Solid-state image sensor and manufacturing process thereof

Claim 2

A solid-state image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial growth semiconductor layer formed on one major surface of said semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric transducing portion including a plurality of photoelectric transducers provided horizontally in a plurality of rows and vertically in a plurality of columns at distances from each other on a surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer, a horizontal scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a horizontal direction, said horizontal scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of columns, a vertical scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a vertical direction, said vertical scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of rows, a field insulating film formed in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer for separating said photoelectric transducers of said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion, and a buried insulating film provided between said field insulating film and said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 3

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer is formed so that said buried insulating film has a width less than 100 μm.

Claim 4

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein a layer of high impurity concentration is formed between said field insulating film and said buried insulating film.

Claim 5

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said semiconductor substrate is of the first conduction type, a semiconductor layer of the second conduction type is formed on a major surface of said semiconductor substrate and said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer is of the second conduction type.

Claim 6

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 4, wherein a bias power supply is connected between said semiconductor substrate of the first conduction type and said semiconductor layer of the second conduction type.

Claim 7

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said photoelectric transducing portion comprises MOS transistors.

Claim 8

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein independent regions in which elements independent of the operation of said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion are formed are provided in peripheral portions outside said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer.

Claim 9

A solid-state image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial growth semiconductor layer formed on one major surface of said semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric transducing portion including a plurality of photoelectric transducers provided horizontally in a plurality of rows and vertically in a plurality of columns at distances from each other on a surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer, a horizontal scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a horizontal direction, said horizontal scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of columns, a vertical scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a vertical direction, said vertical scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of rows, a field insulating film formed in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer for separating said photoelectric transducers of said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion, and a buried insulating film provided between said semiconductor substrate and at least said field insulating film formed in the rows of said photoelectric transducers.

Claim 10

A solid-state image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial growth semiconductor layer formed on one major surface of said semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric transducing portion including a plurality of photoelectric transducers provided horizontally in a plurality of rows and vertically in a plurality of columns at distances from each other on a surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer, a horizontal scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a horizontal direction, said horizontal scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of columns, a vertical scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a vertical direction, said vertical scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of rows, a field insulating film formed in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer for separating said photoelectric transducers of said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion, and a buried insulating film provided between said semiconductor substrate and at least said field insulating film formed in the rows of said photoelectric transducers.

Claim 11

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 8, wherein said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer is formed so that said buried insulating film has a width less than 100 μm.

Claim 12

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 8, wherein a layer of high impurity concentration is formed between said field insulating film and said buried insulating film.

Claim 13

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 8, wherein said semiconductor substrate is of the first conduction type, a semiconductor layer of the second conduction type is formed on a major surface of said semiconductor substrate and said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer is of the second conduction type.

Claim 14

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 11, wherein a bias power supply is connected between said semiconductor substrate of the first conduction type and said semiconductor layer of the second conduction type.

Claim 15

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 8, wherein said photoelectric transducing portion comprises MOS transistors.

Claim 16

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 8, wherein independent regions in which elements independent of the operation of said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion are formed are provided in peripheral portions outside said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer.

Claim 17

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 14, wherein said semiconductor substrate is of the first conduction type, said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer is of the second conduction type, and portions in which a plurality of said photoelectric transducers in rows in said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer are formed are regions in a plurality of horizontal stripes joined with each other and separated between the adjacent rows by said buried insulating film, said regions being connected to said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer in said independent regions.

Claim 18

A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 14, wherein said semiconductor substrate is of the first conduction type, said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer is of the second conduction type, and portions in which a plurality of said photoelectric transducers in columns of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer are formed are regions in a plurality of vertical stripes joined with each other and separated between the adjacent columns by said buried insulating film, said regions being connected to said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer in said independent regions.

Claim 19

A solid-state image sensor as recited in claim 1 wherein said photoelectric transducers comprise nMOS transistors each having gate electrodes and source and drain regions.

