Abstract: Various embodiments of the present application are directed to a method for forming a thin semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate without implantation radiation and/or plasma damage. In some embodiments, a device layer is epitaxially formed on a sacrificial substrate and an insulator layer is formed on the device layer. The insulator layer may, for example, be formed with a net charge that is negative or neutral. The sacrificial substrate is bonded to a handle substrate, such that the device layer and the insulator layer are between the sacrificial and handle substrates. The sacrificial substrate is removed, and the device layer is cyclically thinned until the device layer has a target thickness. Each thinning cycle comprises oxidizing a portion of the device layer and removing oxide resulting from the oxidizing.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate an integrated circuit (IC). The IC includes a first substrate including an array of photodetectors, wherein a bond pad opening extends through the first substrate and is defined by an inner sidewall of the first substrate. An interconnect structure is disposed over the first substrate and includes a plurality of metal layers stacked over one another and disposed within a dielectric structure. The bond pad opening further extends through at least a portion of the interconnect structure and is further defined by an inner sidewall of the interconnect structure. A bond pad structure directly contacts a metal layer of the plurality of metal layers in the interconnect structure and is located at an uppermost extent of the bond pad opening.

Abstract: A method includes performing an anisotropic etching on a semiconductor substrate to form a trench. The trench has vertical sidewalls and a rounded bottom connected to the vertical sidewalls. A damage removal step is performed to remove a surface layer of the semiconductor substrate, with the surface layer exposed to the trench. The rounded bottom of the trench is etched to form a slant straight bottom surface. The trench is filled to form a trench isolation region in the trench.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor structure including a bond pad disposed within a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has a back-side surface and a front-side surface opposite the back-side surface. An upper surface of the semiconductor substrate is vertically below the back-side surface. The bond pad extends through the semiconductor substrate. The bond pad includes a conductive body over the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and conductive protrusions extending from above the upper surface to below the front-side surface of the semiconductor substrate. A vertical distance between a top surface of the bond pad and the back-side surface of the semiconductor substrate is less than a height of the conductive protrusions. A first bond pad isolation structure extends through the semiconductor substrate and laterally surrounds the conductive protrusions.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for forming an image sensor. The method includes forming a photodetector in a substrate. A lower interconnect portion of an interconnect structure is formed over the photodetector. A removal process is performed to define a first opening overlying the photodetector in the lower interconnect portion. A lower etch stop layer is formed lining the first opening. The lower etch stop layer has a U-shape in the first opening. An upper interconnect portion of the interconnect structure is formed over the lower etch stop layer. A light pipe structure is formed overlying the photodetector. The U-shape of the lower etch stop layer extends continuously along sidewalls and a bottom surface of the light pipe structure.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure comprises a semiconductive substrate and an interconnect structure over the semiconductive substrate. The semiconductor structure also comprises a bond pad in the semiconductive substrate and coupled to the metal layer. The bond pad comprises two conductive layers.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including: a semiconductor device layer including a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is at a front side of the semiconductor device layer, and the second surface is at a backside of the semiconductor device layer; an insulating layer above the second surface of the semiconductor device; and a through-silicon via (TSV) traversing the insulating layer. Associated manufacturing methods of the same are also provided.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor including a light pipe structure. A photodetector disposed within a semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is over the semiconductor substrate and borders the photodetector. An inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer overlies the semiconductor substrate. A conductive contact is disposed within the ILD layer such that a bottom surface of the conductive contact is below a top surface of the gate electrode. The light pipe structure overlies the photodetector such that a bottom surface of the light pipe structure is recessed below a top surface of the conductive contact.

Abstract: A method of fabricating self-aligned grids in a BSI image sensor is provided. The method includes depositing a first dielectric layer over a back surface of a substrate that has a plurality of photodiodes formed therein, forming a grid of trenches, and filling in the trenches with dielectric material to create a trench isolation grid. Here, a trench passes through the first dielectric layer and extends into the substrate. The method further includes etching back dielectric material in the trenches to a level that is below an upper surface of the first dielectric layer to form recesses overlaying the trench isolation grid, and filling in the recesses with metallic material to create a metallic grid that is aligned with the trench isolation grid.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for forming a semiconductor structure. The method includes forming a first isolation structure on a first surface of a substrate. A second isolation structure is formed into the first surface of the substrate. Sidewalls of the first isolation structure are disposed laterally between inner sidewalls of the second isolation structure. A bond pad is formed in the substrate such that the second isolation structure continuously laterally wraps around the bond pad.

