Abstract: A substrate includes a first region having photoelectric conversion portions and a second region having an element included in a signal processing circuit. An insulator including first and second parts respectively arranged on the first and second regions is formed on the substrate. Openings are formed in the insulator and respectively superposed on the photoelectric conversion portions. A first member is formed in the openings and on the second part of the insulator after forming the openings. At least a portion of the first member arranged on the second region is removed. The first member is planarized after removing at least the portion of the first member. A second insulator is formed on the first and second regions after planarizing the first member. A through-hole is formed in a part of the second insulator. No planarization with grinding is performed after forming the second insulator and before forming the through-hole.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state image pickup device that includes a substrate including a photoelectric conversion unit and a waveguide arranged on the substrate, the waveguide corresponding to the photoelectric conversion unit and including a core and a cladding, includes a first step and a second step, in which in the first step and the second step, a member to be formed into the core is formed in an opening in the cladding by high-density plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and in which after the first step, in the second step, the member to be formed into the core is formed by the high-density plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition under conditions in which the ratio of a radio-frequency power on the back face side of the substrate to a radio-frequency power on the front face side of the substrate is higher than that in the first step.

Abstract: A member for light path to a photoelectric conversion portion includes a middle portion, and a peripheral portion having a refractive index different from the refractive index of the middle portion, and within some plane in parallel with the light receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion portion, and within other plane closer to the light receiving surface than the some plane in parallel with the light receiving surface, the peripheral portion is continuous with the middle portion and surrounds the middle portion, and also the refractive index of the peripheral portion is higher than the refractive index of an insulator film, and the thickness of the peripheral portion within the other plane is smaller than the thickness of the peripheral portion within the some plane.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor including photoelectric conversion elements, comprises a first insulating film arranged on a substrate and having openings arranged on the respective elements, insulator portions having a refractive index higher than that of the first insulating film and arranged in the respective openings, a second insulating film arranged on upper surfaces of the insulator portions and an upper surface of the first insulating film, and a third insulating film having a refractive index lower than that of the second insulating film and arranged in contact with an upper surface of the second insulating film, wherein letting ? be a wavelength of entering light, n be the refractive index of the second insulating film, and t be a thickness of the second insulating film in at least part of a region on the upper surface of the first insulating film, a relation t<?/n is satisfied.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensing device includes light-receiving regions and a color filter which transmits red light, a color filter which transmits blue light, and a color filter which transmits green light is provided. The color filters are arranged on a one-to-one basis above the light-receiving regions. Above the light-receiving region where the color filter which transmits red or blue light is arranged, a light-transmitting film, an antireflection film, a light-transmitting film, an antireflection film, and a light-transmitting film are arranged, in this order from the light-receiving region, between the light-receiving region and the color filter. Above the light-receiving region where the color filter which transmits green light is arranged, a light-transmitting film, an antireflection film, and a light-transmitting film are arranged, in this order from the light-receiving region, between the light-receiving region and the color filter.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image pickup device includes a step of forming a filling member such that the filling member covers a light guiding part and a peripheral part provided in a film. The light guiding part is positioned on an image pickup region of the image pickup device and has openings that correspond to respective photoelectric conversion portions. The peripheral part is positioned on a peripheral region of the image pickup device. The filling member fills in the openings. The method includes a step of processing the filling member. The method includes a step of forming light guiding members, which is performed after the step of processing filling member has been performed, by a polishing process performed on the filling member so that the light guiding part is exposed. The light guiding members are part of the filling member and disposed in the openings.

Abstract: A member for light path to a photoelectric conversion portion includes a middle portion, and a peripheral portion having a refractive index different from the refractive index of the middle portion, and within some plane in parallel with the light receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion portion, and within other plane closer to the light receiving surface than the some plane in parallel with the light receiving surface, the peripheral portion is continuous with the middle portion and surrounds the middle portion, and also the refractive index of the peripheral portion is higher than the refractive index of an insulator film, and the thickness of the peripheral portion within the other plane is smaller than the thickness of the peripheral portion within the some plane.

Abstract: A member for light path to a photoelectric conversion portion includes a middle portion, and a peripheral portion having a refractive index different from the refractive index of the middle portion, and within some plane in parallel with the light receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion portion, and within other plane closer to the light receiving surface than the some plane in parallel with the light receiving surface, the peripheral portion is continuous with the middle portion and surrounds the middle portion, and also the refractive index of the peripheral portion is higher than the refractive index of an insulator film, and the thickness of the peripheral portion within the other plane is smaller than the thickness of the peripheral portion within the some plane.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device comprises an n-type surface region, a p-type region which is formed under the surface region, and an n-type buried layer which is formed under the p-type region, wherein the surface region, the p-type region, and the buried layer form a buried photodiode, and a diffusion coefficient of a dominant impurity of the surface region is smaller than a diffusion coefficient of a dominant impurity of the buried layer.

