Abstract: Image sensors include a first insulation interlayer structure on a first surface of a substrate and having a multi-layered structure. A first wiring structure is in the first insulation interlayer structure. A via contact plug extends from a second surface of the substrate and penetrates the substrate to be electrically connected to the first wiring structure. Color filters and micro lenses are stacked on the second surface in a first region of the substrate. A second insulation interlayer structure is on the second surface in a second region of the substrate. A second wiring structure is in the second insulation interlayer structure to be electrically connected to the via contact plug. A pad pattern is electrically connected to the second wiring structure and having an upper surface through which an external electrical signal is applied. Photodiodes are between the first and second wiring structures in the first region.

Abstract: The image sensor includes a substrate, an insulating structure formed on a first surface of the substrate and including a first metal wiring layer exposed by a contact hole penetrating the substrate, a conductive spacer formed on sidewalls of the contact hole and electrically connected to the first metal wiring layer, and a pad formed on a second surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the first metal wiring layer.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a transfer transistor including a vertical gate portion extending in a depth direction of a substrate in an active region of the substrate and photodiode regions located at positions of different depths with respect to a top surface of the substrate in the active region. At least one color adjustment path extends between at least two photodiode regions of the photodiode regions and provides a charge movement path between the at least two photodiode regions.

Abstract: The image sensor includes a substrate, an insulating structure formed on a first surface of the substrate and including a first metal wiring layer exposed by a contact hole penetrating the substrate, a conductive spacer formed on sidewalls of the contact hole and electrically connected to the first metal wiring layer, and a pad formed on a second surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the first metal wiring layer.

Abstract: In a solid state imaging device, and a method of manufacture thereof, the efficiency of the transfer of available photons to the photo-receiving elements is increased beyond that which is currently available. Enhanced anti-reflection layer configurations, and methods of manufacture thereof, are provided that allow for such increased efficiency. They are applicable to contemporary imaging devices, such as charge-coupled devices (CCDs) and CMOS image sensors (CISs). In one embodiment, a photosensitive device is formed in a semiconductor substrate. The photosensitive device includes a photosensitive region. An anti-reflection layer comprising silicon oxynitride is formed on the photosensitive region. The silicon oxynitride layer is heat treated to increase a refractive index of the silicon oxynitride layer, and to thereby decrease reflectivity of incident light at the junction of the photosensitive region.

Abstract: A backside-illuminated image sensor includes photoelectric converters disposed in a front-side of a substrate and arranged to define pixels, back-side interlayer dielectric patterns disposed on the back-side of the substrate over the photoelectric converters, color filters arranged over the back-side interlayer dielectric patterns, and micro-lenses arranged over the color filters, wherein adjacent back-side interlayer dielectric patterns are separated by an intervening gap region having a refractive index less than that of the back-side interlayer dielectric patterns.

Abstract: An image sensor having a backside illumination structure can include a photo diode unit in a first wafer, where the photo diode unit includes photo diodes and transfer gate transistors coupled to respective ones of the photo diodes. A wiring line unit can be included on a second wafer that is bonded to the photo diode unit, where the wiring line unit includes wiring lines and transistors configured to process signals provided by the photo diode unit and configured to control the photo diode unit. A supporting substrate is bonded to the wiring line unit and a filter unit is located under the first wafer.

Abstract: An image sensor having a backside illumination structure can include a photo diode unit in a first wafer, where the photo diode unit includes photo diodes and transfer gate transistors coupled to respective ones of the photo diodes. A wiring line unit can be included on a second wafer that is bonded to the photo diode unit, where the wiring line unit includes wiring lines and transistors configured to process signals provided by the photo diode unit and configured to control the photo diode unit. A supporting substrate is bonded to the wiring line unit and a filter unit is located under the first wafer.

Abstract: An image sensor including: a substrate that includes a first surface onto which light is irradiated, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a light receiving device disposed adjacent to the second surface; a transistor that includes a source region, a drain region, and a gate electrode disposed between the source region and the drain region, wherein the transistor is disposed on the second surface of the substrate; a wiring line that is disposed on the second surface of the substrate; and a plurality of contact plugs that are disposed on the source region, the drain region, or the gate electrode, wherein at least one of the plurality of contact plugs is connected to the wiring line.

Abstract: An image sensor having a backside illumination structure can include a photo diode unit in a first wafer, where the photo diode unit includes photo diodes and transfer gate transistors coupled to respective ones of the photo diodes. A wiring line unit can be included on a second wafer that is bonded to the photo diode unit, where the wiring line unit includes wiring lines and transistors configured to process signals provided by the photo diode unit and configured to control the photo diode unit. A supporting substrate is bonded to the wiring line unit and a filter unit is located under the first wafer.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate includes a photodiode on a support substrate. An insulating layer is provided between the support substrate and the semiconductor substrate. A first conductive pattern is provided in the insulating layer. A first through electrode penetrates the support substrate to be in contact with the first conductive pattern.

