An image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. A semiconductor pattern is disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and it extends in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface. A buried transmission gate electrode is disposed in a transmission gate trench extending from the first surface of the semiconductor substrate to an interior of the semiconductor substrate. A first gate electrode at least partially surrounds a side wall of the semiconductor pattern and has a ring-shaped horizontal cross-section. A color filter is disposed on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate.

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging element and electronic equipment that allow an increase in the signal charge amount Qs that each pixel can accumulate. A solid-state imaging element according to the first aspect of the present technology includes: a photoelectric conversion section formed in each pixel; and an inter-pixel separation section separating the photoelectric conversion section of each pixel, in which the inter-pixel separation section includes a protruding section having a shape protruding toward the photoelectric conversion section. The present technology can be applied to a back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, for example.

An image sensor in which a shading phenomenon is decreased and the quality is increased includes a substrate comprising a first face on which light is incident, and a second face opposite to the first face and a plurality of unit pixels. Each of the plurality of unit pixels includes a photoelectric conversion layer in the substrate. The image sensor further includes a pixel separation pattern which separates unit pixels from the plurality of the unit pixels from each other, a plurality of color filters disposed on the first face of the substrate and arranged in a Bayer pattern, and a grid pattern disposed on the first face of the substrate and interposed within the plurality of color filters. A light-receiving area of the red color filter and a light-receiving area of the blue color filter are smaller than a light-receiving area of the green color filter.

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.

An optical blocking region formed with patterned metal reduces light reflection toward pixel sensors in a pixel sensor array. The optical blocking region may be formed of a metal nanoscale grid in order to reflect more light away from the pixel sensors. The optical blocking region may include a dielectric layer, supporting the patterned metal, with high absorption structures or shallow deep trench isolation structures in order to increase absorption and thus reduce light reflection toward the pixel sensors.

An image sensor that includes a substrate including a photoelectric conversion region, a semiconductor pattern on the substrate, a gate electrode on the semiconductor pattern, and a gate insulating layer between the semiconductor pattern and the gate electrode. The semiconductor pattern includes a first sub pattern including a first source/drain region, a second sub pattern including a second source/drain region, and a third sub pattern between the first sub pattern and the second sub pattern. The gate electrode is on the third sub pattern. The first sub pattern, the second sub pattern, and the third sub pattern extend along different directions.

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 is described comprising a first, a second, and a third stack mounted together. The first stack includes a first semiconductor substrate with a photoelectric conversion region, a floating diffusion region, and a transmission gate. The photoelectric conversion region absorbs light, and the charges freed by the light absorption are stored in the floating diffusion region prior to being transferred to other circuitry by the transmission gate. The transmission gate comprises an etch stop film on an upper surface and on a sidewall. The second stack, attached to the first stack, includes a second semiconductor substrate in which is located a pixel gate. The pixel gate is electrically connected with the floating diffusion region and further comprises a gate spacer on a sidewall of the pixel gate. The third stack, attached to the second stack, includes a logic transistor.

To provide a technique for improving image quality. A light detection apparatus includes: a semiconductor layer including a first surface and a second surface mutually positioned on opposite sides in a thickness direction; a plurality of photoelectric conversion regions provided on the semiconductor layer so as to be adjacent to each other via a separation region that stretches in the thickness direction of the semiconductor layer; a transistor provided for each of the photoelectric conversion regions on the side of the first surface of the semiconductor layer; and a transparent electrode which is provided on the side of the second surface of the semiconductor layer and to which a potential is applied. In addition, the separation region includes a conductor which stretches in the thickness direction of the semiconductor layer and the conductor is electrically connected on the side of the second surface of the semiconductor layer to the transparent electrode.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for forming a pixel sensor. The method comprises forming a photodetector in a substrate. The substrate is patterned to define an opening above the photodetector. A gate electrode is formed within the opening, where the gate electrode has a top conductive body overlying a bottom conductive body. A first segment of a sidewall of the top conductive body contacts the bottom conductive body. A floating diffusion node is formed in the substrate laterally adjacent to the gate electrode. A second segment of the sidewall of the top conductive body overlies the floating diffusion node.