Claim 20

In a solid-state image sensor including a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial growth semiconductor layer formed on one major surface of said semiconductor substrate to provide source and drain regions, and gate electrode for controlling conductivity of transistors formed by said semiconductor layer, a photoelectric transducing portion including a plurality of photoelectric transducers provided horizontally in a plurality of rows and vertically in a plurality of columns at distances from each other on a surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer, a horizontal scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a horizontal direction, said horizontal scanning circuit portion scanning succcessively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of columns, a vertical scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a vertical direction, said vertical scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of rows, the improvement comprising: a field insulating film formed in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer for separating said photoelectric transducers of said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion, and a buried insulating film provided between said field insulating film and said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 21

In a solid-state image sensor including a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial growth semiconductor layer formed on one major surface of said semiconductor substrate to provide source and drain regions, and gate electrode for controlling conductivity of transistors formed by said semiconductor layer, a photoelectric transducing portion including a plurality of photoelectric transducers provided horizontally in a plurality of rows and vertically in a plurality of columns at distances from each other on a surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer, a horizontal scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a horizontal direction, said horizontal scanning circuit portion scanning succcessively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of columns, a vertical scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a vertical direction, said vertical scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of rows, the improvement comprising: a field insulating film formed in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer for separating said photoelectric transducers of said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion, and a buried insulating film provided between said field insulating film and said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 22

A solid-state image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial growth semiconductor layer formed on one major surface of said semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric transducing portion including a plurality of photoelectric transducer provided horizontally in a plurality of rows and vertically in a plurality of columns at distances from each other on a surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer, a horizontal scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a horizontal direction, said horizontal scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of columns, a vertical scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a vertical direction, said vertical scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of rows, a field insulating film formed in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer for separating said photoelectric transducers of said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion; and a buried insulating film provided between said semiconductor substrate and at least said field insulating film formed in the columns of said photoelectric transducers.

Claim 23

A solid-state image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial growth semiconductor layer formed on one major surface of said semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric transducing portion including a plurality of photoelectric transducer provided horizontally in a plurality of rows and vertically in a plurality of columns at distances from each other on a surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer, a horizontal scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a horizontal direction, said horizontal scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of columns, a vertical scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a vertical direction, said vertical scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of rows, a field insulating film formed in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer for separating said photoelectric transducers of said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion; and a buried insulating film provided between said semiconductor substrate and at least said field insulating film formed in the columns of said photoelectric transducers.

Claim 24

A solid-state image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial growth semiconductor layer formed on one major surface of said semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric transducing portion including a plurality of photoelectric transducers provided horizontally in a plurality of rows and vertically in a plurality of columns at distances from each other on a surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer, a horizontal scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a horizontal direction, said horizontal scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of columns, a vertical scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a vertical direction, said vertical scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of rows, a field insulating film formed in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer for separating said photoeletric transducers of said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion, and a buried insulating film provided between said semiconductor substrate and both said field insulating film formed in the rows of said photoelectric transducers and said field insulating film formed in the columns of said photoelectric transducers.

Claim 25

A solid-state image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial growth semiconductor layer formed on one major surface of said semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric transducing portion including a plurality of photoelectric transducers provided horizontally in a plurality of rows and vertically in a plurality of columns at distances from each other on a surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer, a horizontal scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a horizontal direction, said horizontal scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of columns, a vertical scanning circuit portion provided in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer at a distance from said photoelectric transducing portion, in parallel with said photoelectric transducers in a vertical direction, said vertical scanning circuit portion scanning successively said photoelectric transducers in said plurality of rows, a field insulating film formed in the surface of said epitaxial growth semiconductor layer for separating said photoeletric transducers of said photoelectric transducing portion, said horizontal scanning circuit portion and said vertical scanning circuit portion, and a buried insulating film provided between said semiconductor substrate and both said field insulating film formed in the rows of said photoelectric transducers and said field insulating film formed in the columns of said photoelectric transducers.