Patents by Inventor Kook-Tae KIM

Kook-Tae KIM has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11652113
    Abstract: An image sensor including a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface; and a pixel isolation film extending from the first surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate and defining active pixels in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the pixel isolation film includes a buried conductive layer including polysilicon containing a fining element at a first concentration; and an insulating liner between the buried conductive layer and the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the fining element includes oxygen, carbon, or fluorine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kook-tae Kim, Jin-gyun Kim, Soo-jin Hong
  • Publication number: 20230131769
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a substrate including a plurality of pixel regions, a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; and a deep device isolation pattern disposed between adjacent pixel regioas of the phirality of pixel regions and penetrating the substrate, wherein the deep deice isolation pattern includes: a semiconductor pattern extended from the second surface toward the first surface; and sidewall insulating patterns interposed between the semiconductor pattern and the substrate, wherein the semiconductor pattern includes sidewall portions and a filling portion, wherein the sidewall portions are provided adjacent to the sidewall insulating patterns, respectively, wherein the filling portion is provided between the sidewall portions, and wherein top surfaces of the sidewall portions are located at a height higher than a top surface of the filling portion,
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Kook Tae Kim, Jingyun Kim, Jonghyeon Noh, Miseon Park, Jaewoong Lee
  • Publication number: 20220310675
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first pixel isolation structure disposed in a first trench which vertically extends from the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and defines a plurality of pixel regions, and a second pixel isolation structure disposed in a second trench vertically extending from the second surface of the semiconductor substrate. The second pixel isolation structure overlaps the first pixel isolation structure. The first pixel isolation structure includes a liner semiconductor pattern defining a gap region in the first trench, the liner semiconductor pattern including sidewall portions and a bottom portion connecting the sidewall portions, a liner insulating pattern disposed between the liner semiconductor pattern and the semiconductor substrate, and a capping insulating pattern disposed in the gap region of the liner semiconductor pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: KOOK TAE KIM, MISEON PARK, JAESUNG HUR
  • Publication number: 20220310676
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first pixel isolation structure disposed in a first trench which vertically extends from the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and defines a plurality of pixel regions, and a second pixel isolation structure disposed in a second trench vertically extending from the second surface of the semiconductor substrate. The second pixel isolation structure overlaps the first pixel isolation structure. The first pixel isolation structure includes a liner semiconductor pattern defining a gap region in the first trench, the liner semiconductor pattern including sidewall portions and a bottom portion connecting the sidewall portions, a liner insulating pattern disposed between the liner semiconductor pattern and the semiconductor substrate, and a capping insulating pattern disposed in the gap region of the liner semiconductor pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Kook Tae Kim, Miseon Park, Jaesung Hur
  • Publication number: 20220173143
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate including a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and unit pixels, a deep device isolation portion disposed in the substrate to isolate the unit pixels from each other, and a transfer gate disposed on the first surface and in each of the unit pixels. The deep device isolation portion includes a first conductive pattern extending from the first surface toward the second surface, a first insulating pattern interposed between the first conductive pattern and the substrate, a second conductive pattern extending from the second surface toward the first conductive pattern, and a first fixed charge layer interposed between the second conductive pattern and the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kook Tae KIM, Miseon PARK, Soojin HONG
  • Publication number: 20220102405
    Abstract: An image sensor is provided and may include a semiconductor substrate having a surface and including trench, the trench extending from the surface into the semiconductor substrate, an insulating pattern provided in the trench and a doped region in the semiconductor substrate and on the insulating patterns. The doped region includes a side portion on a side surface of the insulating pattern, and a bottom portion on a bottom surface of the insulating pattern. A thickness of the side portion of the doped region is from 85% to 115% of a thickness of the bottom portion of the doped region, and a number of dopants per unit area in the side portion of the doped region is from 85% to 115% of a number of dopants per unit area in the bottom portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kook Tae KIM, Chang Kyu LEE, Dongmo IM, Ju-eun KIM, Miseon PARK, Jungim CHOE, Soojin HONG
  • Publication number: 20220059585
