Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method including providing a substrate having a seal ring region and a circuit region, forming a first seal ring structure over the seal ring region, forming a second seal ring structure over the seal ring region and adjacent to the first seal ring structure, and forming a first passivation layer disposed over the first and second seal ring structures. A semiconductor device fabricated by such a method is also provided.

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: Provided is an image sensor device. The image sensor device includes a substrate having a front side and a back side opposite the first side. The substrate has a pixel region and a periphery region. The image sensor device includes a plurality of radiation-sensing regions disposed in the pixel region of 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 a reference pixel disposed in the periphery region. 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. The image sensor device includes a film formed over the back side of the substrate. The film causes the substrate to experience a tensile stress. The image sensor device includes a radiation-blocking device disposed over the film.

Abstract: System and method for providing a light shield for a CMOS imager is provided. The light shield comprises a structure formed above a point between a photo-sensitive element and adjacent circuitry. The structure is formed of a light-blocking material, such as a metal, metal alloy, metal compound, or the like, formed in dielectric layers over the photo-sensitive elements.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes an interconnect structure that includes a plurality of metal layers, wherein the interconnect structure is under a semiconductor substrate. A metal pad is formed in one of the plurality of metal layers. A dielectric pad extends from a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate up into the semiconductor substrate. An opening extends from a top surface of the semiconductor substrate down to penetrate through the semiconductor substrate and the dielectric pad. An edge of the semiconductor substrate in the opening is vertically aligned to an edge of the dielectric pad in the opening. The opening stops on a top surface of the metal pad. A dielectric spacer is disposed in the opening, wherein the dielectric spacer is formed on the edge of the semiconductor substrate and the edge of the dielectric pad.

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: Provided is a method of fabricating an image sensor device. The method includes providing a first substrate having a radiation-sensing region disposed therein. The method includes providing a second substrate having a hydrogen implant layer, the hydrogen implant layer dividing the second substrate into a first portion and a second portion. The method includes bonding the first portion of the second substrate to the first substrate. The method includes after the bonding, removing the second portion of the second substrate. The method includes after the removing, forming one or more microelectronic devices in the first portion of the second substrate. The method includes forming an interconnect structure over the first portion of the second substrate, the interconnect structure containing interconnect features that are electrically coupled to the microelectronic devices.

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: The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method including providing a substrate having a seal ring region and a circuit region, forming a first seal ring structure over the seal ring region, forming a second seal ring structure over the seal ring region and adjacent to the first seal ring structure, and forming a first passivation layer disposed over the first and second seal ring structures. A semiconductor device fabricated by such a method is also provided.

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 a substrate having a front side and a back side opposite the first side. The substrate has a pixel region and a periphery region. The image sensor device includes a plurality of radiation-sensing regions disposed in the pixel region of 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 a reference pixel disposed in the periphery region. 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. The image sensor device includes a film formed over the back side of the substrate. The film causes the substrate to experience a tensile stress. The image sensor device includes a radiation-blocking device disposed over the film.

Abstract: Provided is a method of fabricating an image sensor device. The method includes providing a device substrate having a front side and a back side. The method includes forming first and second radiation-sensing regions in the device substrate, the first and second radiation-sensing regions being separated by an isolation structure. The method also includes forming a transparent layer over the back side of the device substrate. The method further includes forming an opening in the transparent layer, the opening being aligned with the isolation structure. The method also includes filling the opening with an opaque material.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device with improved bonding ability is disclosed. The method comprises providing a substrate having a front surface and a back surface; forming one or more sensor elements on the front surface of the substrate; forming one or more metallization layers over the front surface of the substrate, wherein forming a first metallization layer comprises forming a first conductive layer over the front surface of the substrate; removing the first conductive layer from a first region of the substrate; forming a second conductive layer over the front surface of the substrate; and removing portions of the second conductive layer from the first region and a second region of the substrate, wherein the first metallization layer in the first region comprises the second conductive layer and the first metallization layer in the second region comprises the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

Abstract: A method includes providing a substrate having a seal ring region and a circuit region, forming a seal ring structure over the seal ring region, forming a first frontside passivation layer above the seal ring structure, etching a frontside aperture in the first frontside passivation layer adjacent to an exterior portion of the seal ring structure, forming a frontside metal pad in the frontside aperture to couple the frontside metal pad to the exterior portion of the seal ring structure, forming a first backside passivation layer below the seal ring structure, etching a backside aperture in the first backside passivation layer adjacent to the exterior portion of the seal ring structure, and forming a backside metal pad in the backside aperture to couple the backside metal pad to the exterior portion of the seal ring structure. Semiconductor devices fabricated by such a method are also provided.

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.

Abstract: Provided is a method of fabricating an image sensor device. The method includes providing a device substrate having a front side and a back side. The method includes forming first and second radiation-sensing regions in the device substrate, the first and second radiation-sensing regions being separated by an isolation structure. The method also includes forming a transparent layer over the back side of the device substrate. The method further includes forming an opening in the transparent layer, the opening being aligned with the isolation structure. The method also includes filling the opening with an opaque material.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated circuit device is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate; forming a first hard mask layer over the substrate; patterning the first hard mask layer to form one or more first openings having a first critical dimension; performing a first implantation process on the substrate; forming a second hard mask layer over the first hard mask layer to form one or more second openings having a second critical dimension; and performing a second implantation process.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an image sensor semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a first epitaxy semiconductor layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate and having a first type of dopant and a first doping concentration; a second epitaxy semiconductor layer disposed over the first epitaxy semiconductor layer and having the first type of dopant and a second doping concentration less than the first doping concentration; and an image sensor on the second epitaxy semiconductor layer.