Method of producing solid-state imaging device

Claim 1

A method for producing a solid-state imaging device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of photosensitive elements for converting light into electric charge, said plurality of photosensitive elements being arranged on a substrate in a matrix form along a first direction and a second direction, wherein a pitch of said photosensitive elements in said first direction is different from a pitch of said photosensitive elements in said second direction; forming a plurality of first charge transfer portions for transferring said electric charge converted in said plurality of photosensitive elements in said first direction, said plurality of first charge transfer portions extending in said first direction and being formed between said plurality of photosensitive elements which are adjacent to each other in said second direction; forming a second charge transfer portion for receiving said electric charge from said plurality of first charge transfer portions and for transferring said electric charge in said second direction, said second charge transfer portion being provided at ends of said plurality of first charge transfer portions; forming a pattern of a material over each of said photosensitive elements, said pattern having substantially the same lengths in said first and said second directions; and forming a light converging portion over each of said photosensitive elements by performing a deforming process for said pattern to deform said pattern into said light converging portion, wherein said light converging portion and light converging portions adjacent thereto are in contact with each other, after the deforming step, in a direction corresponding to the direction of the shortest pitch of said matrix, and are not in contact with each other in a direction corresponding to the direction of the longest pitch of said matrix, and wherein said light converging portion has substantially the same curvatures in said first and said second directions.

Claim 2

A method for producing a solid-state imaging device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of photosensitive elements for converting light into electric charge, said plurality of photosensitive elements being arranged on a substrate in a matrix form along a first direction and a second direction, wherein a pitch of said photosensitive elements in said first direction is different from a pitch of said photosensitive elements in said second direction; forming a plurality of first charge transfer portions for transferring said electric charge converted in said plurality of photosensitive elements in said first direction, said plurality of first charge transfer portions extending in said first direction and being formed between said plurality of photosensitive elements which are adjacent to each other in said second direction; forming a second charge transfer portion for receiving said electric charge from said plurality of first charge transfer portions and for transferring said electric charge in said second direction, said second charge transfer portion being provided at ends of said plurality of first charge transfer portions; forming a pattern of a material over each of said photosensitive elements, said pattern having substantially the same lengths in said first and said second directions; and forming a light converging portion over each of said photosensitive elements by performing a deforming process for said pattern to deform said pattern into said light converging portion, wherein said light converging portion and light converging portions adjacent thereto are in contact with each other, after the deforming step, in a direction corresponding to the direction of the shortest pitch of said matrix, and are not in contact with each other in a direction corresponding to the direction of the longest pitch of said matrix, and wherein said light converging portion has substantially the same curvatures in said first and said second directions.

Claim 5

A method for producing a solid state imaging device, comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of photosensitive elements in a substrate for converting light into electric charge, said plurality of photosensitive elements being arranged in a matrix, wherein a pitch of said photosensitive elements in a first direction of said matrix is different from a pitch of said photosensitive elements in a second direction of said matrix; forming a pattern made of a material over each of said photosensitive elements, said pattern having substantially the same lengths in said first and said second directions of said matrix; and deforming said pattern so as to form a microlens, wherein said microlens and microlenses adjacent thereto are in contact with each other, after the deforming step, in a direction corresponding to the direction of the shortest pitch of said matrix, and are not in contact with each other in a direction corresponding to the direction of the longest pitch of said matrix, and wherein said microlens has substantially the same curvatures in said first and said second directions.

Claim 6

A method for producing a solid state imaging device, comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of photosensitive elements in a substrate for converting light into electric charge, said plurality of photosensitive elements being arranged in a matrix, wherein a pitch of said photosensitive elements in a first direction of said matrix is different from a pitch of said photosensitive elements in a second direction of said matrix; forming a pattern made of a material over each of said photosensitive elements, said pattern having substantially the same lengths in said first and said second directions of said matrix; and deforming said pattern so as to form a microlens, wherein said microlens and microlenses adjacent thereto are in contact with each other, after the deforming step, in a direction corresponding to the direction of the shortest pitch of said matrix, and are not in contact with each other in a direction corresponding to the direction of the longest pitch of said matrix, and wherein said microlens has substantially the same curvatures in said first and said second directions.