PHOTODIODES AND METHODS FOR FABRICATING PHOTODIODES
A photodiode includes an opening over an active photodiode region so that a top passivation layer and interlayer dielectric layers (ILDs) do not affect the spectral response of the photodiode. A dielectric reflective optical coating filter, which includes a plurality of dielectric layers, fills at least a portion of the opening and thereby covers the active photodiode region, to shape a spectral response of the photodiode. Alternatively, the dielectric reflective optical coating filter is formed prior to the opening, and the opening is formed by removing a top passivation coating and ILDs to expose the dielectric reflective optical coating filter.
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This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to the following provisional patent applications, each of which is incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/244,817, entitled WAFER-LEVEL COATING FOR AMBIENT SENSOR AND PROXIMITY SENSOR, filed Sep. 22, 2009; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/259,475, entitled OPTICAL SENSOR INCLUDING WAFER-LEVEL OPTICAL COATINGS AND TINTED PACKAGING EPDXY TO SHAPE SPECTRAL RESPONSE, filed Nov. 9, 2009; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/257,595, entitled INFRARED SUPPRESSING PHOTO-PATTERNABLE COATING FOR PHOTODETECTING SEMICONDUCTOR DIE GLASS APPLICATIONS, filed Nov. 3, 2009.
BACKGROUNDPhotodiodes can be used as ambient light sensors (ALSs), e.g., for use as energy saving light sensors for displays, for controlling backlighting in portable devices such as mobile phones and laptop computers, and for various other types of light level measurement and management. For more specific examples, ambient light sensors can be used to reduce overall display-system power consumption and to increase Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) lifespan by detecting bright and dim ambient light conditions as a means of controlling display and/or keypad backlighting. Without ambient light sensors, LCD display backlighting control is typically done manually whereby users will increase the intensity of the LCD as the ambient environment becomes brighter. With the use of ambient light sensors, users can adjust the LCD brightness to their preference, and as the ambient environment changes, the display brightness adjusts to make the display appear uniform at the same perceived level; this results in battery life being extended, user eye strain being reduced, and LCD lifespan being extended. Similarly, without ambient light sensors, control of the keypad backlight is very much dependent on the user and software. For example, keypad backlight can be turned on for 10 second by a trigger which can be triggered by pressing the keypad, or a timer. With the use of ambient light sensors, keypad backlighting can be turned on only when the ambient environment is dim, which will result in longer battery life. In order to achieve better ambient light sensing, ambient light sensors preferably have a spectral response close to the human eye response and have excellent infrared (IR) noise suppression.
SUMMARYIn accordance with certain embodiments, a photodiode includes a first semiconductor type surface region (e.g., 302), and a second semiconductor type surface layer (e.g., 303) formed in a portion of the first semiconductor type surface region (e.g., 302), such that an active photodiode region is formed by a PN junction of the first semiconductor type surface region (e.g., 302) and the second semiconductor type surface layer (e.g., 303). A passivation coating (e.g., 314) is on the second semiconductor surface layer (e.g., 303). An etch stop coating (e.g., 315) is on a portion of the passivation coating (e.g., 314). The photodiode also includes an opening (e.g., 340) over at least a portion of the active photodiode region, where the opening (e.g., 340) extends through the etch stop coating (e.g., 315) down to the passivation coating (e.g., 314). A dielectric reflective optical coating filter (e.g., 350), which includes a plurality of dielectric layers, fills at least a portion of the opening (e.g., 340) and thereby covers the active photodiode region. The opening (e.g., 340) allows a portion of light incident on the photodiode to be received by the active photodiode region. The dielectric reflective optical coating filter (e.g., 350) reflects a portion of light incident on the photodiode and thereby shapes a spectral response of the photodiode. The dielectric reflective optical coating filter (e.g., 350) includes a top surface that is generally parallel to a top surface of the passivation coating (e.g., 314) and sidewalls (e.g., 355) that extend from the top surface towards the passivation coating (e.g., 314). In accordance with an embodiment, a dark mirror (e.g., 360) covers the top surface and the sidewalls (355) of the dielectric reflective optical coating filter (e.g., 350).
