A device includes a semiconductor substrate having a front side and a backside. A photo-sensitive device is disposed at a surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the photo-sensitive device is configured to receive a light signal from the backside of the semiconductor substrate, and convert the light signal to an electrical signal. An amorphous-like adhesion layer is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. The amorphous-like adhesion layer includes a compound of nitrogen and a metal. A metal shielding layer is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate and contacting the amorphous-like adhesion layer.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer having a front surface on which a transistor is provided and a back surface opposite to the front surface, and a conductive member that penetrates through the semiconductor layer. In the semiconductor device, between a second plane including the back surface and a third plane, a solid material that is an insulator is provided between the conductive member and the semiconductor layer, and, between a first plane including the front surface and the third plane, a hollow part is provided between the conductive member and the semiconductor layer, and a center of the hollow part in a direction crossing the first plane and the second plane is positioned between the first plane and the third plane.

An image sensor includes first and second pluralities of photodiodes interspersed among each other in a semiconductor substrate. Incident light is to be directed through a surface of the semiconductor substrate into the first and second pluralities of photodiodes. The first plurality of photodiodes has greater sensitivity to the incident light than the second plurality of photodiodes. A metal film layer is disposed over the surface of the semiconductor substrate over the second plurality of photodiodes and not over the first plurality of photodiodes. A metal grid is disposed over the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and includes a first plurality of openings through which the incident light is directed into the first plurality of photodiodes. The metal grid further includes a second plurality of openings through which the incident light is directed through the metal film layer into the second plurality of photodiodes.

A photodiode includes a cap layer defining an inboard side and an outboard side. A plurality of pixels are formed in the cap layer extending from the inboard side to the outboard side. At least a portion of the cap layer is defined in between the pixels. A metal barrier is in between the pixels and is operatively connected to the inboard side of the cap layer in between the pixels to reflect light rays into the cap layer reducing the leakage of photons between the pixels.

A semiconductor substrate includes: an alignment mark being formed of a material that reflects a detection light for detecting positions and having a detection edge portion; a light-shielding layer portion having a larger outer shape than the alignment mark, being formed of a material that shields the detection light, and being disposed at a position on a backside of the alignment mark when seen from an incidence side of the detection light; and one or more light-transmitting layer portions being laminated between the alignment mark and the light-shielding layer portion so as to transmit the detection light and not being patterned at least in a range that overlaps the light-shielding layer portion.

A solid-state imaging device including a plurality of pixels including a photoelectric conversion portion, a charge holding portion accumulating a signal charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion portion, and a floating diffusion region to which the signal charge of the charge holding portion is transferred, wherein the photoelectric conversion portion includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type formed under the first semiconductor region, the charge holding portion includes a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, and a fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type formed under the third semiconductor region, and a p-n junction between the third semiconductor region and the fourth semiconductor region is positioned deeper than a p-n junction between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region.

An image sensor includes a substrate. The image sensor includes a first photodiode (PD) having a first size in the substrate. The image sensor further includes a second PD having a second size in the substrate, wherein the first size is different from the second size. The image sensor further includes a first layer, wherein the first layer comprises a metal material or a dielectric material, and the first layer defines sidewalls of a first recess aligned with the first PD. The image sensor further includes a second layer in the first recess, wherein a portion of the first layer aligned with the second PD is free of the second layer, and the second layer overhangs the first layer.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor with a passivation layer for dark current reduction. A device layer overlies a substrate. Further, a cap layer overlies the device layer. The cap and device layers and the substrate are semiconductor materials, and the device layer has a smaller bandgap than the cap layer and the substrate. For example, the cap layer and the substrate may be silicon, whereas the device layer may be or comprise germanium. A photodetector is in the device and cap layers, and the passivation layer overlies the cap layer. The passivation layer comprises a high k dielectric material and induces formation of a dipole moment along a top surface of the cap layer.

A light receiving device and an electronic device capable of achieving a preferable structure in a case where a pinhole is arranged between a photodetector and a microlens are provided. A light receiving device of the present disclosure includes a substrate including a photodetector, an optical system provided above the photodetector, and a first light shielding layer provided between the photodetector and the optical system and having a first opening, in which the optical system includes a microlens having a shape concave toward a side of a subject.

Biosensor including a device base having a sensor array of light sensors and a guide array of light guides. The light guides have input regions that are configured to receive excitation light and light emissions generated by biological or chemical substances. The light guides extend into the device base toward corresponding light sensors and have a filter material. The device base includes device circuitry electrically coupled to the light sensors and configured to transmit data signals. A passivation layer extends over the device base and forms an array of reaction recesses above the light guides. The biosensor also includes peripheral crosstalk shields that at least partially surround corresponding light guides of the guide array to reduce optical crosstalk between adjacent light sensors.