Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image sensor structure includes forming an isolation structure in a substrate to divide the substrate into a first region and a second region, forming a first light sensing region in the first region and a second light sensing region in the second region, forming a first gate structure over the first light sensing region and a second gate structure over the second light sensing region, forming gate spacers on sidewalls of the first and second gate structures, and depositing a blocking layer on sidewalls of the gate spacers. The blocking layer has an opening positioned between the first and second gate structures. A source/drain structure is formed directly under the opening in the blocking layer. The method also includes forming an interlayer dielectric layer over the first and second gate structures and the blocking layer.

Abstract: Methods for forming via last through-vias. A method includes providing an active device wafer having a front side including conductive interconnect material disposed in dielectric layers and having an opposing back side; providing a carrier wafer having through vias filled with an oxide extending from a first surface of the carrier wafer to a second surface of the carrier wafer; bonding the front side of the active device wafer to the second surface of the carrier wafer; etching the oxide in the through vias in the carrier wafer to form through oxide vias; and depositing conductor material into the through oxide vias to form conductors that extend to the active carrier wafer and make electrical contact to the conductive interconnect material. An apparatus includes a carrier wafer with through oxide vias extending through the carrier wafer to an active device wafer bonded to the carrier wafer.

Abstract: An image-sensor device is provided. The image-sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a radiation-sensing region in the semiconductor substrate. The image-sensor device also includes a doped isolation region in the semiconductor substrate and a dielectric film extending into the doped isolation region from a surface of the semiconductor substrate. A portion of the doped isolation region is between the dielectric film and the radiation-sensing region.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a substrate having a first semiconductor material. A second semiconductor material is disposed on the first semiconductor material and a passivation layer is disposed on the second semiconductor material. A first doped region and a second doped region extend through the passivation layer and into the second semiconductor material. A silicide is arranged within the passivation layer and along tops of the first doped region and the second doped region.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a conductive via and a first insulation layer. The conductive via is through the substrate. The first insulation layer is between the substrate and the conductive via. A first surface of the first insulation layer facing the substrate and a second surface of the first insulation layer facing the conductive via are extended along different directions.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a device having a semiconductor substrate including a frontside and a backside. On the frontside of the semiconductor substrate are a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region. A gate electrode is arranged on the frontside of the semiconductor substrate and includes a horizontal portion, a first vertical portion, and a second vertical portion. The horizontal portion is arranged over the frontside of the semiconductor substrate and between the first and second source/drain regions. The first vertical portion extends from the frontside towards the backside of the semiconductor substrate and contacts the horizontal portion of the gate electrode structure. The second vertical portion extends from the frontside towards the backside of the semiconductor substrate, contacts the horizontal portion of the gate electrode structure, and is separated from the first vertical portion by a channel region of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods and devices of having an enclosure structure formed in a multi-layer interconnect and a through-silicon-via (TSV) extending through the enclosure structure. In some implementations, a protection layer is formed between the enclosure structure and the TSV.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an integrated chip including an extended via that spans a combined height of a wire and a via and that has a smaller footprint than the wire. The extended via may replace a wire and an adjoining via at locations where the sizing and the spacing of the wire are reaching lower limits. Because the extended via has a smaller footprint than the wire, replacing the wire and the adjoining via with the extended via relaxes spacing and allows the size of the pixel to be further reduced. The extended via finds application for capacitor arrays used for pixel circuits.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a substrate. A through-substrate-via (TSV) extends through the substrate. A dielectric liner separates the TSV from the substrate. The dielectric liner is along one or more sidewalls of the substrate. The TSV includes a horizontally extending surface and a protrusion extending outward from the horizontally extending surface. The TSV has a maximum width along the horizontally extending surface.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes an image sensing element disposed within a substrate. A gate structure is disposed along a front-side of the substrate. A back-side of the substrate includes one or more first angled surfaces defining a central diffuser disposed over the image sensing element. The back-side of the substrate further includes second angled surfaces defining a plurality of peripheral diffusers laterally surrounding the central diffuser. The plurality of peripheral diffusers are a smaller size than the central diffuser.

