesityl oxide, or a combination thereof.

19. An image sensing device, comprising:

a substrate, comprising a pixel array having a plurality of pixels;

a light guide structure, disposed over the substrate, forming a plurality of light pipes and a plurality of reflecting portions defining the light pipes, wherein the light pipes are aligned with the pixels of the pixel array;

a microlens array, disposed between the substrate and the light guide structure, the microlens array including a plurality of microlenses; and

a color filter array, disposed between the substrate and the microlens array,

wherein each microlens is aligned with a corresponding one of the light pipes, and

wherein each light reflecting portion extends to and contacts an outer edge of at least one of the plurality of microlenses.