BACKSIDE-ILLUMINATED IMAGE SENSOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME

Abstract

A backside-illuminated image sensor and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The backside-illuminated image sensor is capable of improving sensitivity by including a scattering layer in a substrate that may result in incident light having a path greater than the thickness of the substrate and, simultaneously, of additionally enhancing light sensitivity with respect to a specific wavelength or wavelength band of light passing through one of a plurality of different color filters by a varying depth or thickness of the scattering layer for each unit pixel in the image sensor.

Claims

1. A backside-illuminated image sensor comprising: a substrate comprising a front surface and a rear surface; a light receiving element at or on the front surface of the substrate; a deep trench isolation (DTI) region in the substrate and at a boundary of a unit pixel; a scattering layer in the substrate and in the unit pixel; a color filter on the rear surface of the substrate; and a lens on the color filter, wherein the scattering layer is configured to have a different thickness in different unit pixels.

2. The backside-illuminated image sensor of claim 1, wherein the scattering layer extends from the rear surface of the substrate, or a depth adjacent to the rear surface, toward the front surface of the substrate.

3. The backside-illuminated image sensor of claim 1, wherein the scattering layer is in a center of the unit pixel.

4. The backside-illuminated image sensor of claim 1, wherein the scattering layer has a width smaller than a gap or distance between adjacent DTI regions.

5. The backside-illuminated image sensor of claim 1, further comprising: one or more wiring levels on the front surface of the substrate, wherein each wiring level comprises: a metal wiring layer; and an insulation layer covering the metal wiring layer.

6. A backside-illuminated image sensor comprising: a substrate comprising a front surface and a rear surface; a light receiving element at or on the front surface of the substrate; a deep trench isolation (DTI) region in the substrate and at a boundary of a unit pixel; a scattering layer, in the unit pixel, extending from the rear surface of the substrate toward the front surface thereof; a color filter on the rear surface of the substrate; a lens on the color filter; and a wiring layer on the front surface of the substrate, wherein the scattering layer comprises a first structure in a first unit pixel into which red light is incident; a second structure in a second unit pixel into which green light is incident; and a third structure in a third unit pixel into which blue light is incident.

7. The backside-illuminated image sensor of claim 6, wherein the first structure is closer to the front surface of the substrate than the second structure and the third structure, and the second structure is farther from the front surface of the substrate than the third structure.

8. The backside-illuminated image sensor of claim 6, wherein the first structure, the second structure, and the third structure are formed by etching the rear surface of the substrate using separate etching processes.

9. The backside-illuminated image sensor of claim 6, wherein a distance or space between adjacent DTI regions is greater than a width of the scattering layer.

10. The backside-illuminated image sensor of claim 6, wherein the scattering layer comprises a silicon oxide film, a metal film, or a polysilicon film.

11. A method of manufacturing a backside-illuminated image sensor, the method comprising: forming a deep trench isolation (DTI) region in a substrate and at a boundary of a unit pixel; forming a scattering layer in the substrate and in each unit pixel; forming a color filter on the substrate; and forming a lens on the color filter, wherein the scattering layer has a width smaller than a distance between adjacent DTI regions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the scattering layer comprises: a first structure in a first unit pixel into which red light is incident; a second structure in a second unit pixel into which green light is incident; and a third structure in a third unit pixel into which blue light is incident, and the first structure, the second structure, and the third structure extend to different depths in the substrate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein forming the scattering layer comprises: forming a scattering layer region by etching a rear surface of the substrate; and forming the first structure, the second structure, and the third structure by filling the scattering layer region with one or more of an oxide film, a polysilicon film, and a metal film.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first structure is deeper in the substrate than the second structure and the third structure, and the third structure is shallower than the second structure.

