US5976907A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Solid state imaging device and production method for the same
Assignee: Collabo Innovations Inc
•
Filing: 1998-01-09
•
Granted: 1999-11-02
•
Expires: 2018-01-09
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides a solid state imaging device with high photosensitivity. A lens resin coated on the surface of the device is subjected to an exposing treatment using lens masks and a developing treatment, thereby forming lens patterns. After improving the light transmittance of the lens patterns through irradiation of UV, the lens patterns are heated so as to form micro lenses each in the shape of a hemisphere. At this point, the heating temperature is set at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the lens patterns are completely melted. As a result, the lens patterns are prevented from flowing out, and a distance between the adjacent micro lenses becomes equal to a distance between the adjacent lens patterns. Accordingly, by making small the distance between the adjacent lens patterns, the light receiving area of each micro lens can be enlarged.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoko Shigeta
- 👤 Michiyo Ichikawa
- 👤 Akira Tsukamoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 04:56
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/80; H10F39/806; H10F39/8063; H10F77/00; H10F77/30; H10F77/306; H10F77/331; H10F77/40; H10F77/413
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A production method for a solid state imaging device comprising: a resist coating step of coating light receiving portions formed on a semiconductor substrate with a lens resin; a patterning step of making the lens resin into desired patterns so as to form lens patterns; and a lens forming step of forming micro lenses for collecting light on the light receiving portions by heating the lens patterns, wherein the lens forming step includes a step of forming the micro lenses at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the lens patterns are substantially completely melted.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
A production method for a solid state imaging device comprising: a resist coating step of coating light receiving portions formed on a semiconductor substrate with a lens resin; a patterning step of making the lens resin into desired patterns so as to form lens patterns; and a lens forming step of forming micro lenses for collecting light on the light receiving portions by heating the lens patterns, wherein the lens forming step includes a step of forming the micro lenses at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the lens patterns are substantially completely melted.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The production method for a solid state imaging device of claim 1, wherein the lens forming step includes a step of forming the micro lenses so as not to change a distance between the adjacent lens patterns and a distance between the adjacent micro lenses to be formed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The production method for a solid state imaging device of claim 1, wherein the resist coating step includes a step of coating the lens resin in a thickness larger than a half of a shorter side of a bottom in the shape of a rectangle of each micro lens to be formed in the lens forming step.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
95 words
A production method for a solid state imaging device comprising: an insulating film forming step of forming an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having light receiving portions and having recesses in areas where the light receiving portions are formed; and a flattening layer forming step of forming a flattening layer on the insulating film for flattening a surface of the insulating film, wherein the flattening layer forming step includes a step of forming the flattening layer out of a material having a larger refractive index than that of the insulating film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
A production method for a solid state imaging device comprising: an insulating film forming step of forming an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having light receiving portions and having recesses in areas where the light receiving portions are formed; and a flattening layer forming step of forming a flattening layer on the insulating film for flattening a surface of the insulating film, wherein the flattening layer forming step includes a step of forming the flattening layer out of a material having a larger refractive index than that of the insulating film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
176 words
A production method for a solid state imaging device comprising: an insulating film forming step of forming an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having light receiving portions and having recesses in areas where the light receiving portions are formed; a flattening layer forming step of forming a flattening layer on the insulating film for flattening a surface of the insulating film; a resist coating step of coating the light receiving portions with a lens resin; a patterning step of making the lens resin into desired patterns so as to form lens patterns; and a lens forming step of forming micro lenses for collecting light on the light receiving portions by heating the lens patterns, wherein the flattening layer forming step includes a step of forming the flattening layer out of a material having a larger refractive index than that of the insulating film, and the lens forming step includes a step of forming the micro lenses at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the lens patterns are substantially completely melted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
176 words