In accordance with alternative embodiments, there is no passivation coating (e.g., 314) on the second semiconductor surface layer (e.g., 303). In such embodiments, the opening (e.g., 340) over at least a portion of the active photodiode region extends down to the second semiconductor type surface layer (e.g., 303) or a thin oxide layer on the second semiconductor type surface layer (e.g., 303).
In other embodiments, the dielectric reflective optical coating filter (e.g., 350) is formed above the second semiconductor type surface layer (e.g., 303), and an etch stop coating (e.g., 315) is on a portion of the dielectric reflective optical coating filter (e.g., 350). In such embodiments, an opening (e.g., 340) is over at least a portion of the active photodiode region, with the opening (e.g., 340) extending through the etch stop coating (315) down to the dielectric reflective optical coating filter (e.g., 350). In such embodiments, a passivation coating (e.g., 314) may or may not be between the second semiconductor surface layer (e.g., 303) and the dielectric reflective optical coating filter (e.g., 350).
Embodiments of the present invention are also directed to methods for fabricating photodiodes. In accordance with an embodiment, a method include implanting and thereby forming a second semiconductor type shallow surface layer (e.g., 303) into a portion of a first semiconductor type surface region (e.g., 302), wherein an active photodiode region is formed by a PN junction of the first semiconductor type surface region and the second semiconductor type shallow surface layer. A passivation coating (e.g., 314) is formed on the shallow surface layer (e.g., 303), wherein the passivation coating (e.g., 314) comprises a thin oxide layer (e.g., 311) on the shallow surface layer (e.g., 303) and a second dielectric layer (e.g., 312) different from the thin oxide layer on the thin oxide layer. An etch stop coating (e.g., 315) is formed on the second dielectric, wherein the etch stop coating (e.g., 315) comprises at least one layer (e.g., 316) resistant to oxide etch. At least some of interlayer dielectric (ILD) processing, metal processing, contact processing, via processing and passivation processing are then performed, which results in multiple layers being formed above the etch stop coating (e.g., 315). The method further includes removing at least a portion of the multiple layers formed above the etch stop coating (e.g., 315) and at least a portion of the etch stop coating (e.g., 315) to produce an opening (e.g., 340) that extends down to the passivation coating (e.g., 314) over at least a portion of the active photodiode region. At least a portion of the opening (340) is filled with a dielectric reflective optical coating filter (350) so that the dielectric reflective optical coating filter (350) covers the at least a portion of the active photodiode region. Additionally, a top surface (e.g., 357) and sidewalls (e.g., 355) of the dielectric reflective optical coating filter (350) can be covered with a dark mirror (360).
In alternative embodiments, there is no passivation coating (e.g., 314) formed on the second semiconductor surface layer (e.g., 303). In such an embodiment, an opening (e.g., 340) is formed by removing at least a portion of the multiple layers formed above the remaining etch stop coating (e.g., 315) and at least a portion of the remaining etch stop to produce an opening that extends down to the second semiconductor type surface layer (e.g., 303) or a thin oxide layer on the second semiconductor type surface layer (e.g., 303).
In other embodiments, the dielectric reflective optical coating filter (350) is formed over at least a portion of the active photodiode region, before an opening (e.g., 340) is formed.
Further and alternative embodiments, and the features, aspects, and advantages of the embodiments of invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below, the drawings and the claims.