Abstract: A stacked integrated circuit (IC) device and a method are disclosed. The stacked IC device includes a first semiconductor element. The first substrate includes a dielectric block in the first substrate; and a plurality of first conductive features formed in first inter-metal dielectric layers over the first substrate. The stacked IC device also includes a second semiconductor element bonded on the first semiconductor element. The second semiconductor element includes a second substrate and a plurality of second conductive features formed in second inter-metal dielectric layers over the second substrate. The stacked IC device also includes a conductive deep-interconnection-plug coupled between the first conductive features and the second conductive features. The conductive deep-interconnection-plug is isolated by dielectric block, the first inter-metal-dielectric layers and the second inter-metal-dielectric layers.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a substrate having a first semiconductor material. A second semiconductor material is disposed on the first semiconductor material. The second semiconductor material is a group IV semiconductor or a group III-V compound semiconductor. A passivation layer is disposed on the second semiconductor material. The passivation layer includes the first semiconductor material. A first doped region and a second doped region extend through the passivation layer and into the second semiconductor material.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel and an isolation structure. The pixel includes a photosensitive region and a circuitry region next to the photosensitive region. The isolation structure is located over the pixel, where the isolation structure includes a conductive grid and a dielectric structure covering a sidewall of the conductive grid, and the isolation structure includes an opening or recess overlapping the photosensitive region. The isolation structure surrounds a peripheral region of the photosensitive region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes a semiconductor layer, a plurality of metal isolation features disposed in the semiconductor layer, a metal grid disposed directly over the plurality of metal isolation features, and a plurality of microlens features disposed over the metal grid.

Abstract: Provided is a method of fabricating an image sensor device. An exemplary includes forming a plurality of radiation-sensing regions in a substrate. The substrate has a front surface, a back surface, and a sidewall that extends from the front surface to the back surface. The exemplary method further includes forming an interconnect structure over the front surface of the substrate, removing a portion of the substrate to expose a metal interconnect layer of the interconnect structure, and forming a bonding pad on the interconnect structure in a manner so that the bonding pad is electrically coupled to the exposed metal interconnect layer and separated from the sidewall of the substrate.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor including a plurality of photodetectors disposed within a substrate. The photodetectors are disposed respectively within a plurality of pixel regions. A floating diffusion node is disposed along a front-side surface of the substrate at a middle region of the plurality of pixel regions. A plurality of well regions is disposed within the substrate at corners of the plurality of pixel regions. An isolation structure extends into a back-side surface of the substrate. The isolation structure comprises a plurality of elongated isolation components disposed between adjacent pixel regions, a middle isolation component aligned with the floating diffusion node, and multiple peripheral isolation components aligned with the plurality of well regions. The elongated isolation components have a first height and the middle and peripheral isolation components have a second height less than the first height.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of forming an integrated chip structure. The method includes forming a first dielectric bonding layer over a first dielectric structure, which is disposed on a first substrate and surrounds a first plurality of interconnects. The first dielectric bonding layer is patterned to form a first recess exposing one of the first plurality of interconnects. A first conductive bonding segment is formed within the first recess. A second dielectric bonding layer is formed over a TSV extending through a second substrate. The second dielectric bonding layer is patterned to form a second recess exposing the TSV. A second conductive bonding segment is formed within the second recess. The first substrate is bonded to the second substrate along an interface comprising dielectric and conductive regions. The conductive region includes a conductive interface between the first and second conductive bonding segments.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor. The image sensor comprise a substrate having a first region and a second region. A first gate overlies the first region. A second gate overlies the second region. A deep trench isolation (DTI) structure is in the substrate and laterally between the first region and the second region. A first floating diffusion node is in the first region. A second floating diffusion node is in the second region. An interlayer dielectric (ILD) structure is over the substrate. A dielectric structure is between the ILD structure and the substrate. The dielectric structure is laterally between the first and second floating diffusion nodes. The dielectric structure is laterally spaced from the first and second gates. The dielectric structure overlies the DTI structure. A width of the dielectric structure is greater than a width of the DTI structure.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards image sensors including composite backside illuminated (CBSI) structures to enhance performance. In some embodiments, a first trench isolation structure extends into a backside of a substrate to a first depth and comprises a pair of first trench isolation segments. A photodetector is in the substrate, between and bordering the first trench isolation segments. A second trench isolation structure is between the first trench isolation segments and extends into the backside of the substrate to a second depth less than the first depth. The second trench isolation structure comprises a pair of second trench isolation segments. An absorption enhancement structure overlies the photodetector, between the second trench isolation segments, and is recessed into the backside of the semiconductor substrate. The absorption enhancement structure and the second trench isolation structure collectively define a CBSI structure.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated chip (IC). The IC includes a first inter-metal dielectric (IMD) structure disposed over a semiconductor substrate. A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) device is disposed over the first IMD structure. The MIM device includes at least three metal plates that are spaced from one another. The MIM device further includes a plurality of capacitor insulator structures. Each of the plurality of capacitor insulator structures are disposed between and electrically isolate neighboring metal plates of the at least three metal plates.