Abstract: An image sensor device has a first number of first pixels disposed in a substrate and a second number of second pixels disposed in the substrate. The first number is substantially equal to the second number. A light-blocking structure disposed over the first pixels and the second pixels. The light-blocking structure defines a plurality of first openings and second openings through which light can pass. The first openings are disposed over the first pixels. The second openings are disposed over the second pixels. The second openings are smaller than the first openings. A microcontroller is configured to turn on different ones of the second pixels at different points in time.

Abstract: A laser inspection system is provided. A laser source emits a laser with a first spectrum and the laser is transmitted by a first optical fiber. A gain optical fiber doped with special ions is connected to the first optical fiber, and a light detector is provided around the gain optical fiber. When the laser with the first spectrum passes through the gain optical fiber, the gain optical fiber absorbs part of the energy level of the laser with the first spectrum, so that the laser with the first spectrum is converted to generate light with a second spectrum based on the frequency conversion phenomenon. The light detector detects the intensity of the light with the second spectrum, so that the power of the laser source can be obtained.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method that mitigates the formation of facets in source/drain silicon germanium (SiGe) epitaxial layers. The method includes forming an isolation region around a semiconductor layer and a gate structure partially over the semiconductor layer and the isolation region. Disposing first photoresist structures over the gate structure, a portion of the isolation region, and a portion of the semiconductor layer and doping, with germanium (Ge), exposed portions of the semiconductor layer and exposed portions of the isolation region to form Ge-doped regions that extend from the semiconductor layer to the isolation region. The method further includes disposing second photoresist structures over the isolation region and etching exposed Ge-doped regions in the semiconductor layer to form openings, where the openings include at least one common sidewall with the Ge-doped regions in the isolation region. Finally the method includes growing a SiGe epitaxial stack in the openings.

Abstract: An image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a radiation sensing member, a shallow trench isolation, and a color filter layer. The radiation sensing member is in the semiconductor substrate. An interface between the radiation sensing member and the semiconductor substrate includes a direct band gap material. The shallow trench isolation is in the semiconductor substrate and surrounds the radiation sensing member. The color filter layer covers the radiation sensing member.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a stacked gate structure, and a wall structure. The stacked gate structure is on the substrate and extending along a first direction. The wall structure is on the substrate and laterally aside the stacked gate structure. The wall structure extends along the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The stacked gate structure is overlapped with the wall structure in the first direction and the second direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a CMOS image sensor, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the CMOS image sensor comprises a substrate and a transfer gate disposed from a front-side surface of the substrate. The CMOS image sensor further comprises a photo detecting column disposed at one side of the transfer gate within the substrate. The photo detecting column comprises a doped sensing layer comprising one or more recessed portions along a circumference of the doped sensing layer in parallel to the front-side surface of the substrate. By forming the photo detecting column with recessed portions, a junction interface is enlarged compared to a previous p-n junction interface without recessed portions, and thus a full well capacity of the photodiode structure is improved.

Abstract: A circuit includes a base silicon layer, a base oxide layer, a first top silicon layer, a second top silicon layer, a first semiconductor device, and a second semiconductor device. The base oxide layer is formed over the base silicon layer. The first top silicon layer is formed over a first region of the base oxide layer and has a first thickness. The second top silicon layer is formed over a second region of the base oxide layer and has a second thickness less than the first thickness. The first semiconductor device is formed over the first top silicon layer and the second semiconductor device is formed over the second top silicon layer. The ability to fabricate a top silicon layers with differing thicknesses can provide a single substrate having devices with different characteristics, such as having both fully depleted and partially depleted devices on a single substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor device is disclosed which includes a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface, where the second surface is opposite to the first surface. The device includes a conductive structure disposed over the first surface, with a dielectric layer disposed between the conductive structure and the first surface. The device includes a first dielectric layer disposed over the second surface of the semiconductor substrate. The device includes a second dielectric layer disposed over the first dielectric layer. The device includes a color filter layer disposed over the second dielectric layer. In some embodiments, the thickness, refractive index, or both of the first dielectric layer and the thickness, refractive index, or both of the second dielectric layer may be collectively determined to cause incident radiation passing through the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer and to the plurality of pixels to have destructive interference.

Abstract: An image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a radiation sensing member, a device layer, and a color filter layer. The semiconductor substrate has a photosensitive region and an isolation region surrounding the photosensitive region. The radiation sensing member is embedded in the photosensitive region of the semiconductor substrate. The radiation sensing member has a material different from a material of the semiconductor substrate, and an interface between the radiation sensing member and the isolation region of the semiconductor substrate includes a direct band gap material. The device layer is under the semiconductor substrate and the radiation sensing member. The color filter layer is over the radiation sensing member and the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor device has a first number of first pixels disposed in a substrate and a second number of second pixels disposed in the substrate. The first number is substantially equal to the second number. A light-blocking structure disposed over the first pixels and the second pixels. The light-blocking structure defines a plurality of first openings and second openings through which light can pass. The first openings are disposed over the first pixels. The second openings are disposed over the second pixels. The second openings are smaller than the first openings. A microcontroller is configured to turn on different ones of the second pixels at different points in time.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an image sensor device and a method for forming the same. The image sensor device can include a semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer can include a first surface and a second surface. The image sensor device can further include an interconnect structure formed over the first surface of the semiconductor layer, first and second radiation sensing regions formed in the second surface of the semiconductor layer, a metal stack formed over the second radiation sensing region, and a passivation layer formed through the metal stack and over a top surface of the first radiation sensing region. The metal stack can be between the passivation layer and an other top surface of the second radiation sensing region.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a CMOS image sensor, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the CMOS image sensor comprises a substrate and a transfer gate disposed from a front-side surface of the substrate. The CMOS image sensor further comprises a photo detecting column disposed at one side of the transfer gate within the substrate. The photo detecting column comprises a doped sensing layer comprising one or more recessed portions along a circumference of the doped sensing layer in parallel to the front-side surface of the substrate. By forming the photo detecting column with recessed portions, a junction interface is enlarged compared to a previous p-n junction interface without recessed portions, and thus a full well capacity of the photodiode structure is improved.

