Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabricating a semiconductor image sensor device. The method includes providing a substrate having a pixel region, a periphery region, and a bonding pad region. The substrate further has a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The pixel region contains radiation-sensing regions. The method further includes forming a bonding pad in the bonding pad region; and forming light-blocking structures over the second side of the substrate, at least in the pixel region, after the bonding pad has been formed.

Abstract: A method includes forming image sensors in a semiconductor substrate, thinning the semiconductor substrate from a backside of the semiconductor substrate, forming a dielectric layer on the backside of the semiconductor substrate, and forming a polymer grid on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. The polymer grid has a first refractivity value. The method further includes forming color filters in the polymer grid, wherein the color filters has a second refractivity value higher than the first refractivity value, and forming micro-lenses on the color filters.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a radiation-sensing region, at least one isolation structure, and a doped passivation layer. The radiation-sensing region is present in the semiconductor substrate. The isolation structure is present in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to the radiation-sensing region. The doped passivation layer at least partially surrounds the isolation structure in a substantially conformal manner.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes heat dissipation structures formed in functional or non- functional areas of a three-dimensional chip structure. These heat dissipation structures are configured to route the heat generated within the three-dimensional chip structure to designated areas on or outside the three-dimensional chip structure. For example, the three-dimensional chip structure can include a plurality of chips vertically stacked on a substrate, a first passivation layer interposed between a first chip and a second chip of the plurality of chips, and a heat dissipation layer embedded in the first passivation layer and configured to allow conductive structures to pass through.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate, a first photosensitive unit, a second photosensitive unit, a buffer layer, a dielectric grid, a first color filter, and a second color filter. The first photosensitive unit and the second photosensitive unit are in the substrate. The buffer layer covers the substrate, the first photosensitive unit and the second photosensitive unit. The dielectric grid is over the buffer layer and between the first photosensitive unit and the second photosensitive unit. The dielectric grid has a round top surface. The first color filter is over the first photosensitive unit. The first color filter is in contact with the round top surface and the buffer layer. The second color filter is over the second photosensitive unit.

Abstract: An image sensor including a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of color filters, a plurality of first lenses and a second lens is provided. The semiconductor substrate includes a plurality of sensing pixels arranged in array, and each of the plurality of sensing pixels respectively includes a plurality of image sensing units and a plurality of phase detection units. The color filters at least cover the plurality of image sensing units. The first lenses are disposed on the plurality of color filters. Each of the plurality of first lenses respectively covers one of the plurality of image sensing units. The second lens is disposed on the plurality of color filters and the second lens covers the plurality of phase detection units.

Abstract: Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method. In the method, a semiconductor substrate is received. A photodetector is formed in the semiconductor substrate. An interconnect structure is formed over the photodetector and over a frontside of the semiconductor substrate. A backside of the semiconductor substrate is thinned, the backside being furthest from the interconnect structure. A ring-shaped structure is formed so as to extend into the thinned backside of the semiconductor substrate to laterally surround the photodetector. A series of trench structures are formed to extend into the thinned backside of the semiconductor substrate. The series of trench structures are laterally surrounded by the ring-shaped structure and extend into the photodetector.

Abstract: A pixel array includes octagon-shaped pixel sensors and a combination of visible light pixel sensors (e.g., red, green, and blue pixel sensors) and near infrared (NIR) pixel sensors. The color information obtained by the visible light pixel sensors and the luminance obtained by the NIR pixel sensors may be combined to increase the low-light performance of the pixel array, and to allow for low-light color images in low-light applications. The octagon-shaped pixel sensors may be interspersed in the pixel array with square-shaped pixel sensors to increase the utilization of space in the pixel array, and to allow for pixel sensors in the pixel array to be sized differently. The capability to accommodate different sizes of visible light pixel sensors and NIR pixel sensors permits the pixel array to be formed and/or configured to satisfy various performance parameters.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes heat dissipation structures formed in functional or non-functional areas of a three-dimensional chip structure. These heat dissipation structures are configured to route the heat generated within the three-dimensional chip structure to designated areas on or outside the three-dimensional chip structure. For example, the three-dimensional chip structure can include a plurality of chips vertically stacked on a substrate, a first passivation layer interposed between a first chip and a second chip of the plurality of chips, and a heat dissipation layer embedded in the first passivation layer and configured to allow conductive structures to pass through.