Abstract: An image sensor and a method for fabricating the image sensor are provided. The method for fabricating the image sensor includes forming a first insulating layer on a semiconductor epitaxial layer having multiple pixel regions; patterning a portion of the semiconductor epitaxial layer and the first insulating layer in a boundary region between the pixel regions to form a trench; forming a buried insulating layer on the first insulating layer, filling the trench, the buried insulating layer having a planar top surface; forming a second insulating layer on the buried insulating layer; forming a first mask pattern on the second insulating layer, the first mask pattern defining an opening overlapping the trench; and performing an ion implantation process using the first mask pattern as an ion implantation mask to form a first type potential barrier region in a bottom of the trench.

Abstract: For fabricating an image sensor, an isolation structure is formed to define a first active region of a semiconductor substrate. A first transistor and a second transistor of a unit pixel are formed in the first active region. In addition, a threshold voltage lowering region is formed in a portion of the semiconductor substrate near a portion of the isolation structure abutting the second transistor in the first active region. The threshold voltage lowering region causes the second transistor to have a respective threshold voltage magnitude that is lower than for the first transistor. The threshold voltage lowering region is formed simultaneously with a passivation region in a second active region having a photodiode formed therein.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a first substrate including a driving element, a first insulation layer on the first substrate and on the driving element, a second substrate including a photoelectric conversion element, and a second insulation layer on the second substrate and on the photoelectric conversion element. A surface of the second insulation layer is on an upper surface of the first insulation layer. The image sensor includes a conductive connector penetrating the second insulation layer and a portion of the first insulation layer. Methods of forming image sensors are also disclosed.

Abstract: An image sensor can include a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a matrix. A plurality of floating diffusion regions can be shared by respective corresponding pairs of adjacent photoelectric conversion elements. A plurality of charge-transmission transistors can respectively correspond to the photoelectric conversion elements, where each of the charge-transmission transistors are connected between a corresponding one of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a corresponding one of the plurality of floating diffusion regions. A plurality of charge-transmission lines can be commonly connected to gates of respective corresponding pairs of adjacent rows of charge-transmission transistors, where each of the respective corresponding pairs of adjacent rows of charge-transmission transistors can be connected to respective ones of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements in different adjacent rows of floating diffusion regions.

Abstract: Provided are color filters formed of alternately stacked inorganic materials having different refractive indices, a color filter array, a method of manufacturing the color filter array, and an image sensor. A color filter can include a substrate and first and second inorganic films configured to filter light of a specific wavelength corresponding to a predetermined color, wherein the first and second inorganic films can be alternately stacked on the substrate and have different refractive indices from each other. The refractive index difference between the first inorganic film and the second inorganic film is at least 0.8. The color filter can be formed by alternately stacking the first and second inorganic films. The first inorganic film and the second inorganic film can have a refractive index of 1.3 to 6.0 in a visible light region of 400 to 700 nm, and can be formed of a material selected from the group consisting of SiO2, SiON, SiN, and Si.

Abstract: An image sensor device includes an optical black pixel region and an active pixel region. The image sensor device includes a light receiving unit including a plurality of light sensitive semiconductor devices that are configured to detect light incident thereon, a pixel metal wire layer including a transparent material on the light receiving unit and including a plurality of metal wires therein, and a filter unit on the pixel metal wire layer. The filter unit includes a plurality of filters that are configured to transmit light according to a wavelength thereof. The filters of the filter unit in the optical black pixel region of the image sensor device have a single color. The image sensor device further includes a light blocking layer in the optical black pixel region between the filter unit and the light receiving unit. The light blocking layer is configured to block light that passes through the filter unit.

Abstract: For fabricating an image sensor, an isolation structure is formed to define a first active region of a semiconductor substrate. A first transistor and a second transistor of a unit pixel are formed in the first active region. In addition, a threshold voltage lowering region is formed in a portion of the semiconductor substrate near a portion of the isolation structure abutting the second transistor in the first active region. The threshold voltage lowering region causes the second transistor to have a respective threshold voltage magnitude that is lower than for the first transistor. The threshold voltage lowering region is formed simultaneously with a passivation region in a second active region having a photodiode formed therein.

Abstract: The image sensor includes a substrate, an insulating structure formed on a first surface of the substrate and including a first metal wiring layer exposed by a contact hole penetrating the substrate, a conductive spacer formed on sidewalls of the contact hole and electrically connected to the first metal wiring layer, and a pad formed on a second surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the first metal wiring layer.

Abstract: A backside-illuminated image sensor includes photoelectric converters disposed in a front-side of a substrate and arranged to define pixels, back-side interlayer dielectric patterns disposed on the back-side of the substrate over the photoelectric converters, color filters arranged over the back-side interlayer dielectric patterns, and micro-lenses arranged over the color filters, wherein adjacent back-side interlayer dielectric patterns are separated by an intervening gap region having a refractive index less than that of the back-side interlayer dielectric patterns.