15. A method of manufacturing a backside-illuminated image sensor, the method comprising: forming a deep trench isolation (DTI) region in a substrate and at a boundary of a unit pixel; forming a first structure, a second structure, and a third structure in the substrate and in each unit pixel; forming a color filter on the substrate; and forming a lens on the color filter, wherein forming the first to the third structures comprises: forming a first structure region, a second structure region, and a third structure region through three etching processes; and filling the first to third structure regions.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the DTI region comprises: forming a deep trench by etching a rear surface of the substrate; and filling the deep trench with an insulating film.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein forming the DTI region further comprises: removing, after filling the deep trench, the insulating film on the rear surface of the substrate.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising: forming a light receiving element at or on a front surface of the substrate, wherein the first to third structures are spaced apart from the light receiving element by different distances.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a backside-illuminated image sensor according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the backside-illuminated image sensor according to FIG. 1; and

[0034] FIGS. 3 to 12 are cross-sectional views showing a method of manufacturing the backside-illuminated image sensor according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] Hereinbelow, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the present embodiments may be changed to a variety of other embodiments, and the scope and spirit of the present disclosure are not limited to the embodiments described hereinbelow. The present embodiments described hereinbelow are provided for allowing those skilled in the art to more clearly comprehend the present disclosure.

[0036] As used herein, singular forms are intended to include the corresponding plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms ‘comprise’, ‘include’, ‘have’, etc. when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or combinations thereof.

[0037] Hereinbelow, if it is described that a first component (or layer) is on a second component (or layer), it should be understood that the first component may be directly on the second component, or one or more additional components or layers may be between the first and second components. Furthermore, if it is described that the first component is directly on the second component, no other component is between the first and second components. The terms ‘on’, ‘upper’, ‘lower’, ‘above’, and ‘below’ or beside' the first component may describe a relative positional relationship.

[0038] Meanwhile, when an embodiment can be implemented differently, functions or operations specified in a specific block or sequence may occur in a different order from the order described. For example, two consecutive functions or operations may be performed substantially at the same time or vice versa (in reverse order).

[0039] According to the present disclosure, a backside-illuminated image sensor 1 may include a pixel region P. The pixel region P is a region that absorbs external light incident on the rear surface of a substrate 101, and may include a plurality of unit pixels P1.

[0040] Furthermore, the backside-illuminated image sensor 1 according to the present disclosure may be or comprise, for example, a CMOS image sensor.

[0041] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a backside-illuminated image sensor according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the backside-illuminated image sensor according to FIG. 1.

[0042] Hereinbelow, the backside-illuminated image sensor 1 according to embodiment(s) of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

[0043] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present disclosure relates to the backside-illuminated image sensor 1 and, more particularly, to the backside-illuminated image sensor 1 capable of enhancing light sensitivity by including a scattering layer in the substrate 101 that may result in the path of the incident light being greater than a thickness of the substrate 101 and, simultaneously, of enhancing light sensitivity with respect to a specific wavelength or wavelength band of each color of light passing through a corresponding color filter by placing a scattering layer at different depths in each unit pixel P1.

[0044] The backside-illuminated image sensor 1 may include a substrate 101. The substrate 101 may comprise, for example, an epitaxial substrate (e.g., a monolithic or single-crystal silicon wafer with a layer of silicon or silicon-germanium epitaxially grown thereon), a bulk substrate (e.g., a monolithic or single-crystal silicon wafer), or the like. The substrate 101 may include a front surface 1011 and a rear surface 1013. Furthermore, in the pixel region P of the substrate 101, one or more light receiving elements 110 and one or more transistors (not shown) electrically connected to the one or more light receiving elements 110 may be present. The light receiving element 110 may be at or near the front surface of the substrate 101.

[0045] Furthermore, the light receiving element 110 may be configured to generate electrical charge(s) in response to the incident light. For example, the light receiving element 110 may comprise or consist of known devices that convert received light to an electrical charge, such as a photodiode, a photogate, a phototransistor, etc. and there is no separate limit to the configuration.

[0046] In addition, one or more wiring levels 120 may be on the light receiving element 110, on the front surface of the substrate. Each wiring level 120 may include a metal wiring layer 121 and an insulation layer 123.

[0047] Each metal wiring layer 121 may comprise, for example, an elemental metal film or a metal alloy film (e.g., in which two or more metals, or one or more metals and another element such as silicon, carbon or nitrogen are mixed), and preferably, the metal wiring layer 121 comprises, for example, an aluminum (Al) film.