Abstract: An isolation structure can be formed between adjacent and/or non-adjacent pixel regions (e.g., between diagonal or cross-road pixel regions), of an image sensor, to reduce and/or prevent optical crosstalk. The isolation structure may include a deep trench isolation (DTI) structure or another type of trench that is partially filled with a material such that an air gap is formed therein. The DTI structure having the air gap formed therein may reduce optical crosstalk between pixel regions. The reduced optical crosstalk may increase spatial resolution of the image sensor, may increase overall sensitivity of the image sensor, may decrease color mixing between pixel regions of the image sensor, and/or may decrease image noise after color correction of images captured using the image sensor.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate, a photosensitive unit in the substrate, a dielectric grid over the substrate, and a color filter over the photosensitive unit and surrounded by the dielectric grid. The dielectric grid has a first portion and a second portion over the first portion, and the second portion of the dielectric grid has a rounded top surface extending upwards from a sidewall of the first portion of the dielectric grid. The color filter has a first portion lower than a lowermost portion of the rounded top surface of the second portion of the dielectric grid and a second portion higher than the lowermost portion of the rounded top surface of the second portion of the dielectric grid.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a transistor structure includes forming a plurality of trenches in a substrate, lining the plurality of trenches with a dielectric material, forming first and second substrate regions at opposite sides of the plurality of trenches, and filling the plurality of trenches with a conductive material. The plurality of trenches includes first and second trenches aligned between the first and second substrate regions, and filling the plurality of trenches with the conductive material includes the conductive material extending continuously between the first and second trenches.

Abstract: A semiconductor arrangement includes a photodiode extending to a first depth from a first side in a substrate. An isolation structure laterally surrounds the photodiode and includes a first well that extends into a first side of the substrate. A deep trench isolation extends into a second side of the substrate and at least a portion of the deep trench isolation underlies the first well.

Abstract: In some implementations, a pixel array may include a near infrared (NIR) cut filter layer for visible light pixel sensors of the pixel array. The NIR cut filter layer is included in the pixel array to absorb or reflect NIR light for the visible light pixel sensors to reduce the amount of MR light absorbed by the visible light pixel sensors. This increases the accuracy of the color information provided by the visible light pixel sensors, which can be used to produce more accurate images. In some implementations, the visible light pixel sensors and/or MR pixel sensors may include high absorption regions to adjust the orientation of the angle of refraction for the visible light pixel sensors and/or the MR pixel sensors, which may increase the quantum efficiency of the visible light pixel sensors and/or the MR pixel sensors.

Abstract: Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method. In the method, a semiconductor substrate is received. A photodetector is formed in the semiconductor substrate. An interconnect structure is formed over the photodetector and over a frontside of the semiconductor substrate. A backside of the semiconductor substrate is thinned, the backside being furthest from the interconnect structure. A ring-shaped structure is formed so as to extend into the thinned backside of the semiconductor substrate to laterally surround the photodetector. A series of trench structures are formed to extend into the thinned backside of the semiconductor substrate. The series of trench structures are laterally surrounded by the ring-shaped structure and extend into the photodetector.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a sensor chip. The sensor chip includes a pixel array region, a bonding pad region, and a periphery region surrounding the pixel array region. The semiconductor structure further includes a stress-releasing trench, wherein the stress-releasing trench is in the periphery region, and the stress-releasing trench fully surrounds a perimeter of the pixel array region and the bonding pad region.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a substrate having a pixel array region and a first seal ring region, wherein the first seal ring region surrounds the pixel array region, and the first seal ring region includes a first seal ring. The semiconductor structure further includes a first isolation feature in the first seal ring region, wherein the first isolation feature is filled with a dielectric material, and the first isolation feature is a continuous structure surrounding the pixel array region. The semiconductor structure further includes a second isolation feature between the first isolation feature and the pixel array region, wherein the second isolation feature is filled with the dielectric material.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a photodetector, which includes a substrate semiconductor layer having a doping of a first conductivity type, a second-conductivity-type photodiode layer that forms a p-n junction with the substrate semiconductor layer, a floating diffusion region that is laterally spaced from the second-conductivity-type photodiode layer, and a transfer gate electrode including a lower transfer gate electrode portion that is formed within the substrate semiconductor layer and located between the second-conductivity-type photodiode layer and the floating diffusion region. The transfer gate electrode may laterally surround the p-n junction, and may provide enhanced electron transmission efficiency from the p-n junction to the floating diffusion region. An array of photodetectors may be used to provide an image sensor.

Abstract: An IC structure includes a substrate region having a first doping type and including an upper surface, first and second regions within the substrate region, each of the first and second regions having a second doping type opposite the first doping type, and a gate conductor including a plurality of conductive protrusions extending into the substrate region in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the upper surface. The conductive protrusions are electrically connected to each other, and at least a portion of each conductive protrusion is positioned between the first and second regions.

Abstract: A method includes forming image sensors in a semiconductor substrate, thinning the semiconductor substrate from a backside of the semiconductor substrate, forming a dielectric layer on the backside of the semiconductor substrate, and forming a polymer grid on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. The polymer grid has a first refractivity value. The method further includes forming color filters in the polymer grid, wherein the color filters has a second refractivity value higher than the first refractivity value, and forming micro-lenses on the color filters.