An image sensor includes: a first device isolation part in a substrate and defining an active region; a first gate electrode having a first and second gate sidewalls; and a first impurity region and a second impurity region adjacent to the first and second gate sidewalls, wherein the active region includes: a first active central part; a first active protrusion; and a second active protrusion, wherein the first device isolation part has a first isolation sidewall overlapping the first active central part, and wherein a first straight line is at least partially spaced apart from the first isolation sidewall, wherein the first straight line links a first point, at which the first active protrusion meets the first active central part, to a second point, at which the second active protrusion meets the first active central part.

An image sensor includes a substrate including a first surface and a second surface which is opposite to the first portion, and a pixel isolation portion provided in the substrate and configured to isolate unit pixels from each other. The pixel isolation portion includes a first filling insulation pattern extending from the first surface toward the second surface and having an air gap region, the first filling insulation pattern including a first sidewall and a second sidewall which is opposite to the first sidewall, a conductive structure including a first portion on the first sidewall, a second portion on the second sidewall, and a connection portion connecting the first portion and the second portion, and an insulating liner provided between the first portion and the substrate and between the second portion and the substrate.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor. The image sensor includes a deep trench isolation (DTI) structure disposed in a substrate. A pixel region of the substrate is disposed within an inner perimeter of the DTI structure. A photodetector is disposed in the pixel region of the substrate. A gate electrode structure overlies, at least partially, the pixel region of the substrate. A first gate dielectric structure partially overlies the pixel region of the substrate. A second gate dielectric structure partially overlies the pixel region of the substrate. The gate electrode structure overlies both a portion of the first gate dielectric structure and a portion of the second gate dielectric structure. The first gate dielectric structure has a first thickness. The second gate dielectric structure has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

An image sensor according to an embodiment includes a substrate having first and second surfaces facing each other, separated by a deep trench, and including a plurality of pixel regions; a plurality of photoelectric conversion regions disposed in the plurality of pixel regions; a blocking region disposed in the plurality of pixel regions; and a plurality of color filters and a plurality of micro lenses disposed on the second surface of the substrate. The blocking region is disposed adjacent to the second surface of the substrate, the blocking region includes a first element of a first type, and the plurality of photoelectric conversion regions include a second element of a second type different from the first type. The concentration of the first element on the second surface of the substrate in the blocking region is about 1E16/cm.sup.3 to about 1E18/cm.sup.3.

A structure for a front-side image sensor comprises a semiconductor substrate, an electrically insulating layer overlying the semiconductor substrate, and an active layer overlying the electrically insulating layer. The semiconductor substrate comprises a trapping layer, the trapping layer including cavities therein. The structure further comprises a plurality of electrically isolating trenches extending vertically through the active layer to the electrically insulating layer. The plurality of electrically isolating trenches define a plurality of pixels. Also disclosed is a structure comprises a carrier substrate, an electrically insulating layer overlying the carrier substrate and a trapping layer, and a semiconductive layer overlying the electrically insulating layer. The trapping layer comprises cavities therein. The structure further comprises a plurality of electrically isolating trenches extending vertically through the semiconductive layer to the electrically insulating layer.

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state image pickup device and an electronic apparatus by which a phase-difference detection pixel that avoids defects such as lowering of sensitivity to incident light and lowering of phase-difference detection accuracy can be realized. A solid-state image pickup device as a first aspect of the present disclosure is a solid-state image pickup device in which a normal pixel that generates a pixel signal of an image and a phase-difference detection pixel that generates a pixel signal used in calculation of a phase-difference signal for controlling an image-surface phase difference AF function are arranged in a mixed manner, in which, in the phase-difference detection pixel, a shared on-chip lens for condensing incident light to a photoelectric converter that generates a pixel signal used in calculation of the phase-difference signal is formed for every plurality of adjacent phase-difference detection pixels. The present disclosure is applicable to a backside illumination CMOS image sensor and an electronic apparatus equipped with the same.

[Problem] Provided is a technique useful for reducing functional problems in a semiconductor device caused by cracks which may form in a semiconductor substrate. [Solution] A semiconductor device includes: a plurality of first pixel isolation portions, each extending from a front surface of a substrate toward a rear surface of the substrate, and each having an insulator; and a plurality of second pixel isolation portions, each extending from the rear surface of the substrate toward the front surface of the substrate, and each having an insulator. In one cross-section of the substrate, the plurality of second pixel isolation portions form a plurality of rear surface spacing extension portions which are isolated from each other and which extend locally from the rear surface of the substrate toward the front surface of the substrate. A distance between one or more of the plurality of rear surface spacing extension portions and the front surface of the substrate is different from a distance between another one or more of the plurality of rear surface spacing extension portions and the front surface of the substrate.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards an image sensor including a wavelength tunable narrow band filter, as well as methods for forming the image sensor. In some embodiments, the image sensor includes a substrate, a first photodetector, a second photodetector, and a filter. The first and second photodetectors neighbor in the substrate. The filter overlies the first and second photodetectors and includes a first distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), a second DBR, and a first interlayer between the first and second DBRs. A thickness of the first interlayer has a first thickness value overlying the first photodetector and a second thickness value overlying the second photodetector. In some embodiments, the filter is limited to a single interlayer. In other embodiments the filter further includes a second interlayer defining columnar structures embedded in the first interlayer and having a different refractive index than the first interlayer.

An imaging device may include single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). To improve the sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio of the SPADs, light scattering structures may be formed in the semiconductor substrate to increase the path length of incident light through the semiconductor substrate. To mitigate crosstalk, multiple rings of isolation structures may be formed around the SPAD. An outer deep trench isolation structure may include a metal filler such as tungsten and may be configured to absorb light. The outer deep trench isolation structure therefore prevents crosstalk between adjacent SPADs. Additionally, one or more inner deep trench isolation structures may be included. The inner deep trench isolation structures may include a low-index filler to reflect light and keep incident light in the active area of the SPAD.

Image sensors and methods of manufacturing image sensors are provided. One such method includes forming a structure that includes a semiconductor layer extending from a front side to a back side, and a capacitive insulation wall extending through the semiconductor layer. The capacitive insulation wall includes first and second insulating walls separated by a region of a conductor or a semiconductor material. Portions of the semiconductor layer and the region of the conductor or semiconductor material are selectively etched, and the first and second insulating walls have portions protruding outwardly beyond a back side of the semiconductor layer and of the region of the conductor or semiconductor material. A dielectric passivation layer is deposited on the back side of the structure, and portions of the dielectric passivation layer are locally removed on a back side of the protruding portions of the first and second insulating walls.