Referring to
In
In
After the passivation coating 314 and the etch stop coating 315 are formed, a portion of the etch stop coating 315 and the passivation coating 314 is removed outside the active photodiode region down to the first semiconductor type surface region, e.g., the P− surface region 302, to make room for metalization. Such removal can be performed, e.g., using resist patterning followed by an etch and resist removal. The etch stop coating should also be cleared from a CMOS gate topography (not shown). In the case of a Si etch stop layer a variety of plasma etches stopping on the underlying oxide can be used. In the case of a Si3N4 etch stop layer, plasma or wet etches can be employed, the latter generally including an oxide hard mask material (about 30 nm or thicker) deposited over the Si3N4 etch stop layer. The oxide layer 317 between the passivation coating 314 and the etch stop layer resistant to oxide etch 316 can be removed using wet chemistry prior to the photo resist mask removal, but is not limited thereto.
Thereafter, interlayer dielectric (ILD), metal, contact, via and passivation processing can be performed to add interlayer dielectric (ILD) layers 321, 322, 323, 324 and 325, metalization 330, and a top passivation layer 326 (e.g., an oxide layer capped with a nitride layer). The ILD layers 321, 322, 323, 324 and 325 are typically oxides, portions of which can be removed using an oxide etch. In
At this point, there are numerous ILD layers (e.g., layers 321, 322, 323, 324 and 325) and a top passivation layer 326 over the active photodiode region, which layers affect the spectral response of the underlying active photodiode region. Even if there was an attempt to optimize the thicknesses of these ILD layers to achieve a desired spectral response (e.g., a spectral response similar to that of a human eye), because normal semiconductor fabrication thickness control is in the range of +/−10 to 20%, there is too much thickness variation to provide for a well controlled and predictable spectral response. Accordingly, in accordance with specific embodiments of the present invention, the ILD layers and the top passivation layer over the active photodiode region are removed. In other words, a window 340 is formed over the active photodiode region. Thereafter, as will be described below, an optical filter is formed within the window 340, to provide for the desired spectral response (e.g., a spectral response similar to that of a human eye).
A photoresist can be patterned to open the window 340 (also referred to as an opening or a trench) over the active photodiode region. More specifically, a portion of top passivation coating 326, ILD layers and the etch stop coating 315 is removed so that the opening 340 extends all the way down to the passivation coating 314 over at least a portion of the active photodiode region. This can include removing at least a portion of the oxide layer 317 using an oxide etch, and removing at least a portion the etch step coating 315 that is over the active photodiode region to expose at least a portion of the passivation coating 314 that is over the active photodiode region. In accordance with an embodiment, the area of the opening 340 is less than the area of the active photodiode region, as shown in
After the above described trench 340 is formed, an optical filter 350 can be formed above the passivation coating 314. In contrast to thickness control for semiconductor fabrication, thickness control for optical filters is typically in the range of +/−1%. In accordance with an embodiment, a wafer including a plurality of the photodiodes 300a having the window 340 over the active photodiode region is manufactured at a semiconductor fabrication plant (commonly called a fab). Thereafter, the wafer is transferred to an optoelectronic and/or optical device fabrication facility, where the optical filters 350 are added. The wafer with filters can then be returned to a semiconductor fab where the wafer can be diced into photodiode dies, and packaging can be added to produce photodiode integrated circuit (IC) chips. It is also possible that all of the above steps occur within the same facility, if such facility is appropriately equipped to perform both semiconductor and optical fabrication.
In accordance with an embodiment, the optical filter 350 is a dielectric reflective optical coating filter. Depending on the depth for the trench 340, and the thickness of the dielectric reflective optical coating filter 350, the dielectric reflective optical coating filter 350 can fill only a portion of the trench, or can fill the entire trench and even extend above the trench. In
The dielectric reflective optical coating filter 350 can be constructed from thin layers of materials such as, but not limited to, zinc sulfide, magnesium fluoride, calcium fluoride, and various metal oxides (e.g., titanium dioxide), which are deposited onto the underlying optical substrate. By careful choice of the exact composition, thickness, and number of these layers, it is possible to tailor the reflectivity and transmissivity of the filter 350 to produce almost any desired spectral characteristics. For example, the reflectivity can be increased to greater than 99.99%, to produce a high-reflector (HR) coating. The level of reflectivity can also be tuned to any particular value, for instance to produce a mirror that reflects 90% and transmits 10% of the light that falls on it, over some range of wavelengths. Such mirrors have often been used as beam splitters, and as output couplers in lasers. Alternatively, the filter 350 can be designed such that the mirror reflects light only in a narrow band of wavelengths, producing a reflective optical filter.
