Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for forming a semiconductor device, the method including forming a plurality of photodetectors in a substrate. A device isolation structure is formed within the substrate. The device isolation structure laterally wraps around the plurality of photodetectors. An outer isolation structure is formed within the substrate. The device isolation structure is spaced between sidewalls of the outer isolation structure. The device isolation structure and the outer isolation structure comprise a dielectric material.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a semiconductor structure including a semiconductor substrate having a frontside surface and a backside surface. An interconnect structure is disposed over the frontside surface. The interconnect structure includes a plurality of metal lines and vias that operably couple semiconductor transistor devices disposed in or on the frontside surface of the semiconductor substrate to one another. A trench is disposed in the backside surface of the semiconductor substrate. The trench is filled with an inner capacitor electrode, a capacitor dielectric layer overlying the inner capacitor electrode, and an outer capacitor electrode overlying the capacitor dielectric layer.

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: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of forming a capacitor structure. The method includes forming a capacitor dielectric layer over a lower electrode layer, and forming an upper electrode layer over the capacitor dielectric layer. The upper electrode layer is etched to define an upper electrode and to expose a part of the capacitor dielectric layer. A spacer structure is formed over horizontally extending surfaces of the upper electrode layer and the capacitor dielectric layer and also along sidewalls of the upper electrode. The spacer structure is etched to remove the spacer structure from over the horizontally extending surfaces of the upper electrode layer and the capacitor dielectric layer and to define a spacer. The capacitor dielectric layer and the lower electrode layer are etched according to the spacer to define a capacitor dielectric and a lower electrode.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to an image sensor. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including a pixel region and a peripheral region. A backside isolation structure extends into a backside of the semiconductor substrate and laterally surrounds the pixel region. The backside isolation structure includes a metal core, and a dielectric liner separates the metal core from the semiconductor substrate. A conductive feature is disposed over a front side of the semiconductor substrate. A through substrate via extends from the backside of the semiconductor substrate through the peripheral region to contact the conductive feature. The through substrate via is laterally offset from the backside isolation structure. A conductive bridge is disposed beneath the backside of the semiconductor substrate and electrically couples the metal core of the backside isolation structure to the through substrate via.

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 includes a substrate having a front side and a back side opposite to each other. A plurality of photodetectors is disposed in the substrate within a pixel region. An isolation structure is disposed within the pixel region and between the photodetectors. The isolation structure includes a back side isolation structure extending from the back side of the substrate to a position in the substrate. A conductive plug structure is disposed in the substrate within a periphery region. A conductive cap is disposed on the back side of the substrate and extends from the pixel region to the periphery region and electrically connects the back side isolation structure to the conductive plug structure. A conductive contact lands on the conductive plug structure, and is electrically connected to the back side isolation structure through the conductive plug structure and the conductive cap.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a semiconductor structure including a semiconductor substrate, and n interconnect structure disposed over the semiconductor substrate. The interconnect structure includes a dielectric structure and a plurality of metal lines that are stacked over one another in the dielectric structure. A through substrate via (TSV) extends through the semiconductor substrate to contact a metal line of the plurality of metal lines. A protective sleeve is disposed along outer sidewalls of the TSV and separates the outer sidewalls of the TSV from the dielectric structure of the interconnect structure.

Abstract: Present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including a semiconductor substrate, a first metal layer, and a through substrate via (TSV). The semiconductor substrate has an active side. The first metal layer is closest to the active side of the semiconductor substrate, and the first metal layer has a first continuous metal feature. The TSV is extending from the semiconductor substrate to the first continuous metal feature. A width of the TSV at the first metal layer is wider than a width of the first continuous metal feature. Present disclosure also provides a method for manufacturing the semiconductor structure described herein.