[0048] The insulation layer 123 may comprise, for example, an insulation material such as a silicon oxide (e.g., doped or undoped silicon dioxide) film, and it is preferable that the metal wiring levels 120 include multiple levels (e.g., by alternately forming the metal wiring layers 121 and the an insulation layers 123). Any metal wiring layer 121 may be connected to an adjacent metal wiring layer 121 by a contact or via plug. The contact or via plug may be formed in the lower insulation layer 123 using a damascene or dual damascene process. To electrically connect a metal wiring layer 121 to an adjacent metal wiring layer 121, the contact or via plug may comprise one or more conductive materials, for example, polycrystalline silicon doped with impurity ions, a metal or alloy, a refractory metal nitride, etc.

[0049] The insulation layer 123 may comprise an oxide film such as a borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG), a phosphosilicate glass (PSG), a borosilicate glass (BSG), an undoped silicate glass (USG), a silicon dioxide derived from tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), or a high-density plasma (HDP)-deposited film (e.g., derived from silane [SiH.sub.4]), or a laminated film comprising two or more layers selected from BPSG, PSG, BSG, USG, TEOS, HDP films and silicon nitride. Furthermore, the insulation layer 123 may be deposited and then be planarized by chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP).

[0050] Furthermore, a deep trench isolation (DTI) region 130 may be in the substrate 101 and at a boundary of the unit pixel P1. The DTI region 130 may function as an isolation film so as to prevent cross-talk, etc. between adjacent unit pixels P1. The DTI region 130 may extend in a direction from the rear surface of the substrate 101 toward the front surface, and preferably, the DTI region 130 may extend to a location adjacent to the front surface.

[0051] The DTI region 130 may comprise one or more BPSG, PSG, BSG, USG, TEOS, and/or HDP films, as well as the lower insulation layer 123, and there is no limit thereto. Furthermore, the DTI region 130 may be formed by one or more cycles of depositing an insulation material (e.g., into deep trenches formed in the substrate 101), and there is no limit thereto. The DTI region 130 may allow the incident light scattered by a scattering layer 140, which will be described later, to be reflected into the unit pixel P1 and toward the light receiving element 110.

[0052] The scattering layer 140 may be in the substrate 101, in each unit pixel P1, and is configured to scatter the incident light passing through a corresponding color filter 150, into the substrate 101. For example, the scattering layer 140 may comprise a silicon oxide film, an elemental metal layer, a metal alloy film, or a polysilicon film, and there is no separate limit thereto. For example, the scattering layer 140 may include the same material as the DTI region 130. Furthermore, the scattering layer 140 in each unit pixel P1 extends from the rear surface 1013 or a depth or location adjacent to the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101 toward the front surface 1011, and extends to a different depth each different color of the color filter 150 in the unit pixels P1. In other words, a different depth for the scattering layer 140 in each color of light results in a different optical path distance.

[0053] For example, in the substrate 101, a first structure 141 in a first unit pixel P1a receiving red light (which has the longest wavelength) may be relatively thicker or deeper than a second structure 143 in a second unit pixel P1b receiving green light. Furthermore, a third structure 145 in a third unit pixel P1c receiving blue light (which has the shortest wavelength) may have the smallest thickness or depth. Alternatively, the second structure 143 or the third structure 145 may have the largest thickness or greatest depth, or the first structure 141 or the second structure 143 may have the smallest thickness or depth, and there is no limit thereto. Furthermore, the scattering layer 140 is preferably in the center of each unit pixel P1. In addition, in order to allow the incident light to be scattered and reflected, preferably, the scattering layer 140 has a width smaller than the gap or distance between adjacent DTI regions 130.

[0054] The color filter 150 may be on the rear surface of the substrate 101. The color filter 150 selects or allows to pass through a predetermined color of light (for example, red light, green light, blue light) from the light received from the lens 160, which will be described later, using a corresponding color (e.g., red, green, or blue) of the color filter 150. The selected color of light is received by the light receiving element 110 of the corresponding unit pixel P1.

[0055] Furthermore, the lens 160 (e.g., a micro lens) is on the color filter 150, and the image sensor 1 includes a plurality of micro lenses 160 on the color filter 150 and focusing the received external light through the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101 onto the light receiving element 110 of the corresponding unit pixel P1.

