Abstract: A device is disclosed. The device includes a plurality of pixels disposed over a first surface of a semiconductor layer. The device includes a device layer disposed over the first surface. The device includes metallization layers disposed over the device layer. One of the metallization layers, closer to the first surface than any of other ones of the metallization layers, includes at least one conductive structure. The device includes an oxide layer disposed over a second surface of the semiconductor layer, the second surface being opposite to the first surface, the oxide layer also lining a recess that extends through the semiconductor layer. The device includes a spacer layer disposed between inner sidewalls of the recess and the oxide layer. The device includes a pad structure extending through the oxide layer and the device layer to be in physical contact with the at least one conductive structure.

Abstract: A MOSFET device and method of making, the device including a floating gate layer formed within a trench in a substrate, a tunnel dielectric layer located on sidewalls and a bottom of the trench, a control gate dielectric layer located on a top surface of the floating gate layer, a control gate layer located on a top surface of the control gate dielectric layer and sidewall spacers located on sidewalls of the control gate dielectric layer and the control gate layer.

Abstract: A flash memory device and method of making the same are disclosed. The flash memory device is located on a substrate and includes a floating gate electrode, a tunnel dielectric layer located between the substrate and the floating gate electrode, a smaller length control gate electrode and a control gate dielectric layer located between the floating gate electrode and the smaller length control gate electrode. The length of a major axis of the smaller length control gate electrode is less than a length of a major axis of the floating gate electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer, a plurality of dielectric patterns and a conductive pad. The substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The dielectric layer is disposed at the first surface of the substrate, and the substrate is disposed between the dielectric layer and the second surface of the substrate. The dielectric patterns are disposed on the dielectric layer and between the first surface and the second surface of the substrate. The conductive pad is inserted between the plurality of dielectric patterns and extended into the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A MOSFET device and method of making, the device including a floating gate layer formed within a trench in a substrate, a tunnel dielectric layer located on sidewalls and a bottom of the trench, a control gate dielectric layer located on a top surface of the floating gate layer, a control gate layer located on a top surface of the control gate dielectric layer and sidewall spacers located on sidewalls of the control gate dielectric layer and the control gate layer.

Abstract: A flash memory device includes a floating gate electrode formed within a substrate semiconductor layer having a doping of a first conductivity type, a pair of active regions formed within the substrate semiconductor layer, having a doping of a second conductivity type, and laterally spaced apart by the floating gate electrode, an erase gate electrode formed within the substrate semiconductor layer and laterally offset from the floating gate electrode, and a control gate electrode that overlies the floating gate electrode. The floating gate electrode may be formed in a first opening in the substrate semiconductor layer, and the erase gate electrode may be formed in a second opening in the substrate semiconductor layer. Multiple instances of the flash memory device may be arranged as a two-dimensional array of flash memory cells.

Abstract: A flash memory device includes a floating gate electrode formed within a substrate semiconductor layer having a doping of a first conductivity type, a pair of active regions formed within the substrate semiconductor layer, having a doping of a second conductivity type, and laterally spaced apart by the floating gate electrode, an erase gate electrode formed within the substrate semiconductor layer and laterally offset from the floating gate electrode, and a control gate electrode that overlies the floating gate electrode. The floating gate electrode may be formed in a first opening in the substrate semiconductor layer, and the erase gate electrode may be formed in a second opening in the substrate semiconductor layer. Multiple instances of the flash memory device may be arranged as a two-dimensional array of flash memory cells.

Abstract: CMOS sensors and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The CMOS sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of dielectric patterns, a first conductive element and a second conductive element. The semiconductor substrate has a pixel region and a circuit region. The dielectric patterns are disposed between the first portion and the second portion, wherein top surfaces of the plurality of dielectric patterns are lower than top surfaces of the first and second portions. The first conductive element is disposed below the plurality of dielectric patterns. The second conductive element inserts between the plurality of dielectric patterns to electrically connect the first conductive element.

Abstract: In a method for forming a semiconductor device photo-sensing regions are formed over a frontside of a substrate. A first layer is formed over a backside of the substrate and is patterned to form a plurality of grid lines. The grid lines can define a plurality of first areas and a plurality of second areas. A second layer maybe formed over exposed portions of the backside, the gridlines, the first areas, and the second areas and a third layer may be formed over the second layer. The second and third layer may have different etch rates and the third layer is pattern so as to remove the third layer from over the plurality of first areas.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes the formation of a pad structure in an image sensor device using a sacrificial isolation region and a silicon oxide based stack with no intervening nitride etch-stop layers. The image sensor device includes a semiconductor layer comprising a first horizontal surface opposite to a second horizontal surface; a metallization layer formed on the second horizontal surface of the semiconductor layer, where the metallization layer includes a dielectric layer. The image sensor device also includes a pad region traversing through the semiconductor layer from the first horizontal surface to the second horizontal surface. The pad region includes an oxide layer with no intervening nitride layers formed on the dielectric layer of the metallization layer and a pad structure in physical contact with a conductive structure of the metallization layer.

