An image sensor and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The image sensor includes a pixel sensing circuit, a pixel electrode, and an opto-electrical conversion layer. The pixel sensing circuit is corresponding to a plurality of pixel regions. The pixel electrode is disposed on the pixel sensing circuit. The pixel electrode includes a first electrode and a second electrode and is electrically connected to the pixel sensing circuit. The first electrode and the second electrode are coplanar, and have different polarities. The opto-electrical conversion layer is disposed on the pixel sensing circuit. The opto-electrical conversion layer includes a plurality of opto-electrical conversion portions, each of the opto-electrical conversion portions is corresponding to each of the pixel regions, and the opto-electrical conversion portions are separated from each other by a pixel isolation trench.

A first photoresist pattern and a second photoresist pattern are formed over a substrate. The first photoresist pattern is separated from the second photoresist pattern by a gap. A chemical mixture is coated on the first and second photoresist patterns. The chemical mixture contains a chemical material and surfactant particles mixed into the chemical material. The chemical mixture fills the gap. A baking process is performed on the first and second photoresist patterns, the baking process causing the gap to shrink. At least some surfactant particles are disposed at sidewall boundaries of the gap. A developing process is performed on the first and second photoresist patterns. The developing process removes the chemical mixture in the gap and over the photoresist patterns. The surfactant particles disposed at sidewall boundaries of the gap reduce a capillary effect during the developing process.

Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device including: a first semiconductor chip having an electronic circuit section and a first connecting section formed on one surface thereof; a second semiconductor chip having a second connecting section formed on one surface thereof, the second semiconductor chip being mounted on the first semiconductor chip with the first and the second connecting sections connected to each other by a bump; a dam formed to fill a gap between the first and the second semiconductor chips on a part of an outer edge of the second semiconductor chip, the part of the outer edge being on a side of a region of formation of the electronic circuit section; and an underfill resin layer filled into the gap, protrusion of the resin layer from the outer edge of the second semiconductor chip to a side of the electronic circuit section being prevented by the dam.

A photo-sensing unit including a first electrode, a first insulation layer, a photo-sensing structure and a second electrode is provided. The first insulation layer covers the first electrode and has an opening exposing the first electrode. The photo-sensing structure is located on the first electrode and disposed in the opening of the first insulation layer. The photo-sensing structure includes a first photo-sensing layer and a second photo-sensing layer stacked with each other. A material of the first photo-sensing layer is Si.sub.xGe.sub.yO.sub.z. A material of the second photo-sensing layer is Si.sub.vO.sub.w. The second electrode covers the photo-sensing structure. A photo-sensing apparatus including the photo-sensing unit and a fabricating method of a photo-sensing unit are also provided.

An image sensing device may include an interconnect layer and grid array contacts carried by the interconnect layer, and an image sensor IC carried by the interconnect layer and coupled to the grid array contacts, the image sensor IC having an image sensing surface. The image sensing device may include a transparent plate carried by the image sensor IC and aligned with the image sensing surface, and a cap carried by the interconnect layer and having an opening aligned with the image sensing surface. The cap may have an upper wall spaced above the interconnect layer and the image sensor IC to define an internal cavity, and the cap may define an air vent coupled to the internal cavity.

A pixel of a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a third surface formed by removing part of the semiconductor substrate from a second surface, an active region which is formed between the first surface and the third surface and which contains a photoelectric conversion element generating charges in response to light incident on the substrate at the third surface, and a trench-type isolation region formed from either of the first and third surfaces to isolate the active region from an adjacent active region. The trench-type isolation region is filled with first material in a process that leaves a void in the material, the void is filled or partially filled with second material, and then a layer of third material is formed over the resulting structure composed of the first and second materials.

A device includes an array of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) and a plurality of pulse shapers. Each of the SPADs are electrically coupled to a respective SPAD quench circuit. Each of the pulse shapers have an input electrically coupled to an output of a respective SPAD quench circuit.

An electrode of an electronic component element (1) is bonded to an electrode (5) of a substrate (4) via a bump (2) by: after applying, to the bump (2), only a first pressure which is not less than a yield stress of a bulk material of which the bump (2) is made, reducing or stopping the application of the first pressure; and while applying a given ultrasonic vibration to the bump (2), gradually applying a pressure to the bump (2) until the pressure reaches a second pressure which is not less than the yield stress of the bulk material of which the bump (2) is made.

A semiconductor device has a chip region including a back-side illumination type photoelectric conversion element, a mark-like appearance part, a pad electrode, and a coupling part. The mark-like appearance part includes an insulation film covering the entire side surface of a trench part formed in a semiconductor substrate. The pad electrode is arranged at a position overlapping the mark-like appearance part. The coupling part couples the pad electrode and mark-like appearance part. At least a part of the pad electrode on the other main surface side of the substrate is exposed through an opening reaching the pad electrode from the other main surface side of the substrate. The mark-like appearance part and coupling part are arranged to at least partially surround the outer circumference of the opening in plan view.

A method for designing a photodetector comprising an array of pixels: selecting at a material composition for the photodetector; determining a configuration of at least one pixel in the array of pixels using a computer simulation, each pixel comprising an active region and a diffractive region, and a photodetector/air interface through which light enters, the computer simulation operating to process different configurations of the pixel to determine an optimal configuration for a predetermined wavelength or wavelength range occurring when waves reflected by the diffractive element form a constructive interference pattern inside the active region to thereby increase the quantum efficiency of the photodetector. An infrared photodetector produced by the method.