    Abstract: An image sensor including a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface; and a pixel isolation film extending from the first surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate and defining active pixels in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the pixel isolation film includes a buried conductive layer including polysilicon containing a fining element at a first concentration; and an insulating liner between the buried conductive layer and the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the fining element includes oxygen, carbon, or fluorine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Kook-tae KIM, Jin-gyun KIM, Soo-jin HONG
  • Patent number: 11257857
    Abstract: An image sensor may include a substrate including first and second surfaces opposite each other, a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices isolated from direct contact with each other within the substrate, a first trench configured to extend into an interior of the substrate from the first surface of the substrate and between adjacent photoelectric conversion devices of the plurality of photoelectric conversion devices, a first supporter within the first trench, and a first isolation layer at least partially covering both sidewalls of the first supporter within the first trench, wherein a lower surface of the first supporter is coplanar with the first surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Sung Hur, Jin Gyun Kim, Kook Tae Kim, Young Bin Lee, Ha Jin Lim, Taek Soo Jeon, Soo Jin Hong
  • Patent number: 11239269
    Abstract: An image sensor including a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface; and a pixel isolation film extending from the first surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate and defining active pixels in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the pixel isolation film includes a buried conductive layer including polysilicon containing a fining element at a first concentration; and an insulating liner between the buried conductive layer and the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the fining element includes oxygen, carbon, or fluorine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kook-tae Kim, Jin-gyun Kim, Soo-jin Hong
  • Publication number: 20220013566
    Abstract: An image sensor including a substrate having first and second surfaces that are opposite to each other. The substrate includes unit pixel regions having photoelectric conversion regions. A semiconductor pattern is disposed in a first trench defined in the substrate and defines the unit pixel regions. The semiconductor pattern includes a first semiconductor pattern and a second semiconductor pattern disposed on the first semiconductor pattern. A back-side insulating layer covers the second surface of the substrate. The first semiconductor pattern includes a side portion extended along an inner side surface of the first trench and a bottom portion connected to the side portion and disposed closer to the second surface of the substrate than the side portion. The second semiconductor pattern extends toward the second surface of the substrate and is spaced apart from the back-side insulating layer with the bottom portion of the first semiconductor pattern interposed therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: KOOK TAE KIM, JU-EUN KIM, MISEON PARK, JAEWOONG LEE, SOOJIN HONG
  • Patent number: 11152415
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a photoelectric converter in a pixel area of a substrate to generate photoelectrons in response to an incident light that is incident onto the pixel area, a signal generator on a first surface of the substrate in the pixel area to generate electric signals corresponding to image information of an object in accordance with the photoelectrons, and a pixel separation pattern penetrating through the substrate from the first surface of the substrate to a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface of the substrate, the pixel separation pattern including an insulation pattern having a refractive index smaller than that of the substrate and a metallic conductive pattern enclosed by the insulation pattern, and the pixel area being enclosed by the pixel separation pattern and isolated from a neighboring pixel area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ha-Jin Lim, Kook-Tae Kim, Jong-Min Jeon, Jae-Sung Hur, Hye-Ri Hong
  • Publication number: 20200381464
    Abstract: Image sensors are provided. An image sensor includes a substrate including a plurality of pixel areas. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface. The image sensor includes a deep pixel isolation region extending from the second surface of the substrate toward the first surface of the substrate and separating the plurality of pixel areas from each other. The image sensor includes an amorphous region adjacent a sidewall of the deep pixel isolation region. Moreover, the image sensor includes an electron suppression region between the amorphous region and the sidewall of the deep pixel isolation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Hyungi Hong, Kook Tae Kim, Jingyun Kim, Soojin Hong
  • Patent number: 10840285
    Abstract: An image includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface that face each other; a first photoelectric conversion region and a second photoelectric conversion region provided in the semiconductor substrate; a gapfill pattern that is interposed between the first and second photoelectric conversion regions and extends from the second surface toward the first surface, wherein a first side surface of the gapfill pattern faces the first photoelectric conversion region and a second side surface of the gapfill pattern faces the second photoelectric conversion region; and a conductive pattern disposed on the gapfill pattern. The conductive pattern includes a first portion disposed on the first side surface, a second portion disposed on the second side surface, and a connecting portion that is disposed on a top surface of the gapfill pattern and electrically connects the first portion to the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kook Tae Kim, Jingyun Kim, Kyunghee Kim, Jaewoong Lee, Soojin Hong