High-reflection coatings work the opposite way to antireflection coatings. Generally, layers of high and low refractive index materials are alternated one above the other. Exemplary high refractive index materials include zinc sulfide (n=2.32) and titanium dioxide (n=2.4), and exemplary low refractive index materials include magnesium fluoride (n=1.38) and silicon dioxide (n=1.49). This periodic or alternating structure significantly enhances the reflectivity of the surface in the certain wavelength range called band-stop, which width is determined by the ratio of the two used indices only (for quarter-wave system), while the maximum reflectivity is increasing nearly up to 100% with a number of layers in the stack. The thicknesses of the layers are generally quarter-wave (then they yield to the broadest high reflection band in comparison to the non-quarter-wave systems composed from the same materials), designed such that reflected beams constructively interfere with one another to maximize reflection and minimize transmission. Using the above described structures, high reflective coatings can achieve very high (e.g., 99.9%) reflectivity over a broad wavelength range (tens of nanometers in the visible spectrum range), with a lower reflectivity over other wavelength ranges, to thereby achieve a desired spectral response. By manipulating the exact thickness and composition of the layers in the reflective stack, the reflection characteristics can be tuned to a desired spectral response, and may incorporate both high-reflective and anti-reflective wavelength regions. The coating can be designed as a long-pass or short-pass filter, a bandpass or notch filter, or a mirror with a specific reflectivity.
In accordance with specific embodiments of the present invention, dielectric reflective optical coating filter 350 is used to shape the spectral response of a photodiode to obtain a spectral response that is similar to that of a typical human eye response (shown in
Referring now to the photodiode 300c of
Referring now to the photodiode 300d of
In
In the embodiments of
At this point, there are numerous ILD layers (e.g., layers 321, 322, 323, 324 and 325) and a top passivation layer 326 over the active photodiode region, which layers affect the spectral response of the underlying active photodiode region. The ILD layers and the top passivation layer over the active photodiode region are removed. In other words, a window 340 is formed over the active photodiode region, with the window extending down to the dielectric reflective optical coating filter 350. In a similar manner as was discussed above with regards to
In accordance with an embodiment, a wafer including a plurality of active photodiode regions (i.e., PN junctions between regions 302 and 303) is manufactured at a semiconductor a fab. Thereafter, the wafer is transferred to an optoelectronic and/or optical device fabrication facility, where the dielectric reflective optical coating filter 350 is formed over substantially the entire wafer. The wafer with dielectric reflective optical coating filter can then be returned to a semiconductor fab where patterning can be performed, and ILD, metal, contact, via and passivation processing can be performed to add interlayer dielectric (ILD) layers 321, 322, 323, 324 and 325, metalization 330, and a top passivation layer 326 (e.g., an oxide layer capped with a nitride layer) for each active photodiode region. The window 340 can then be opened for each photodiode region. The wafer can then be diced into photodiode dies, and packaging can be added to produce photodiode integrated circuit (IC) chips. It is also possible that all of the above steps occur within the same facility, if such facility is appropriately equipped to perform both semiconductor and optical fabrication.
