In a CMOS image sensor in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix, a transistor in which a channel formation region includes an oxide semiconductor is used for each of a charge accumulation control transistor and a reset transistor which are in a pixel portion. After a reset operation of the signal charge accumulation portion is performed in all the pixels arranged in the matrix, a charge accumulation operation by the photodiode is performed in all the pixels, and a read operation of a signal from the pixel is performed per row. Accordingly, an image can be taken without a distortion.

A method for fabricating an image sensor array having a first group of photodiodes for detecting light at visible wavelengths a second group of photodiodes for detecting light at infrared or near-infrared wavelengths, the method including forming a germanium-silicon layer for the second group of photodiodes on a first semiconductor donor wafer; defining a first interconnect layer on the germanium-silicon layer; defining integrated circuitry for controlling pixels of the image sensor array on a semiconductor carrier wafer; defining a second interconnect layer on the semiconductor carrier wafer; bonding the first interconnect layer with the second interconnect layer; defining the pixels of an image sensor array on a second semiconductor donor wafer; defining a third interconnect layer on the image sensor array; and bonding the third interconnect layer with the germanium-silicon layer.

The present disclosure describes a throughput-scalable image sensing system for analyzing biological or chemical samples is provided. The system includes a plurality of image sensors configured to detect at least a portion of light emitted as a result of analyzing the biological or chemical samples. The plurality of image sensors is arranged on a plurality of wafer-level packaged semiconductor dies of a single semiconductor wafer. Each image sensor of the plurality of image sensors is disposed on a separate packaged semiconductor die of the plurality of packaged semiconductor dies. Neighboring packaged semiconductor dies are separated by a dicing street; and the plurality of packaged semiconductor dies and a plurality of dicing streets are arranged such that the plurality of packaged semiconductor dies can be diced from the single semiconductor wafer as a group.

A chip comprises a semiconductor substrate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, a plurality of conductive metal patterns formed on the first side of the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of solder balls formed on the first side of the semiconductor substrate, and at least one code pattern formed using laser marking on the first side of the semiconductor substrate in a space free from the plurality of conductive metal patterns and the plurality of solder balls, wherein the at least one code pattern is visible from a backside of the chip, the at least one code pattern represents a binary number having four bits; and the binary number represents a decimal number to represent a tracing number of the chip.

A method of fabricating a target shallow trench isolation (STI) structure between devices in a wafer-level image sensor having a large number of pixels includes etching a trench, the trench having a greater depth and width than a target STI structure and epitaxially growing the substrate material in the trench for a length of time necessary to provide the target depth and width of the isolation structure. An STI structure formed in a semiconductor substrate includes a trench etched in the substrate having a depth and width greater than that of the STI structure, and semiconductor material epitaxially grown in the trench to provide a critical dimension and target depth of the STI structure. An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a photodiode region, a pixel transistor region and an STI structure between the photodiode region and the pixel transistor region.

There is provided a semiconductor device including a first semiconductor base substrate, a second semiconductor base substrate that is bonded onto a first surface side of the first semiconductor base substrate, a through electrode that is formed to penetrate from a second surface side of the first semiconductor base substrate to a wiring layer on the second semiconductor base substrate, and an insulation layer that surrounds a circumference of the through electrode formed inside the first semiconductor base substrate.

Implementations of image sensor packages may include: an image sensor die including a first largest planar side and a second largest planar side; an optically transmissive cover including a first largest planar side and a second largest planar side where the second largest planar side coupled to the first largest planar side of the image sensor die using an adhesive; and a light block material that fully covers edges of the image sensor die located between the first largest planar side and the second largest planar side of the image sensor die and fully covers edges of the optically transmissive cover between the first largest planar side and the second largest planar side of the optically transmissive cover. The light block material may extend across a portion of the first largest planar side and second largest planar side of the optically transmissive cover.

A BSI image sensor includes a substrate including a front side and a back side opposite to the front side, a pixel sensor disposed in the substrate, and a color filter disposed over the pixel sensor. The pixel sensor includes a plurality of first micro structures disposed over the back side of the substrate. The color filter includes a plurality of second micro structures disposed over the back side of the substrate. The first micro structures are arranged symmetrically to a first axial, and the second micro structures are arranged symmetrically to a second axial.

A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor component including a first semiconductor substrate and a first wiring structure, and a second semiconductor component including a second semiconductor substrate and a second wiring structure. A first surface of the first semiconductor component and a second surface of the second semiconductor component are bonded together. Assuming that regions having circumferences respectively corresponding to shapes obtained by vertically projecting the first surface, the second surface, the first wiring structure, and the second wiring structure on a virtual plane are first to fourth regions, respectively, an area of the first region is smaller than an area of the second region, the entire circumference of the first region is included in the second region, an area of the fourth region is smaller than an area of the third region, and the entire circumference of the fourth region is included in the third region.

An apparatus according to the present invention in which a first substrate including a photoelectric conversion element and a gate electrode of a transistor, and a second substrate including a peripheral circuit portion are placed upon each other. The first substrate does not include a high-melting-metal compound layer, and the second substrate includes a high-melting-metal compound layer.