Abstract: A semiconductor device including a device substrate having a front side and a back side. The semiconductor device further includes an interconnect structure disposed on the front side of the device substrate, the interconnect structure having a n-number of metal layers. The semiconductor device also includes a bonding pad disposed on the back side of the device substrate, the bonding pad extending through the interconnect structure and directly contacting the nth metal layer of the n-number of metal layers.

Abstract: A photodetector is formed in a front surface of a substrate. The substrate is thinned from a back surface of the substrate. A plurality of dopants is introduced into the thinned substrate from the back surface. The plurality of dopants in the thinned substrate is annealed. An anti-reflective layer is deposited over the back surface of the thinned substrate. A micro lens is formed over the anti-reflective layer. At least one ultraviolet (UV) radiation treatment is performed after at least one of the preceding steps.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a pixel region incorporating a photodiode, a grid disposed over the substrate and having walls defining a cavity vertically aligned with the pixel region, and a color filter material disposed in the cavity between the walls of the grid.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate having a front side and a backside. A plurality of image sensors is disposed at the front side of the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of clear color-filters is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of metal rings encircles the plurality of clear color-filters.

Abstract: BSI image sensors and methods. In an embodiment, a substrate is provided having a sensor array and a periphery region and having a front side and a back side surface; a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) is formed over the back side to a first thickness, over the sensor array region and the periphery region; forming a first dielectric layer over the BARC; a metal shield is formed; selectively removing the metal shield from over the sensor array region; selectively removing the first dielectric layer from over the sensor array region, wherein a portion of the first thickness of the BARC is also removed and a remainder of the first thickness of the BARC remains during the process of selectively removing the first dielectric layer; forming a second dielectric layer over the remainder of the BARC and over the metal shield; and forming a passivation layer over the second dielectric layer.

Abstract: An embodiment method for forming an image sensor includes forming an anti-reflective coating over a surface of a semiconductor supporting a photodiode, forming an etching stop layer over the anti-reflective coating, forming a buffer oxide over the etching stop layer, and selectively removing a portion of the buffer oxide through etching, the etching stop layer protecting the anti-reflective coating during the etching. An embodiment image sensor includes a semiconductor disposed in an array region and in a periphery region, the semiconductor supporting a photodiode in the array region, an anti-reflective coating disposed over a surface of the semiconductor, an etching stop layer disposed over the anti-reflective coating, a thickness of the etching stop layer over the photodiode in the array region less than a thickness of the etching stop layer in the periphery region, and a buffer oxide disposed over the etching stop layer in the periphery region.

Abstract: A method for reducing cross talk in image sensors comprises providing a backside illuminated image sensor wafer, forming an isolation region in the backside illuminated image sensor wafer, wherein the isolation region encloses a photo active region, forming an opening in the isolation region from a backside of the backside illuminated image sensor wafer and covering an upper terminal of the opening with a dielectric material to form an air gap embedded in the isolation region of the backside illuminated image sensor wafer.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing cross-talk between photosensitive diodes is provided. In an embodiment a first color filter is formed over a first photosensitive diode and a second color filter is formed over a second photosensitive diode, and a gap is formed between the first color filter and the second color filter. The gap will serve to reflect light that otherwise would have crossed from the first color filter to the second color filter, thereby reducing cross-talk between the first photosensitive diode and the second photosensitive diode. A reflective grid may also be formed between the first photosensitive diode and the second photosensitive diode in order to assist in the reflection and further reduce the amount of cross-talk.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure comprises a device substrate having a front side and a back side; an interconnect structure disposed on the front side of the device substrate; and a bonding pad connected to the interconnect structure. The bonding pad comprises a recessed region in a dielectric material layer; a dielectric mesa of the dielectric material layer interposed between the recessed region; and a metal layer disposed in the recessed region and on the dielectric mesa.

Abstract: An image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a front side and a backside. A first dielectric layer is on the front side of the semiconductor substrate. A metal pad is in the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is over the first dielectric layer and on the front side of the semiconductor substrate. An opening penetrates through the semiconductor substrate from the backside of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the opening includes a first portion extending to expose a portion of the metal pad and a second portion extending to expose a portion of the second dielectric layer. A metal layer is formed in the first portion and the second portion of the opening.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate, and a dielectric pad extending from a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate up into the semiconductor substrate. A low-k dielectric layer is disposed underlying the semiconductor substrate. A first non-low-k dielectric layer is underlying the low-k dielectric layer. A metal pad is underlying the first non-low-k dielectric layer. A second non-low-k dielectric layer is underlying the metal pad. An opening extends from a top surface of the semiconductor substrate down to penetrate through the semiconductor substrate, the dielectric pad, and the low-k dielectric layer, wherein the opening lands on a top surface of the metal pad. A passivation layer includes a portion on a sidewall of the opening, wherein a portion of the passivation layer at a bottom of the opening is removed.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure comprises a device substrate having a front side and a back side; an interconnect structure disposed on the front side of the device substrate; and a bonding pad connected to the interconnect structure. The bonding pad comprises a recessed region in a dielectric material layer; a dielectric mesa of the dielectric material layer interposed between the recessed region; and a metal layer disposed in the recessed region and on the dielectric mesa.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a device substrate having a front side and a back side. The semiconductor device further includes an interconnect structure disposed on the front side of the device substrate, the interconnect structure having a n-number of metal layers. The semiconductor device also includes a bonding pad disposed on the back side of the device substrate, the bonding pad extending through the interconnect structure and directly contacting the nth metal layer of the n-number of metal layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a device substrate having a front side and a back side corresponding to a front side and a back side of the semiconductor device, a metal feature formed on the front side of the device substrate, a bonding pad disposed on the back side of the semiconductor device and in electrical communication with the metal feature, and a shield structure disposed on the back side of the device substrate in which the shield structure and the bonding pad have different thicknesses relative to each other.

Abstract: Provided is an image sensor device. The image sensor device includes having a front side, a back side, and a sidewall connecting the front and back sides. The image sensor device includes a plurality of radiation-sensing regions disposed in the substrate. Each of the radiation-sensing regions is operable to sense radiation projected toward the radiation-sensing region through the back side. The image sensor device includes an interconnect structure that is coupled to the front side of the substrate. The interconnect structure includes a plurality of interconnect layers and extends beyond the sidewall of the substrate. The image sensor device includes a bonding pad that is spaced apart from the sidewall of the substrate. The bonding pad is electrically coupled to one of the interconnect layers of the interconnect structure.