In the embodiments described with reference to
Referring now to
In accordance with an alternative embodiment, described with reference to
At this point, there are numerous ILD layers (e.g., layers 321, 322, 323, 324 and 325) and a top passivation layer 326 over the active photodiode region, which layers affect the spectral response of the underlying active photodiode region. The ILD layers and the top passivation layer over the active photodiode region are removed. In other words, a window 340 is formed over the active photodiode region, with the window extending down to the dielectric reflective optical coating filter 350, in a similar manner as was discussed above with regards to
Referring back to
There have been previous attempts to cover a silicon wafer with a dielectric reflective optical coating filter. However, such attempts have placed the dielectric reflective optical coating filter above a top passivation coating (e.g., similar coating 326), which has resulted in a spectral response that includes undesirable ripples due to interference effects at the top passivation layers. The embodiments of the invention described herein significantly reduce (or eliminate) the thickness of passivation coatings used in standard processes, therefore reducing such ripples in the spectral response. While described as being especially useful for producing an ambient light sensor (ALS), the photodiode structures described herein can be used with alternative dielectric reflective optical coating filter designs for other applications, such as, but not limited to, red (R), green (G) and blue (B) sensors.
In the embodiments described above, the target response was often described as being similar to that of a typical human eye viewing diffused light. However, that need not be the case. For example, other target responses can be for an optical sensor to only detect light of a specific color, such as red, green or blue. Such photodiodes can be used, e.g., in digital cameras, color scanners, color photocopiers, and the like. In these embodiments, the dielectric reflective optical coating filter 350 can be optimized for the specific color to be detected, and can be used alone or in combination with the various techniques for filtering out IR light that happens to make it through the dielectric reflective optical coating filter 350. For example, one or more photodiode(s) can be optimized to detect green light, one or more further photodiode(s) can be optimized to detect red light, and one or more further photodiode(s) can be optimized to detect blue light, with one or more of these photodiode(s) including a dielectric reflective optical coating filter.
In the above described embodiments, N regions are described as being implanted in a P region. For example, the N+ diffusion region 303 is implanted in P− region 302. In alternative embodiments, the semiconductor conductivity materials are reversed. That is, a P region is implanted in an N region. For a specific example, a heavily doped P+ region is implanted in a lightly doped N− region, to form the active photodiode region.
Certain embodiments of the present invention are also directed to methods of producing photocurrents that are primarily indicative of target wavelengths of light, e.g., wavelengths of visible light. In other words, embodiments of the present invention are also directed to methods for providing a photodiode having a target spectral response, such as, a response similar to that of the human eye. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention are also directed to methods of using the above described photodiodes.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example, and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A photodiode, comprising:
- a first semiconductor type surface region;
- a second semiconductor type surface layer formed in a portion of said first semiconductor type surface region, wherein an active photodiode region is formed by a PN junction of said first semiconductor type surface region and said second semiconductor type surface layer;
- a passivation coating on said second semiconductor surface layer;
- an etch stop coating on a portion of said passivation coating;
- an opening over at least a portion of said active photodiode region, said opening extending through said etch stop coating down to said passivation coating;
- a dielectric reflective optical coating filter, comprising a plurality of dielectric layers, that fills at least a portion of said opening and thereby covers the at least a portion of said active photodiode region;
- wherein said opening allows a portion of light incident on the photodiode to be received by said active photodiode region; and
- wherein said dielectric reflective optical coating filter reflects a portion of light incident on the photodiode and thereby shapes a spectral response of the photodiode.
2. The photodiode of claim 1, wherein said dielectric reflective optical coating filter fills the entire said opening.
3. The photodiode of claim 1, wherein:
- said dielectric reflective optical coating filter includes a top surface that is generally parallel to a top surface of said passivation coating and sidewalls that extend from said top surface of said dielectric reflective optical coating filter towards said passivation coating; and
- further comprising a dark mirror covering said top surface and said sidewalls of said dielectric reflective optical coating filter.
4. The photodiode of claim 1, wherein:
- said first semiconductor type is one of P type and N type; and
- said second semiconductor type is the other one of P type and N type.
5. The photodiode of claim 1, wherein:
- said passivation coating comprises an oxide layer on said second semiconductor type surface layer and a second dielectric layer different from said oxide layer on said oxide layer; and
- said second dielectric layer, of said passivation coating, extends beyond said second semiconductor type surface layer.
6. The photodiode of claim 1, wherein said etch stop coating, on the portion of said passivation coating, comprises a layer resistant to oxide etch on an oxide layer.