  • Patent number: 10822694
    Abstract: Disclosed are a substrate processing apparatus and a method of cleaning the apparatus. The apparatus includes a process chamber, a support unit in the process chamber and configured to support a substrate, and a gas injection unit in the process chamber. The gas injection unit includes a first injection portion configured to inject a source gas, a second injection portion facing the first injection portion and configured to inject a reaction gas that reacts with the source gas, and a third injection portion configured to inject a cleaning gas that removes a reactant produced from the source gas and the reaction gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sukjin Chung, Bongjin Kuh, Kook Tae Kim, In-Sun Yi, Soojin Hong
  • Patent number: 10784301
    Abstract: Image sensors are provided. An image sensor includes a substrate including a plurality of pixel areas. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface. The image sensor includes a deep pixel isolation region extending from the second surface of the substrate toward the first surface of the substrate and separating the plurality of pixel areas from each other. The image sensor includes an amorphous region adjacent a sidewall of the deep pixel isolation region. Moreover, the image sensor includes an electron suppression region between the amorphous region and the sidewall of the deep pixel isolation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyungi Hong, Kook Tae Kim, Jingyun Kim, Soojin Hong
  • Publication number: 20200227449
    Abstract: An image includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface that face each other; a first photoelectric conversion region and a second photoelectric conversion region provided in the semiconductor substrate; a gapfill pattern that is interposed between the first and second photoelectric conversion regions and extends from the second surface toward the first surface, wherein a first side surface of the gapfill pattern faces the first photoelectric conversion region and a second side surface of the gapfill pattern faces the second photoelectric conversion region; and a conductive pattern disposed on the gapfill pattern. The conductive pattern includes a first portion disposed on the first side surface, a second portion disposed on the second side surface, and a connecting portion that is disposed on a top surface of the gapfill pattern and electrically connects the first portion to the second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kook Tae Kim, Jingyun Kim, Kyunghee Kim, Jaewoong Lee, Soojin Hong
  • Publication number: 20200219911
    Abstract: An image sensor may include a substrate including first and second surfaces opposite each other, a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices isolated from direct contact with each other within the substrate, a first trench configured to extend into an interior of the substrate from the first surface of the substrate and between adjacent photoelectric conversion devices of the plurality of photoelectric conversion devices, a first supporter within the first trench, and a first isolation layer at least partially covering both sidewalls of the first supporter within the first trench, wherein a lower surface of the first supporter is coplanar with the first surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Sung HUR, Jin Gyun KIM, Kook Tae KIM, Young Bin LEE, Ha Jin LIM, Taek Soo JEON, Soo Jin HONG
  • Publication number: 20200144316
    Abstract: An image sensor including a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface; and a pixel isolation film extending from the first surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate and defining active pixels in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the pixel isolation film includes a buried conductive layer including polysilicon containing a fining element at a first concentration; and an insulating liner between the buried conductive layer and the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the fining element includes oxygen, carbon, or fluorine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Kook-tae KIM, Jin-gyun KIM, Soo-jin HONG
  • Publication number: 20200127025
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a photoelectric converter in a pixel area of a substrate to generate photoelectrons in response to an incident light that is incident onto the pixel area, a signal generator on a first surface of the substrate in the pixel area to generate electric signals corresponding to image information of an object in accordance with the photoelectrons, and a pixel separation pattern penetrating through the substrate from the first surface of the substrate to a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface of the substrate, the pixel separation pattern including an insulation pattern having a refractive index smaller than that of the substrate and a metallic conductive pattern enclosed by the insulation pattern, and the pixel area being enclosed by the pixel separation pattern and isolated from a neighboring pixel area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Ha-Jin LIM, Kook-Tae KIM, Jong-Min JEON, Jae-Sung HUR, Hye-Ri HONG
  • Publication number: 20200111821
    Abstract: Image sensors are provided. An image sensor includes a substrate including a plurality of pixel areas. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface. The image sensor includes a deep pixel isolation region extending from the second surface of the substrate toward the first surface of the substrate and separating the plurality of pixel areas from each other. The image sensor includes an amorphous region adjacent a sidewall of the deep pixel isolation region. Moreover, the image sensor includes an electron suppression region between the amorphous region and the sidewall of the deep pixel isolation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Hyungi Hong, Kook Tae Kim, Jingyun Kim, Soojin Hong