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: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a 3D integrated circuit (IC) stack that includes a first IC die bonded to a second IC die. The first IC die includes a first semiconductor substrate, a first interconnect structure arranged on a frontside of the first semiconductor substrate, and a first bonding structure arranged over the first interconnect structure. The second IC die includes a second semiconductor substrate, a second interconnect structure arranged on a frontside of the second semiconductor substrate, and a second bonding structure arranged on a backside of the second semiconductor substrate. The first bonding structure faces the second bonding structure. Further, the 3D IC stack includes a first backside contact that extends from the second bonding structure to the backside of the second semiconductor substrate and is thermally coupled to at least one of the first or second interconnect structures.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip including a first substrate and a first conductive feature formed over the first substrate, and a second semiconductor chip bonded to the first semiconductor chip. The second semiconductor chip includes a second substrate and a second conductive feature formed over the second substrate. A conductive plug is disposed through the first conductive feature and is coupled to the second conductive feature. The conductive plug includes a first portion disposed over the first conductive feature, the first portion having a first width, and a second portion disposed beneath or within the first conductive feature. The second portion has a second width. The first width is greater than the second width.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip structure. The integrated chip structure includes a standard contact disposed within a dielectric structure on a substrate. An oversized contact is disposed within the dielectric structure and is laterally separated from the standard contact. The oversized contact has a larger width than the standard contact. An interconnect wire vertically contacts the oversized contact. A through-substrate via (TSV) vertically extends through the substrate. The TSV physically and vertically contacts the oversized contact or the interconnect wire. The TSV vertically overlaps the oversized contact or the interconnect wire over a non-zero distance.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor structure including a crack-stop structure disposed within a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has a back-side surface and a front-side surface opposite the back-side surface. Photodetectors are disposed within the semiconductor substrate and are laterally spaced within a device region. An interconnect structure is disposed along the front-side surface. The interconnect structure includes a seal ring structure. A crack-stop structure is disposed within the semiconductor substrate and overlies the seal ring structure. The crack-stop structure continuously extends around the device region.

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: A method for manufacturing an image sensing device includes forming an interconnection layer over a front surface of a semiconductor substrate. A trench is formed to extend from a back surface of the semiconductor substrate. An etch stop layer is formed along the trench. A buffer layer is formed over the etch stop layer. An etch process is performed for etching the buffer layer. The buffer layer and the etch stop layer include different materials.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) is provided. In some embodiments, a second IC die is bonded to a first IC die by a first bonding structure. A third IC die is bonded to the second IC die by a second bonding structure. The second bonding structure is arranged between back sides of the second IC die and the third IC die opposite to corresponding interconnect structures and comprises a first TSV (through substrate via) disposed through a second substrate of the second IC die and a second TSV disposed through a third substrate of the third IC die. The second bonding structure further comprises conductive features with oppositely titled sidewalls disposed between the first TSV and the second TSV.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a 3D integrated circuit (IC) stack that includes a first IC die bonded to a second IC die. The first IC die includes a first semiconductor substrate, a first interconnect structure arranged on a frontside of the first semiconductor substrate, and a first bonding structure arranged over the first interconnect structure. The second IC die includes a second semiconductor substrate, a second interconnect structure arranged on a frontside of the second semiconductor substrate, and a second bonding structure arranged on a backside of the second semiconductor substrate. The first bonding structure faces the second bonding structure. Further, the 3D IC stack includes a first backside contact that extends from the second bonding structure to the backside of the second semiconductor substrate and is thermally coupled to at least one of the first or second interconnect structures.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip structure. The integrated chip structure includes a standard via disposed on a first side of a substrate. An oversized via is disposed on the first side of the substrate and is laterally separated from the standard via. The oversized via has a larger width than the standard via. An interconnect wire vertically contacting the oversized via. A through-substrate via (TSV) extends from a second side of the substrate, and through the substrate, to physically contact the oversized via or the interconnect wire. The TSV has a minimum width that is smaller than a width of the oversized via.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a semiconductor device arranged along a first side of a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has one or more sidewalls extending from the first side of the semiconductor substrate to an opposing second side of the semiconductor substrate. A dielectric liner lines the one or more sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate. A through-substrate-via (TSV) is arranged between the one or more sidewalls and is separated from the semiconductor substrate by the dielectric liner. The TSV has a first width at a first distance from the second side and a second width at a second distance from the second side.