7. The photodiode of claim 1, wherein the portion of said passivation coating, on which is said etch stop coating, comprises a peripheral portion of said passivation coating.
8. The photodiode of claim 1, wherein said etch stop coating comprises at least one of silicon nitride and polysilicon, and overlies and extends beyond a peripheral portion of said second semiconductor surface layer.
9. A photodiode, comprising:
- a first semiconductor type surface region;
- a second semiconductor type surface layer formed in a portion of said first semiconductor type surface region, wherein an active photodiode region is formed by a PN junction of said first semiconductor type surface region and said second semiconductor type surface layer;
- an etch stop coating formed on a portion of said first semiconductor type surface region that surrounds said second semiconductor type surface layer;
- an opening over at least a portion of said active photodiode region, said opening extending through said etch stop coating down to said second semiconductor type surface layer or down to a thin oxide layer on said second semiconductor type surface layer;
- a dielectric reflective optical coating filter, comprising a plurality of dielectric layers, that covers said opening;
- wherein said opening allows a portion of light incident on the photodiode to be received by said active photodiode region; and
- wherein said dielectric reflective optical coating filter reflects a portion of light incident on the photodiode and thereby shapes a spectral response of the photodiode.
10. The photodiode of claim 9, wherein:
- said dielectric reflective optical coating filter fills at least a portion of said opening;
- said dielectric reflective optical coating filter includes a top surface that is generally parallel to a top surface of said passivation coating and sidewalls that extend from said top surface of said dielectric reflective optical coating filter towards said second semiconductor type surface layer; and
- further comprising a dark mirror covering said top surface and said sidewalls of said dielectric reflective optical coating filter.
11. A photodiode, comprising:
- a first semiconductor type surface region;
- a second semiconductor type surface layer formed in a portion of said first semiconductor type surface region, wherein an active photodiode region is formed by a PN junction of said first semiconductor type surface region and said second semiconductor type surface layer;
- a dielectric reflective optical coating filter, comprising a plurality of dielectric layers, above said second semiconductor type surface layer;
- an etch stop coating on a portion of said dielectric reflective optical coating filter;
- an opening over at least a portion of said active photodiode region, said opening extending through said etch stop coating down to said dielectric reflective optical coating filter;
- wherein said opening allows a portion of light incident on the photodiode to be received by said active photodiode region; and
- wherein said dielectric reflective optical coating filter reflects a portion of light incident on the photodiode and thereby shapes a spectral response of the photodiode.
12. The photodiode of claim 11, wherein said dielectric reflective optical coating filter is on said second semiconductor type surface layer.
13. The photodiode of claim 11, further comprising:
- a passivation coating between said second semiconductor surface layer and said dielectric reflective optical coating filter.
14. The photodiode of claim 13, wherein:
- said passivation coating comprises an oxide layer on said second semiconductor type surface layer and a second dielectric layer different from said oxide layer on said oxide layer; and
- said second dielectric layer, of said passivation coating, extends beyond said second semiconductor type surface layer.
15. The photodiode of claim 11, wherein said etch stop coating, on the portion of said passivation coating, comprises a layer resistant to oxide etch on an oxide layer.
16. The photodiode of claim 11, wherein:
- said first semiconductor type is one of P type and N type; and
- said second semiconductor type is the other one of P type and N type.
