Abstract: A method includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a front side surface and a back side surface opposite to the front side surface. A photosensitive region of the semiconductor substrate is etched to form a recess. A semiconductor material is deposited on the semiconductor substrate to form a radiation sensing member filling the recess. The semiconductor material has an optical band gap energy smaller than 1.77 eV. A device layer is formed over the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate and the radiation sensing member. A trench isolation is formed in an isolation region of the semiconductor substrate and extending from the back side surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device. The semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device includes a first oxide layer formed below the a first substrate, a first bonding layer formed below the first oxide layer, and a first bonding via formed through the first bonding layer and the first oxide layer. The second semiconductor device includes a second oxide layer formed over a second substrate, a second bonding layer formed over the second oxide layer, and a second bonding via formed through the second bonding layer and the second oxide layer. The semiconductor structure also includes a bonding structure between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the bonding structure includes the first bonding via bonded to the second bonding via.

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 structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device includes a first bonding layer formed below a first substrate, a first bonding via formed through the first oxide layer and the first bonding layer, a first dummy pad formed in the first bonding layer. The semiconductor structure includes a second semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device includes a second bonding layer formed over a second substrate, a second bonding via formed through the second bonding layer, and a second dummy pad formed in the second bonding layer. The semiconductor structure includes a bonding structure between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the bonding structure includes the first bonding via bonded to the second bonding via and the first dummy pad bonded to the second dummy pad.

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.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor image sensor with improved quantum efficiency. The semiconductor image sensor can include a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface. An interconnect structure is disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor layer, and radiation-sensing regions are formed in the semiconductor layer. The radiation-sensing regions are configured to sense radiation that enters the semiconductor layer from the second surface and groove structures are formed on the second surface of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A gate structure includes a gate and a first isolation structure having a top surface and a bottom surface. The gate includes a first sidewall adjacent to the first isolation structure, a second sidewall, a first horizontal surface adjacent to a bottom edge of the first sidewall and a bottom edge of the second sidewall, the first horizontal surface being between the top surface of the first isolation structure and the bottom surface of the first isolation structure. The gate also includes a second horizontal surface adjacent to a top edge of the second sidewall. An effective channel width defined by the gate structure includes a height of the second sidewall and a width of the second horizontal surface.

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: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor image sensor with improved quantum efficiency. The semiconductor image sensor can include a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface. An interconnect structure is disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor layer, and radiation-sensing regions are formed in the semiconductor layer. The radiation-sensing regions are configured to sense radiation that enters the semiconductor layer from the second surface and groove structures are formed on the second surface of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A light sensing device is provided. The light sensing device includes a semiconductor substrate and a light sensing region in the semiconductor substrate. The light sensing device also includes a filter element over the light sensing region and a light shielding element over the semiconductor substrate and beside the filter element. The light sensing device further includes a dielectric element over the light shielding element and beside the filter element. A top of the light shielding element and a bottom of the dielectric element have different widths.

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: 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: The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a semiconductor device structure. The method may be performed by forming a gate structure along a first side of a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate is thinned. Thinning the semiconductor substrate causes defects to form along a second side of the semiconductor substrate opposing the first side of the semiconductor substrate. Dopants are implanted into the second side of the semiconductor substrate after thinning the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate is annealed to form a doped layer after implanting the dopants. The doped layer is formed along the second side of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor including a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of color filters, a plurality of first lenses and a second lens is provided. The semiconductor substrate includes a plurality of sensing pixels arranged in array, and each of the plurality of sensing pixels respectively includes a plurality of image sensing units and a plurality of phase detection units. The color filters at least cover the plurality of image sensing units. The first lenses are disposed on the plurality of color filters. Each of the plurality of first lenses respectively covers one of the plurality of image sensing units. The second lens is disposed on the plurality of color filters and the second lens covers the plurality of phase detection units.

Abstract: A method for forming a light sensing device is provided. The method includes forming a light sensing region in a semiconductor substrate and forming a light shielding layer over the semiconductor substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric layer over the light shielding layer and partially removing the light shielding layer and the dielectric layer to form a light shielding element and a dielectric element. A top width of the light shielding element is greater than a bottom width of the dielectric element. The light shielding element and the dielectric element surround a recess, and the recess is aligned with the light sensing region. The method further includes forming a filter element in the recess.

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: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor image sensor with improved quantum efficiency. The semiconductor image sensor can include a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface. An interconnect structure is disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor layer, and radiation-sensing regions are formed in the semiconductor layer. The radiation-sensing regions are configured to sense radiation that enters the semiconductor layer from the second surface and groove structures are formed on the second surface of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A photodetector includes: a substrate; a first semiconductor region, the first semiconductor region extending into the substrate from a front side of the substrate; and a second semiconductor region, the second semiconductor region further extending into the substrate from a bottom boundary of the first semiconductor region, wherein when the photodetector operates under a Geiger mode, the second semiconductor region is fully depleted to absorb a radiation source received from a back side of the substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor device is provided. The image sensor device includes a substrate having a front surface, a back surface, and a light-sensing region. The image sensor device includes a first isolation structure extending from the front surface into the substrate. The first isolation structure surrounds a first portion of the light-sensing region, and the first isolation structure has a first end portion in the substrate. The image sensor device includes a second isolation structure extending from the back surface into the substrate. The second isolation structure surrounds a second portion of the light-sensing region, the second isolation structure has a second end portion in the substrate, and the second end portion of the second isolation structure is closer to the front surface of the substrate than the first end portion of the first isolation structure.

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 floating diffusion region disposed at one side of a transfer gate within a substrate and a photo detecting column disposed at the other side of the transfer gate opposing to the floating diffusion region within the substrate. The photo detecting column comprises a doped sensing layer with a doping type opposite to that of the substrate. The photo detecting column and the substrate are in contact with each other at a junction interface comprising one or more recessed portions. By forming the junction interface with recessed portions, the 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.