[0056] FIGS. 3 to 12 are cross-sectional views showing a method of manufacturing the backside-illuminated image sensor according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0057] Hereinbelow, a method of manufacturing the backside-illuminated image sensor according to embodiment(s) of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

[0058] First, referring to FIG. 3, the light receiving element 110 is formed on the front surface 1011 of the substrate 101. The light receiving element 110 may comprise, for example, a photodiode (PD). After then, the wiring level(s) 120 may be formed on the light receiving element 110, on the front surface of the substrate 101. The detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0059] Then, the DTI region 130 is formed in the substrate 101. The DTI region 130 may be formed to a predetermined depth at a boundary between adjacent unit pixels P1. An exemplary process for forming the DTI region 130 will be described. First, referring to FIG. 4, a photoresist layer PR is patterned on the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101, so that one or more portions of the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101 corresponding the DTI regions 130 are exposed. Then, the exposed portions are etched to form a deep trench 131.

[0060] After then, referring to FIG. 5, an insulating film 133 is deposited in the deep trench 131 and on the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101. Referring to FIG. 6, the insulating film 133 on the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101 is removed, for example, by chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP). As described above, the process for forming the DTI region 130 may comprise two or more deposition cycles. Accordingly, the DTI region 130 may be formed at the boundary of the unit pixels P1 as an isolation film.

[0061] After then, the scattering layer 140 is formed. The formation of the scattering layer 140 will be described in detail. Referring to FIG. 7, after a photoresist layer PR2 (not shown) is patterned on the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101, the exposed areas of the substrate 101 are etched to form a first scattering layer formation region or trench 147a. Preferably, the first scattering layer formation region or trench 147a is formed in the center of the unit pixel P1a. Referring to FIG. 8, after a photoresist layer PR3 (not shown) is patterned on the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101, the exposed areas of the substrate 101 are etched to form second scattering layer formation regions or trenches 147b. Preferably, the second scattering layer formation region or trenches 147b are formed in the center of the unit pixels P1b. Referring to FIG. 9, after a photoresist layer PR4 (not shown) is patterned on the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101, the exposed areas of the substrate 101 are etched to form a third scattering layer formation region or trench 147c. Preferably, the third scattering layer formation region or trench 147c is formed in the center of the unit pixel Plc. After then, referring to FIG. 10, an insulating film, polysilicon film, etc. is deposited in the scattering layer formation regions 147a-c and on the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101. The excess insulating film, polysilicon film, etc. on the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101 may be removed by CMP or etchback to form the scattering layer 140.

[0062] As described above, the first to third structures 141,143, and 145 may have different depths or thicknesses. Therefore, preferably, the scattering layer formation regions 147a-c are formed by separate trench-forming process.

[0063] For example, in order to form the first structure 141, after the photoresist layer (not shown) is patterned on the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101, a first trench or structure region 147a is formed, and then a separate photoresist layer (not shown) is patterned again and then a second trench or structure region 147b is formed (referring to FIG. 8), and then a further photoresist layer (not shown) is patterned again and then the third trench or structure region 147c may be formed (referring to FIG. 9). After then, the trenches 147a, 147b, and 147c are filled to form the first to third structures 141, 143, and 145 (referring to FIG. 10). Hereinabove, the first structure 141 is described as being formed first, but the description is arbitrary, and the order in which the trenches or structure regions 147a, 147b, and 147c are formed may be different depending on the process and/or manufacturing flow, and there is no separate limit thereto.

[0064] Afterward, referring to FIG. 11, the color filter 150 may be formed on the rear surface 1013 of the substrate 101 and, referring to FIG. 12, the lens 160 may be formed on the color filter 150. Furthermore, after the color filter 150 is formed and before the lens 160 is formed, a planarization layer (not shown) may be formed on the color filter 150, and after the lens 160 is formed, residual substances on the surface of the lenses 160 may be removed.

[0065] The detailed descriptions disclosed herein are only to illustrate the present disclosure. Furthermore, the foregoing is intended to represent and describe various embodiments of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure may be used in various other combinations, variations, and environments. Changes or modifications are possible within the scope of the concept of the invention disclosed herein, the scope equivalent to the written disclosure, and/or within the scope of skill or knowledge in the art. The above-described embodiments describe various states for implementing the technical idea(s) of the present disclosure, and various changes for specific applications and/or fields of use of the present disclosure are possible. Therefore, the detailed description of the above invention is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the disclosed embodiments.