Abstract: A subpixel including at least one second-conductivity-type pinned photodiode layer that forms a p-n junction with a substrate semiconductor layer, at least one floating diffusion region, and at least one transfer gate stack structure. The at least one transfer gate stack structure may at least partially laterally surround the at least one second-conductivity-type pinned photodiode layer with a total azimuthal extension angle in a range from 240 degrees to 360 degrees around a geometrical center of the second-conductivity-type pinned photodiode layer. The at least one transfer gate stack structure may include multiple edges that overlie different segments of a periphery of the at least one second-conductivity-type pinned photodiode layer, and the floating diffusion region includes a portion located between the first edge and the second edge. In addition, multiple transfer gate stack structures and multiple floating diffusion regions may be present in the subpixel.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to anchor structures and methods for forming anchor structures such that planarization and wafer bonding can be uniform. Anchor structures can include anchor layers formed on a dielectric layer surface and anchor pads formed in the anchor layer and on the dielectric layer surface. The anchor layer material can be selected such that the planarization selectivity of the anchor layer, anchor pads, and the interconnection material can be substantially the same as one another. Anchor pads can provide uniform density of structures that have the same or similar material.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The structure includes a substrate having one or more devices formed thereon, one or more bonding pads disposed over the substrate, and a first passivation layer disposed over the one or more bonding pads. The first passivation layer includes a first passivation sublayer having a first dielectric material, a second passivation sublayer disposed over the first passivation sublayer, and the second passivation sublayer has a second dielectric material different from the first dielectric material. The first passivation layer further includes a third passivation sublayer disposed over the second passivation sublayer, and the third passivation sublayer has a third dielectric material different from the second dielectric material. At least two of the first, second, and third passivation sublayers each includes a nitride.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of isolation structures, wherein each isolation structure of the plurality of isolation structures is spaced from an adjacent isolation structure of the plurality of isolation structures. The semiconductor device further includes a gate structure. The gate structure includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall angled with respect to the first sidewall. The gate structure further includes a first surface extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, wherein a dimension of the gate structure in a first direction is less than a dimension of each of the plurality of isolation structures in the first direction.

Abstract: An image sensor includes an array of image pixels and black level correction (BLC) pixels. Each BLC pixel includes a BLC pixel photodetector, a BLC pixel sensing circuit, and a BLC pixel optics assembly configured to block light that impinges onto the BLC pixel photodetector. Each BLC pixel optics assembly may include a first portion of a layer stack including a vertically alternating sequence of first material layers having a first refractive index and second material layers having a second refractive index. Additionally or alternatively, each BLC pixel optics assembly may include a first portion of a layer stack including at least two metal layers, each having a respective wavelength sub-range having a greater reflectivity than another metal layer. Alternatively or additionally, each BLC pixel optics assembly may include an infrared blocking material layer that provides a higher absorption coefficient than color filter materials within image pixel optics assemblies.

Abstract: A subpixel including at least one second-conductivity-type pinned photodiode layer that forms a p-n junction with a substrate semiconductor layer, at least one floating diffusion region, and at least one transfer gate stack structure. The at least one transfer gate stack structure may at least partially laterally surround the at least one second-conductivity-type pinned photodiode layer with a total azimuthal extension angle in a range from 240 degrees to 360 degrees around a geometrical center of the second-conductivity-type pinned photodiode layer. The at least one transfer gate stack structure may include multiple edges that overlie different segments of a periphery of the at least one second-conductivity-type pinned photodiode layer, and the floating diffusion region includes a portion located between the first edge and the second edge. In addition, multiple transfer gate stack structures and multiple floating diffusion regions may be present in the subpixel.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to anchor structures and methods for forming anchor structures such that planarization and wafer bonding can be uniform. Anchor structures can include anchor layers formed on a dielectric layer surface and anchor pads formed in the anchor layer and on the dielectric layer surface. The anchor layer material can be selected such that the planarization selectivity of the anchor layer, anchor pads, and the interconnection material can be substantially the same as one another. Anchor pads can provide uniform density of structures that have the same or similar material.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of isolation structures, wherein each isolation structure of the plurality of isolation structures is spaced from an adjacent isolation structure of the plurality of isolation structures in a first direction. The semiconductor device further includes a gate structure. The gate structure includes a top surface; a first sidewall angled at a non-perpendicular angle with respect to the top surface; and a second sidewall angled with respect to the top surface. The gate structure further includes a first horizontal surface extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, wherein the first horizontal surface is parallel to the top surface, and a dimension of the gate structure in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, is less than a dimension of each of the plurality of isolation structures in the second direction.