Patent US5593913A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5593913A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of manufacturing solid state imaging device having high sensitivity and exhibiting high degree of light utilization
Assignee: Sharp Corp
•
Filing: 1995-05-24
•
Granted: 1997-01-14
•
Expires: 2015-05-24
Abstract
Abstract There are provided a solid state imaging device having high sensitivity and exhibiting high degree of light utilization and a method of manufacturing the same. An insulating film 42, a transfer electrode 43, a light shielding film 44, a protective film 45, and a flat layer 51 are formed above a layer having a photoelectric conversion portion, and a concave lens layer 52 is formed on the flat layer 51 to a lattice pattern. The concave lens layer 52 of the lattice pattern is hot melted for conversion into a concave type micro-lens 52. A resin layer 53 having a refractive index smaller than that of the concave lens 52, a buffer layer 54, and a convex type micro-lens 57 are sequentially formed above the concave type micro-lens 52. The concave type micro-lens 52 functions to bring light rays focused by the convex type micro-lens 57 to a position close to light incident vertically upon the photoelectric conversion portion 41.
Inventors
- 👤 Tetsuro Aoki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:41
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/80; H10F39/805; G; G02; G02B; G02B3/00; G02B3/0006; G02B3/0012; G02B3/0018; H10F39/011; H10F39/024; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/15; H10F39/806; H10F39/8063; H10F77/00; H10F77/40; H10F77/413; H10F39/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of manufacturing a solid state imaging device wherein a concave type micro-lens layer, a support layer, and a convex type micro-lens are sequentially formed on a photoelectric conversion portion, the method comprising the steps of: forming a layer of transparent material above the photoelectric conversion portion, said layer of transparent material having a refractive index higher than that of each of the convex type micro-lens and the support layer; forming a resist lattice pattern of photosensitive resin material over the surface of the layer of transparent material, said lattice pattern having a through-hole opposite to the photoelectric conversion portion; hot-melting the resist lattice pattern to convert the resist lattice pattern into a resist layer having a concave micro-lens configuration; and etching the resist layer, thereby transferring the concave micro-lens configuration of the resist layer onto the layer of transparent material underlying the resist layer so that the layer of transparent material is converted into the concave type micro-lens layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of manufacturing a solid state imaging device wherein a concave type micro-lens layer, a support layer, and a convex type micro-lens are sequentially formed on a photoelectric conversion portion, the method comprising the steps of: forming a layer of transparent material above the photoelectric conversion portion, said layer of transparent material having a refractive index higher than that of each of the convex type micro-lens and the support layer; forming a resist lattice pattern of photosensitive resin material over the surface of the layer of transparent material, said lattice pattern having a through-hole opposite to the photoelectric conversion portion; hot-melting the resist lattice pattern to convert the resist lattice pattern into a resist layer having a concave micro-lens configuration; and etching the resist layer, thereby transferring the concave micro-lens configuration of the resist layer onto the layer of transparent material underlying the resist layer so that the layer of transparent material is converted into the concave type micro-lens layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said etching step is a dry etching step.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of manufacturing a solid state imaging device wherein a concave type micro-lens layer, a support layer, and a convex type micro-lens are sequentially formed above a photoelectric conversion portion, the method comprising the steps of: forming a lattice pattern layer of photosensitive resin material above the photoelectric conversion portion so as to enable lens formation, said photosensitive resin material having a light transmission property and a refractive index higher than that of a constituent material of the support layer, said lattice pattern layer having a through-hole opposite to the photoelectric conversion portion; and hot-melting the lattice pattern layer, whereby the lattice pattern layer is converted into the concave type micro-lens layer.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of manufacturing a solid state imaging device wherein a concave type micro-lens layer, a support layer, and a convex type micro-lens are sequentially formed above a photoelectric conversion portion, the method comprising the steps of: forming a lattice pattern layer of photosensitive resin material above the photoelectric conversion portion so as to enable lens formation, said photosensitive resin material having a light transmission property and a refractive index higher than that of a constituent material of the support layer, said lattice pattern layer having a through-hole opposite to the photoelectric conversion portion; and hot-melting the lattice pattern layer, whereby the lattice pattern layer is converted into the concave type micro-lens layer.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of manufacturing a solid state imaging device wherein a concave type micro-lens layer, a support layer, and a convex type micro-lens are sequentially formed above a photoelectric conversion portion, the method comprising the steps of: forming a lattice pattern layer above the photoelectric conversion portion by patterning a photosensitive resin material to a lattice configuration and curing said photosensitive resin material, said lattice pattern layer having a through-hole opposite to the photoelectric conversion portion; and forming an overcoat layer made of transparent resin on the lattice pattern layer so that the overcoat layer becomes the concave type micro-lens layer.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of manufacturing a solid state imaging device wherein a concave type micro-lens layer, a support layer, and a convex type micro-lens are sequentially formed above a photoelectric conversion portion, the method comprising the steps of: forming a lattice pattern layer above the photoelectric conversion portion by patterning a photosensitive resin material to a lattice configuration and curing said photosensitive resin material, said lattice pattern layer having a through-hole opposite to the photoelectric conversion portion; and forming an overcoat layer made of transparent resin on the lattice pattern layer so that the overcoat layer becomes the concave type micro-lens layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said overcoat layer made of transparent resin has a refractivity substantially equal to that of polystyrene.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 4 further including a step of adding another overcoat layer made of resin having a lower refractivity than said concave type micro-lens layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the formation of said concave type micro-lens layer is controlled by adjusting a line width of a resist pattern of said lattice pattern layer.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of manufacturing a solid state imaging device wherein a concave type micro-lens layer, a support layer, and a convex type micro-lens are sequentially formed above a photoelectric conversion portion, the method comprising steps of: forming a concave micro-lens over said photoelectric conversion portion; depositing a resist on the concave micro-lens; exposing the resist by photolithography to form a lattice pattern which surrounds an aperture portion opposite to said photoelectric conversion portion; curing the resist; and overcoating the resist and the concave microlens with a resin, after the curing step to form a concave lens seat.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of manufacturing a solid state imaging device wherein a concave type micro-lens layer, a support layer, and a convex type micro-lens are sequentially formed above a photoelectric conversion portion, the method comprising steps of: forming a concave micro-lens over said photoelectric conversion portion; depositing a resist on the concave micro-lens; exposing the resist by photolithography to form a lattice pattern which surrounds an aperture portion opposite to said photoelectric conversion portion; curing the resist; and overcoating the resist and the concave microlens with a resin, after the curing step to form a concave lens seat.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 8 further including the step of providing a further overcoating resin on said concave lens seat, said further overcoating resin having a higher refractivity than the resin.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said further overcoating resin has a refractivity substantially equal to that of polystyrene.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said resin has a lower refractivity than said concave microlens.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4667092A
Cited
US4694185A
Cited
US5248576A
Cited
US5239412A
Cited
US5118924A
Cited
US5321297A
Cited
US5132251A
Cited
US5306926A
Cited
US5266501A
Cited
EP0524714A1
Cited
US5323052A
Cited
US5371397A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-01-14 | 2000-07-15 | 2001-01-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-01-14 | 2004-07-15 | 2005-01-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-01-14 | 2008-07-15 | 2009-01-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |