An image pickup element includes: a semiconductor substrate including a photoelectric conversion section for each pixel; a pixel separation groove provided in the semiconductor substrate; and a fixed charge film provided on a light-receiving surface side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the fixed charge film includes a first insulating film and a second insulating film, the first insulating film being provided contiguously from the light-receiving surface to a wall surface and a bottom surface of the pixel separation groove, and the second insulating film being provided on a part of the first insulating film, the part corresponding to at least the light-receiving surface.

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device that can improve the sensitivity of imaging pixels while maintaining AF properties of a focus detecting pixel. The present technology also relates to a method of manufacturing the solid-state imaging device, and an electronic apparatus. The solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel array unit including pixels; first microlenses formed in the respective pixels; a film formed to cover the first microlenses of the respective pixels; and a second microlens formed on the film of the focus detecting pixel among the pixels. The present technology can be applied to CMOS image sensors, for example.

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device, a manufacturing method, and an electronic device, which can improve sensitivity while improving color mixing. The solid-state imaging device includes a first wall provided between a pixel and a pixel arranged two-dimensionally to isolate the pixels, in which the first wall includes at least two layers including a light shielding film of a lowermost layer and a low refractive index film of which refractive index is lower than the light shielding film. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a solid-state imaging device, an electronic device having an imaging function, and the like.

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 semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate having photoelectric conversion elements. The semiconductor device also includes a first light-shielding layer disposed on the substrate and having first apertures. The semiconductor device further includes a light-adjusting structure disposed on the first light-shielding layer. Moreover, the semiconductor device includes a second light-shielding layer disposed on the light-adjusting structure and having second apertures. The semiconductor device also includes first light-condensing structures covering the second apertures. The semiconductor device further includes a third light-shielding layer disposed on the first light-condensing structure and having third apertures. Furthermore, the semiconductor device includes second light-condensing structures covering the third apertures. The semiconductor device also includes a first light-transmitting layer disposed between the second light-shielding layer and the third light-shielding layer. The refractive index of each first light-condensing structure and the refractive index of the first light-transmitting layer are different.

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device, an imaging apparatus, and an electronic apparatus, which can suppress a color mixture without lowering the sensitivity.

In pixels (red pixels (R pixels), green pixels (G pixels), and blue pixels (B pixels)) other than W pixels and adjacent to the W pixels, light shielding films thicker than those of the W pixels are formed at positions adjacent to the W pixels. Furthermore, the shorter the wavelength, the thicker the light shielding film in the RGB pixels other than the W pixels. The present technology is applicable to the solid-state imaging device.

Long wavelength polarization sensitive image sensor devices and methods are provided. The image sensor includes pixels that each include a plurality of sub-pixels. At least some of the sub-pixels within each pixel are associated with a grid structure. Each grid structure includes two or more linear grid elements that are parallel to one another. The grid elements are disposed directly on a light incident surface of a sensor substrate in which the sub-pixels are formed, and are electrically floating. The sub-pixels can be formed as photodiodes in a silicon or other semiconductor substrate. Infrared light incident on the pixels results in the heating of the grid elements, and in particular of grid elements oriented in a direction that is parallel to a polarization of the incident light, which in turn generates a current in associated a sub-pixels. A polarization state and intensity of the incident light can be determined.

A photodetection element includes a pixel region, a first absorption region, a first discharge electrode, a pixel neighboring region, a second absorption region, and a second discharge electrode. The pixel region is formed in a semiconductor substrate and internally generates an electron and a hole in accordance with the incident light. The pixel neighboring region is formed so as to be adjacent to the pixel region and internally generates an electron and a hole in accordance with the incident light. The second absorption region is formed in the pixel neighboring region and absorbs, of either of the electron and the hole generated in the pixel neighboring region, the carrier equal to a first discharge carrier as a second discharge carrier. The second discharge electrode is formed on the semiconductor substrate and discharges, from the second absorption region, the second discharge carrier absorbed in the second absorption region.

A pixel array may include a metal shielding structure on a grid structure between pixel sensors in the pixel array. The metal shielding structure laterally extends outward from the grid structure to reflect photons of incident light that might otherwise travel between the grid structure and the isolation structure of the pixel sensors in the pixel array. The lateral extensions of the metal shielding reflect these photons to reduce crosstalk between adjacent pixel sensors, thereby increasing the performance of the pixel array.

An image sensor device is disclosed. The image sensor device includes a substrate having a plurality of pixel regions. Two adjacent pixel regions are optically and electrically isolated by a deep trench isolation structure. In an embodiment, a method of forming the deep trench isolation structure includes receiving a workpiece comprising a first isolation structure formed in a front side of a substrate, forming a trench extending through the first isolation structure and the substrate, forming a dielectric liner to line the trench, depositing a conductive layer conformally over the workpiece after the forming of the dielectric liner, and depositing a dielectric fill layer over the conductive layer to fill the trench. A refractive index of the dielectric fill layer may be smaller than a refractive index of the conductive layer. The present disclosure also includes an alternative method for forming isolation structures at a back side of the substrate.