Abstract: An image sensor, including a substrate having a first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a first focus pixel; a first merged pixel; a second merged pixel; a first color filter; a second color filter; a third color filter; a grid pattern separating the first to third color filters, but not overlapped by the first to third color filters; a first micro-lens disposed on the first color filter; and a second micro-lens disposed on the second and third color filters, wherein a first-third unit pixel, the first focus pixel, and a second-third unit pixel are continuously arranged along the first direction, and wherein a width of the grid pattern between the first color filter and the second color filter is greater than a width of the grid pattern between the second color filter and the third color filter.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate including pixel regions and having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a first trench recessed from the first surface, a shallow device isolation pattern provided in the first trench, and a deep device isolation pattern between the pixel regions and provided in the substrate. The deep device isolation pattern includes a semiconductor pattern penetrating at least a portion of the substrate, and an isolation pattern provided between the substrate and the semiconductor pattern. The isolation pattern includes a first isolation pattern adjacent to the second surface, and a second isolation pattern adjacent to the first surface. A first interface at which the first isolation pattern contacts the second isolation pattern is spaced apart from the shallow device isolation pattern. The first isolation pattern includes a different material from that of the second isolation pattern.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor layer including a first section and a second section, the semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface that face each other, a device isolation layer in the semiconductor layer and defining a plurality of pixels; a first grid pattern on the first surface of the semiconductor layer over the first section; and a light-shield pattern on the first surface of the semiconductor layer over the second section. A top surface of the first grid pattern is located at a first level, a top surface of the light-shield pattern is located at a second level, the first level is lower than the second level, and the first and second levels are defined with respect to the first surface of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An image sensor includes different first and second focus pixels in a substrate; a first adjacent pixel in the substrate and adjacent to the first focus pixel in a positive first direction, a pixel being absent between the first focus pixel and the first adjacent pixel; a first micro-lens covering the first adjacent pixel; a second adjacent pixel in the substrate and adjacent to the second focus pixel in a positive first direction, a pixel being absent between the second focus pixel and the second adjacent pixel; and a second micro-lens covering the second adjacent pixel, and an area of the first micro-lens being different from an area of the second micro-lens.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate including pixel regions and having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a first trench recessed from the first surface, a shallow device isolation pattern provided in the first trench, and a deep device isolation pattern between the pixel regions and provided in the substrate. The deep device isolation pattern includes a semiconductor pattern penetrating at least a portion of the substrate, and an isolation pattern provided between the substrate and the semiconductor pattern. The isolation pattern includes a first isolation pattern adjacent to the second surface, and a second isolation pattern adjacent to the first surface. A first interface at which the first isolation pattern contacts the second isolation pattern is spaced apart from the shallow device isolation pattern. The first isolation pattern includes a different material from that of the second isolation pattern.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of pixels, a first surface, and a second surface, opposing the first surface, and a device isolation layer in a trench penetrating through the first surface and the second surface of the semiconductor substrate and separating the pixels from each other. The device isolation layer may include a conductive separation layer extending from the first surface to the second surface, an insulating liner interposed between the conductive separation layer and the semiconductor substrate, and a capping separation layer extending in a direction from the second surface to the first surface and contacting the conductive separation layer.

Abstract: Image sensors are provided. The image sensors may include a plurality of unit pixels and a color filter array on the plurality of unit pixels. The color filter array may include a color filter unit including four color filters that are arranged in a two-by-two array, and the color filter unit may include two yellow color filters, a cyan color filter, and one of a red color filter or a green color filter.

Abstract: In some example embodiments, a back side illumination (BSI) image sensor may include a pixel configured to generate electrical signals in response to light incident on a back side of a substrate. In some example embodiments, the pixel includes, a photodiode, a device isolation film adjacent to the photodiode, a dark current suppression layer above the photodiode, a light shield grid above the photodiode and including an opening area of 1 to 15% of an area of the pixel, a light shielding filter layer above the light shield grid, a planarization layer above the light shielding filter layer, a lens above the planarization layer, and/or an anti-reflective film between the photodiode and the lens.

Abstract: An image sensor is provided. The image sensor image sensor includes: a first pixel group including a first pixel, a second pixel, a third pixel and a fourth pixel; a second pixel group including a fifth pixel, a sixth pixel, a seventh pixel and an eighth pixel, wherein the second pixel group is provided adjacent to the first pixel in a first direction; a first lens corresponding to the first pixel and the second pixel; a second lens corresponding to the third pixel and the fourth pixel; a device isolation pattern electrically isolating the first pixel group from the second pixel group; and a readout circuit configured to: output phase data based on at least a portion of phase signals received from the first pixel group; and output image data based on at least a portion of color signals received from the second pixel group.