Abstract: A stacked integrated circuit (IC) device and a method are disclosed. The stacked IC device includes a first semiconductor element. The first substrate includes a dielectric block in the first substrate; and a plurality of first conductive features formed in first inter-metal dielectric layers over the first substrate. The stacked IC device also includes a second semiconductor element bonded on the first semiconductor element. The second semiconductor element includes a second substrate and a plurality of second conductive features formed in second inter-metal dielectric layers over the second substrate. The stacked IC device also includes a conductive deep-interconnection-plug coupled between the first conductive features and the second conductive features. The conductive deep-interconnection-plug is isolated by dielectric block, the first inter-metal-dielectric layers and the second inter-metal-dielectric layers.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including: a semiconductor device layer including a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is at a front side of the semiconductor device layer, and the second surface is at a backside of the semiconductor device layer; an insulating layer above the second surface of the semiconductor device; and a through-silicon via (TSV) traversing the insulating layer. Associated manufacturing methods of the same are also provided.

Abstract: A method of fabricating self-aligned grids in a BSI image sensor is provided. The method includes depositing a first dielectric layer over a back surface of a substrate that has a plurality of photodiodes formed therein, forming a grid of trenches, and filling in the trenches with dielectric material to create a trench isolation grid. Here, a trench passes through the first dielectric layer and extends into the substrate. The method further includes etching back dielectric material in the trenches to a level that is below an upper surface of the first dielectric layer to form recesses overlaying the trench isolation grid, and filling in the recesses with metallic material to create a metallic grid that is aligned with the trench isolation grid.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor device structure including a bond pad isolation structure. A semiconductor substrate has a back-side surface and a front-side surface opposite the back-side surface. A bond pad extends through the semiconductor substrate. The bond pad isolation structure is disposed within the semiconductor substrate. The bond pad isolation structure extends from the front-side surface to the back-side surface of the semiconductor substrate and continuously extends around the bond pad.

Abstract: A stacked integrated circuit (IC) device and a method are disclosed. The stacked IC device includes a first semiconductor element. The first substrate includes a dielectric block in the first substrate; and a plurality of first conductive features formed in first inter-metal dielectric layers over the first substrate. The stacked IC device also includes a second semiconductor element bonded on the first semiconductor element. The second semiconductor element includes a second substrate and a plurality of second conductive features formed in second inter-metal dielectric layers over the second substrate. The stacked IC device also includes a conductive deep-interconnection-plug coupled between the first conductive features and the second conductive features. The conductive deep-interconnection-plug is isolated by dielectric block, the first inter-metal-dielectric layers and the second inter-metal-dielectric layers.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method in which a functional layer is formed over an upper semiconductor surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a capping layer is formed over the functional layer. A first etchant is used to form a recess through the capping layer and through the functional layer. The recess has a first depth and exposes a portion of the semiconductor substrate there through. A protective layer is formed along a lower surface and inner sidewalls of the recess. A second etchant is used to remove the protective layer from the lower surface of the recess and to extend the recess below the upper semiconductor surface to a second depth to form a deep trench. To prevent etching of the functional layer, the protective layer remains in place along the inner sidewalls of the recess while the second etchant is used.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a pixel sensor including a dummy vertical transistor structure underlying a photodetector. The pixel sensor includes a substrate having a front-side surface opposite a back-side surface. The photodetector is disposed within the substrate. A deep trench isolation (DTI) structure extends from the back-side surface of the substrate to a first point below the back-side surface. The DTI structure wraps around an outer perimeter of the photodetector. The dummy vertical transistor structure is laterally spaced between inner sidewalls of the DTI structure. The dummy vertical transistor structure includes a dummy vertical gate electrode having a dummy conductive body and a dummy embedded conductive structure. The dummy embedded conductive structure extends from the front-side surface of the substrate to a second point vertically above the first point and the dummy conductive body extends along the front-side surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor structure including a bond pad disposed within a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has a back-side surface and a front-side surface opposite the back-side surface. An upper surface of the semiconductor substrate is vertically below the back-side surface. The bond pad extends through the semiconductor substrate. The bond pad includes a conductive body over the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and conductive protrusions extending from above the upper surface to below the front-side surface of the semiconductor substrate. A vertical distance between a top surface of the bond pad and the back-side surface of the semiconductor substrate is less than a height of the conductive protrusions. A first bond pad isolation structure extends through the semiconductor substrate and laterally surrounds the conductive protrusions.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor device structure including a bond pad isolation structure. A semiconductor substrate has a back-side surface and a front-side surface opposite the back-side surface. A bond pad extends through the semiconductor substrate. The bond pad isolation structure is disposed within the semiconductor substrate. The bond pad isolation structure extends from the front-side surface to the back-side surface of the semiconductor substrate and continuously extends around the bond pad.

Abstract: An optical isolation structure and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The optical isolation structure includes an epitaxial layer and a dielectric layer. The epitaxial layer and the dielectric layer are formed in a deep trench of a semiconductor substrate. The epitaxial layer covers a lower portion of sidewall of the trench, and the dielectric layer covers an upper portion of the sidewall of the trench. In the method for fabricating the optical isolation structure, at first, shallow trenches are formed in the semiconductor substrate. Then, the dielectric layer is formed in the shallow trenches. Thereafter, deep trenches are formed passing through the dielectric layers. Then, the epitaxial layer is formed in the deep trenches.