Abstract: A substrate includes a first region having photoelectric conversion portions and a second region having an element included in a signal processing circuit. An insulator including first and second parts respectively arranged on the first and second regions is formed on the substrate. Openings are formed in the insulator and respectively superposed on the photoelectric conversion portions. A first member is formed in the openings and on the second part of the insulator after forming the openings. At least a portion of the first member arranged on the second region is removed. The first member is planarized after removing at least the portion of the first member. A second insulator is formed on the first and second regions after planarizing the first member. A through-hole is formed in a part of the second insulator. No planarization with grinding is performed after forming the second insulator and before forming the through-hole.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image pickup device includes a step of forming a filling member such that the filling member covers a light guiding part and a peripheral part provided in a film. The light guiding part is positioned on an image pickup region of the image pickup device and has openings that correspond to respective photoelectric conversion portions. The peripheral part is positioned on a peripheral region of the image pickup device. The filling member fills in the openings. The method includes a step of processing the filling member. The method includes a step of forming light guiding members, which is performed after the step of processing filling member has been performed, by a polishing process performed on the filling member so that the light guiding part is exposed. The light guiding members are part of the filling member and disposed in the openings.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor including photoelectric conversion elements, comprises a first insulating film arranged on a substrate and having openings arranged on the respective elements, insulator portions having a refractive index higher than that of the first insulating film and arranged in the respective openings, a second insulating film arranged on upper surfaces of the insulator portions and an upper surface of the first insulating film, and a third insulating film having a refractive index lower than that of the second insulating film and arranged in contact with an upper surface of the second insulating film, wherein letting ? be a wavelength of entering light, n be the refractive index of the second insulating film, and t be a thickness of the second insulating film in at least part of a region on the upper surface of the first insulating film, a relation t<?/n is satisfied.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor including photoelectric conversion elements, comprises a first insulating film arranged on a substrate and having openings arranged on the respective elements, insulator portions having a refractive index higher than that of the first insulating film and arranged in the respective openings, a second insulating film arranged on upper surfaces of the insulator portions and an upper surface of the first insulating film, and a third insulating film having a refractive index lower than that of the second insulating film and arranged in contact with an upper surface of the second insulating film, wherein letting ? be a wavelength of entering light, n be the refractive index of the second insulating film, and t be a thickness of the second insulating film in at least part of a region on the upper surface of the first insulating film, a relation t<?/n is satisfied.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film on the semiconductor substrate, a second insulating film on the first insulating film, a third insulating film on the second insulating film, and a wiring disposed in the third insulating film, the wiring being a wiring layer closest to the semiconductor substrate. A first plug of a shared contact structure and a second plug are disposed in the first insulating film. A third plug and a first wiring that constitute a dual damascene structure are disposed in the second and third insulating films. The first insulating film is used as an etching stopper film during etching of the second insulating film and the second insulating film is used as an etching stopper film during etching of the third insulating film.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state image pickup device that includes a substrate including a photoelectric conversion unit and a waveguide arranged on the substrate, the waveguide corresponding to the photoelectric conversion unit and including a core and a cladding, includes a first step and a second step, in which in the first step and the second step, a member to be formed into the core is formed in an opening in the cladding by high-density plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and in which after the first step, in the second step, the member to be formed into the core is formed by the high-density plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition under conditions in which the ratio of a radio-frequency power on the back face side of the substrate to a radio-frequency power on the front face side of the substrate is higher than that in the first step.

Abstract: A member for light path to a photoelectric conversion portion includes a middle portion, and a peripheral portion having a refractive index different from the refractive index of the middle portion, and within some plane in parallel with the light receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion portion, and within other plane closer to the light receiving surface than the some plane in parallel with the light receiving surface, the peripheral portion is continuous with the middle portion and surrounds the middle portion, and also the refractive index of the peripheral portion is higher than the refractive index of an insulator film, and the thickness of the peripheral portion within the other plane is smaller than the thickness of the peripheral portion within the some plane.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device comprises an n-type surface region, a p-type region which is formed under the surface region, and an n-type buried layer which is formed under the p-type region, wherein the surface region, the p-type region, and the buried layer form a buried photodiode, and a diffusion coefficient of a dominant impurity of the surface region is smaller than a diffusion coefficient of a dominant impurity of the buried layer.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor including photoelectric conversion elements, comprises a first insulating film arranged on a substrate and having openings arranged on the respective elements, insulator portions having a refractive index higher than that of the first insulating film and arranged in the respective openings, a second insulating film arranged on upper surfaces of the insulator portions and an upper surface of the first insulating film, and a third insulating film having a refractive index lower than that of the second insulating film and arranged in contact with an upper surface of the second insulating film, wherein letting ? be a wavelength of entering light, n be the refractive index of the second insulating film, and t be a thickness of the second insulating film in at least part of a region on the upper surface of the first insulating film, a relation t<?/n is satisfied.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensing device comprising, light-receiving regions and a color filter which transmits red light, a color filter which transmits blue light, and a color filter which transmits green light is provided. The color filters are arranged on a one-to-one basis above the light-receiving regions. Above the light-receiving region where the color filter which transmits red or blue light is arranged, a light-transmitting film, an antireflection film, a light-transmitting film, an antireflection film, and a light-transmitting film are arranged, in this order from the light-receiving region, between the light-receiving region and the color filter. Above the light-receiving region where the color filter which transmits green light is arranged, a light-transmitting film, an antireflection film, and a light-transmitting film are arranged, in this order from the light-receiving region, between the light-receiving region and the color filter.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film on the semiconductor substrate, a second insulating film on the first insulating film, a third insulating film on the second insulating film, and a wiring disposed in the third insulating film, the wiring being a wiring layer closest to the semiconductor substrate. A first plug of a shared contact structure and a second plug are disposed in the first insulating film. A third plug and a first wiring that constitute a dual damascene structure are disposed in the second and third insulating films. The first insulating film is used as an etching stopper film during etching of the second insulating film and the second insulating film is used as an etching stopper film during etching of the third insulating film.