Abstract: An image sensor includes different first and second focus pixels in a substrate; a first adjacent pixel in the substrate and adjacent to the first focus pixel in a positive first direction, a pixel being absent between the first focus pixel and the first adjacent pixel; a first micro-lens covering the first adjacent pixel; a second adjacent pixel in the substrate and adjacent to the second focus pixel in a positive first direction, a pixel being absent between the second focus pixel and the second adjacent pixel; and a second micro-lens covering the second adjacent pixel, and an area of the first micro-lens being different from an area of the second micro-lens.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: a semiconductor substrate including a pixel array region, the pixel array region including a center pixel region and an edge pixel region enclosing the center pixel region in a plan view; color filter groups on the pixel array region, each color filter group of the color filter groups including color filters arranged in a same number of rows and columns; and micro lenses covering the color filter groups, respectively, wherein the color filter groups include center color filter groups on the center pixel region and edge color filter groups on the edge pixel region, and at least two color filters of the color filters in each of the edge color filter groups have thicknesses that are different from each other.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: a substrate including a first side and a second side facing the first side; pixels including a photoelectric conversion layer in the substrate and a transistor on the first side of the substrate; and a pixel separating pattern between the pixels, wherein the pixel separating pattern includes a first separating pattern, a second separating pattern, and a third separating pattern, the second separating pattern is conductive, and the first separating pattern and the third separating pattern are non-conductive, the second separating pattern is nearer the first side of the substrate than is the third separating pattern, and a first end of the first separating pattern, a first end of the second separating pattern, and a first end of the third separating pattern are on the second side of the substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a first sub-pixel group including a plurality of first unit pixels, a first color filter, a first micro lens at least partially overlapping the plurality of first unit pixels, a second sub-pixel group including a plurality of second unit pixels, a second color filter, a second micro lens at least partially overlapping the plurality of second unit pixels, a third sub-pixel group including a plurality of third unit pixels, a third color filter, a third micro lens at least partially overlapping the plurality of third unit pixels, a first dead zone in which the first micro lens does not overlap the first sub-pixel group, a second dead zone in which the second micro lens does not overlap the second sub-pixel group, and a third dead zone in which the third micro lens does not overlap the third sub-pixel group.

Abstract: An image sensor that provides a uniform sensitivity for pixels having color filters of the same color to increase the image quality is provided. The image sensor includes a substrate, a first grid pattern disposed on the substrate and including a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall, a first pixel including a first photoelectric conversion element and a first color filter, and a second pixel including a second photoelectric conversion element and a second color filter. The first color filter contacts the first side wall and the second color filter contacts the second side wall. The first color filter and the second color filter are color filters of same color, and a first thickness of the first color filter is greater than a second thickness of the second color filter.

Abstract: Image sensors are provided. The image sensors may include a plurality of unit pixels and a color filter array on the plurality of unit pixels. The color filter array may include a color filter unit including four color filters that are arranged in a two-by-two array, and the color filter unit may include two yellow color filters, a cyan color filter, and one of a red color filter or a green color filter.

Abstract: An image sensor in which a shading phenomenon is decreased and the quality is increased includes a substrate comprising a first face on which light is incident, and a second face opposite to the first face and a plurality of unit pixels. Each of the plurality of unit pixels includes a photoelectric conversion layer in the substrate. The image sensor further includes a pixel separation pattern which separates unit pixels from the plurality of the unit pixels from each other, a plurality of color filters disposed on the first face of the substrate and arranged in a Bayer pattern, and a grid pattern disposed on the first face of the substrate and interposed within the plurality of color filters. A light-receiving area of the red color filter and a light-receiving area of the blue color filter are smaller than a light-receiving area of the green color filter.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, the semiconductor substrate including: a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a pixel region, and a pixel isolation structure; and a photoelectric conversion region in the pixel region, the photoelectric conversion region having an impurity of a second conductivity type, wherein the pixel isolation structure is configured to enclose the photoelectric conversion region, and wherein the pixel isolation structure comprises: an air gap, a liner insulating pattern between the air gap and the semiconductor substrate, and a capping pattern adjacent to the second surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor in which a shading phenomenon is decreased and the quality is increased is provided. The image sensor includes a light-receiving region including a plurality of unit pixels. The image sensor further includes a first region with unit pixels adjacent to a center of the light-receiving region, and a second region with the unit pixels spaced apart from the center of the light-receiving region. In both regions, a plurality of color filters corresponding to the plurality of unit pixels is disposed on a first face of the substrate, as well as a grid pattern interposed between the plurality of color filters defining boundaries between the unit pixels. A width of the grid pattern in the second region is greater than a width of the grid pattern in the first region, thereby adjusting light receiving areas near the edge of the image sensor to correct for a shading phenomenon.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: a substrate; a plurality of photodiodes disposed in the substrate; an element isolation film disposed between the plurality of photodiodes; an anti-reflection layer disposed on the plurality of photodiodes and the element isolation film; a plurality of color filters disposed on the anti-reflection layer; a fence pattern disposed between the plurality of color filters and in the anti-reflection layer; and micro lenses disposed on the plurality of color filters, wherein the fence pattern includes a first layer and a second layer that is disposed on the first layer and that includes a material different from that of the first layer, the first layer is disposed in the anti-reflection layer, and the second layer includes a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is disposed in the plurality of color filters, and wherein the second part is disposed in the anti-reflection layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensor comprising a first substrate including pixel sections each of which includes a photoelectric conversion region; a plurality of color filters on the pixel sections and on a first surface of the first substrate, and a plurality of microlenses on the color filters. An array of the microlenses includes a repetitive periodic structure. The periodic structure includes a first microlens, a second microlens, and a third microlens that are sequentially arranged adjacent to each other along a first direction. A first spacing in the first direction between the first and second microlenses is substantially the same as a second spacing in the first direction between the second and third microlenses. A first pitch in the first direction between the first and second microlenses is different from a second pitch in the first direction between the second and third microlenses.