Abstract: A flash memory device includes a floating gate electrode formed within a substrate semiconductor layer having a doping of a first conductivity type, a pair of active regions formed within the substrate semiconductor layer, having a doping of a second conductivity type, and laterally spaced apart by the floating gate electrode, an erase gate electrode formed within the substrate semiconductor layer and laterally offset from the floating gate electrode, and a control gate electrode that overlies the floating gate electrode. The floating gate electrode may be formed in a first opening in the substrate semiconductor layer, and the erase gate electrode may be formed in a second opening in the substrate semiconductor layer. Multiple instances of the flash memory device may be arranged as a two-dimensional array of flash memory cells.

Abstract: A device is disclosed. The device includes a plurality of pixels disposed over a first surface of a semiconductor layer. The device includes a device layer disposed over the first surface. The device includes metallization layers disposed over the device layer. One of the metallization layers, closer to the first surface than any of other ones of the metallization layers, includes at least one conductive structure. The device includes an oxide layer disposed over a second surface of the semiconductor layer, the second surface being opposite to the first surface, the oxide layer also lining a recess that extends through the semiconductor layer. The device includes a spacer layer disposed between inner sidewalls of the recess and the oxide layer. The device includes a pad structure extending through the oxide layer and the device layer to be in physical contact with the at least one conductive structure.

Abstract: A method includes forming a dielectric layer over a first surface of a semiconductor layer, the dielectric layer including a metallization layer. The method includes forming an opening to expose a portion of the dielectric layer. The method includes forming a buffer oxide layer lining the opening. The method includes forming, according to a patternable layer, a recess in the buffer oxide layer partially extending from a second surface of the buffer oxide layer. The method includes removing the patternable layer. The method includes extending the recess through the buffer oxide layer and a portion of the dielectric layer to expose a portion of the metallization layer. The method includes filling the recess with a conductive material to form a pad structure configured to provide electrical connection to the metallization layer.

Abstract: An image sensor structure includes a semiconductor device, a plurality of image sensing elements formed in the semiconductor substrate, an interconnect structure formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a composite grid structure over the semiconductor substrate. The composite grid structure includes a tungsten grid, an oxide grid over the tungsten grid, and an adhesion enhancement grid spacing the tungsten grid from the oxide grid.

Abstract: In a method for forming a semiconductor device photo-sensing regions are formed over a frontside of a substrate. A first layer is formed over a backside of the substrate and is patterned to form a plurality of grid lines. The grid lines can define a plurality of first areas and a plurality of second areas. A second layer maybe formed over exposed portions of the backside, the gridlines, the first areas, and the second areas and a third layer may be formed over the second layer. The second and third layer may have different etch rates and the third layer is pattern so as to remove the third layer from over the plurality of first areas.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming a metal catalyst layer on an etching area of the semiconductor substrate; performing a wet etch process to the semiconductor substrate to etch the etching area of the semiconductor substrate under the metal catalyst layer, thereby forming a trench in the semiconductor substrate; and removing the metal catalyst layer from the semiconductor substrate after performing the wet etch process.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming a metal catalyst layer on an etching area of the semiconductor substrate; performing a wet etch process to the semiconductor substrate to etch the etching area of the semiconductor substrate under the metal catalyst layer, thereby forming a trench in the semiconductor substrate; and removing the metal catalyst layer from the semiconductor substrate after performing the wet etch process.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes the formation of a pad structure in an image sensor device using a sacrificial isolation region and a silicon oxide based stack with no intervening nitride etch-stop layers. The image sensor device includes a semiconductor layer comprising a first horizontal surface opposite to a second horizontal surface; a metallization layer formed on the second horizontal surface of the semiconductor layer, where the metallization layer includes a dielectric layer. The image sensor device also includes a pad region traversing through the semiconductor layer from the first horizontal surface to the second horizontal surface. The pad region includes an oxide layer with no intervening nitride layers formed on the dielectric layer of the metallization layer and a pad structure in physical contact with a conductive structure of the metallization layer.

Abstract: In a method for forming a semiconductor device photo-sensing regions are formed over a frontside of a substrate. A first layer is formed over a backside of the substrate and is patterned to form a plurality of grid lines. The grid lines can define a plurality of first areas and a plurality of second areas. A second layer maybe formed over exposed portions of the backside, the gridlines, the first areas, and the second areas and a third layer may be formed over the second layer. The second and third layer may have different etch rates and the third layer is pattern so as to remove the third layer from over the plurality of first areas.

Abstract: CMOS sensors and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The CMOS sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of dielectric patterns, a first conductive element and a second conductive element. The semiconductor substrate has a pixel region and a circuit region. The dielectric patterns are disposed between the first portion and the second portion, wherein top surfaces of the plurality of dielectric patterns are lower than top surfaces of the first and second portions. The first conductive element is disposed below the plurality of dielectric patterns. The second conductive element inserts between the plurality of dielectric patterns to electrically connect the first conductive element.