17. A method of a fabricating a photodiode, comprising:
- (a) implanting and thereby forming a second semiconductor type shallow surface layer into a portion of a first semiconductor type surface region, wherein an active photodiode region is formed by a PN junction of the first semiconductor type surface region and the second semiconductor type shall surface layer;
- (b) forming a passivation coating on said shallow surface layer, wherein said passivation coating comprises a thin oxide layer on said shallow surface layer and a second dielectric layer different from said thin oxide layer on said thin oxide layer;
- (c) forming an etch stop coating on said second dielectric layer, wherein said etch stop coating comprises at least one layer resistant to oxide etch;
- (d) performing at least some of interlayer dielectric (ILD) processing, metal processing, contact processing, via processing and passivation processing, which results in multiple layers being formed above said etch stop coating;
- (e) removing at least a portion of said multiple layers formed at step (d) and at least a portion of said etch stop coating to produce an opening that extends down to said passivation coating over at least a portion of said active photodiode region; and
- (f) filling at least a portion of said opening with a dielectric reflective optical coating filter so that said dielectric reflective optical coating filter covers said at least a portion of said active photodiode region.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein step (f) comprising filling the entire said opening with said dielectric reflective optical coating filter.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein after step (f) said dielectric reflective optical coating filter includes a top surface that is generally parallel to a top surface of said passivation coating and sidewalls that extend from said top surface towards said passivation coating, and further comprising:
- (g) covering said top surface and said sidewalls of said dielectric reflective optical coating filter with a dark mirror.
20. A method of a fabricating a photodiode, comprising:
- (a) implanting and thereby forming a second semiconductor type shallow surface layer into a portion of a first semiconductor type surface region, wherein an active photodiode region is formed by a PN junction of the first semiconductor type surface region and the second semiconductor type shallow surface layer;
- (b) forming an etch stop coating over said second semiconductor type shallow surface layer, wherein said etch stop coating comprises at least one layer (316) resistant to oxide etch;
- (c) performing at least some of interlayer dielectric (ILD) processing, metal processing, contact processing, via processing and passivation processing, which results in multiple layers being formed above said etch stop coating;
- (d) removing at least a portion of said multiple layers formed at step (c) and at least a portion of said etch stop coating to produce an opening, over at least a portion of said active photodiode region, that extends down to said second semiconductor type shallow surface layer or down to a thin oxide that covers said second semiconductor type shallow surface layer; and
- (e) filling at least a portion of said opening with a dielectric reflective optical coating filter so that said dielectric reflective optical coating filter covers said at least a portion of said active photodiode region.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein step (e) comprising filling the entire said opening with said dielectric reflective optical coating filter.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein after step (e) said dielectric reflective optical coating filter includes a top surface that is generally parallel to a top surface of said passivation coating and sidewalls that extend from said top surface towards said passivation coating, and further comprising:
- (f) covering said top surface and said sidewalls of said dielectric reflective optical coating filter with a dark mirror.
23. A method of a fabricating a photodiode, comprising:
- (a) implanting and thereby forming a second semiconductor type shallow surface layer into a portion of a first semiconductor type surface region, wherein an active photodiode region is formed by a PN junction of the first semiconductor type surface region and the second semiconductor type shall surface layer;
- (b) forming a dielectric reflective optical coating filter over at least a portion of said active photodiode region;
- (c) forming an etch stop coating over said dielectric reflective optical coating filter, wherein said etch stop coating comprises at least one layer resistant to oxide etch;
- (d) performing at least some of interlayer dielectric (ILD) processing, metal processing, contact processing, via processing and passivation processing, which results in multiple layers being formed above said etch stop coating; and
- (e) removing at least a portion of said multiple layers formed at step (d) and at least a portion of said etch stop coating to produce an opening that extends down to said dielectric reflective optical coating filter over at least a portion of said active photodiode region.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
- between steps (a) and (b), forming a passivation coating on said shallow surface layer, wherein said passivation coating comprises a thin oxide layer on said shallow surface layer and a second dielectric layer different from said thin oxide layer on said thin oxide layer; and
- wherein step (b) comprises forming said dielectric reflective optical coating filter on said passivation coating.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 17, 2010
Publication Date: Mar 24, 2011
Applicant: INTERSIL AMERICAS INC. (Milpitas, CA)
Inventors: Dong Zheng (San Jose, CA), Joy Jones (Fremont, CA)
Application Number: 12/885,138
International Classification: H01L 31/0232 (20060101); H01L 31/18 (20060101);