A production method for a solid state imaging device comprising: an insulating film forming step of forming an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having light receiving portions and having recesses in areas where the light receiving portions are formed; a flattening layer forming step of forming a flattening layer on the insulating film for flattening a surface of the insulating film; a resist coating step of coating the light receiving portions with a lens resin; a patterning step of making the lens resin into desired patterns so as to form lens patterns; and a lens forming step of forming micro lenses for collecting light on the light receiving portions by heating the lens patterns, wherein the flattening layer forming step includes a step of forming the flattening layer out of a material having a larger refractive index than that of the insulating film, and the lens forming step includes a step of forming the micro lenses at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the lens patterns are substantially completely melted.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The production method for a solid state imaging device of claim 5, wherein the lens forming step includes a step of forming the micro lenses so as not to change a distance between the adjacent lens patterns and a distance between the adjacent micro lenses to be formed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
The production method for a solid state imaging device of claim 5, wherein the resist coating step includes a step of coating the lens resin in a thickness larger than a half of a shorter side of a bottom in the shape of a rectangle of each micro lens to be formed in the lens forming step.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
123 words
A production method for a solid state imaging device comprising: an insulating film forming step of forming an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having light receiving portions and having recesses in areas where the light receiving portions are formed; and a flattening layer forming step of forming a flattening layer on the insulating film for flattening a surface of the insulating film, wherein the flattening layer forming step includes a step of forming the flattening layer out of a material which has a larger refractive index than that of the insulating film and is melted into a liquid state through a heat treatment, so as to melt the material by heating, thereby flattening a surface of the flattening layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
123 words
A production method for a solid state imaging device comprising: an insulating film forming step of forming an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having light receiving portions and having recesses in areas where the light receiving portions are formed; and a flattening layer forming step of forming a flattening layer on the insulating film for flattening a surface of the insulating film, wherein the flattening layer forming step includes a step of forming the flattening layer out of a material which has a larger refractive index than that of the insulating film and is melted into a liquid state through a heat treatment, so as to melt the material by heating, thereby flattening a surface of the flattening layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
204 words
A production method for a solid state imaging device comprising: an insulating film forming step of forming an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having light receiving portions and having recesses in areas where the light receiving portions are formed; a flattening layer forming step of forming a flattening layer on the insulating film for flattening a surface of the insulating film; a resist coating step of coating the light receiving portions with a lens resin; a patterning step of making the lens resin into desired patterns so as to form lens patterns; and a lens forming step of forming micro lenses for collecting light on the light receiving portions by heating the lens patterns, wherein the flattening layer forming step includes a step of forming the flattening layer out of a material which has a larger refractive index than that of the insulating film and is melted into a liquid state through a heat treatment, so as to melt the material by heating, thereby flattening a surface of the flattening layer, and the lens forming step includes a step of forming the micro lenses at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the lens patterns are substantially completely melted.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
204 words
A production method for a solid state imaging device comprising: an insulating film forming step of forming an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having light receiving portions and having recesses in areas where the light receiving portions are formed; a flattening layer forming step of forming a flattening layer on the insulating film for flattening a surface of the insulating film; a resist coating step of coating the light receiving portions with a lens resin; a patterning step of making the lens resin into desired patterns so as to form lens patterns; and a lens forming step of forming micro lenses for collecting light on the light receiving portions by heating the lens patterns, wherein the flattening layer forming step includes a step of forming the flattening layer out of a material which has a larger refractive index than that of the insulating film and is melted into a liquid state through a heat treatment, so as to melt the material by heating, thereby flattening a surface of the flattening layer, and the lens forming step includes a step of forming the micro lenses at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the lens patterns are substantially completely melted.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The production method for a solid state imaging device of claim 9, wherein the lens forming step includes a step of forming the micro lenses so as not to change a distance between the adjacent lens patterns and a distance between the adjacent micro lenses to be formed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
The production method for a solid state imaging device of claim 9, wherein the resist coating step includes a step of coating the lens resin in a thickness larger than a half of a shorter side of a bottom in the shape of a rectangle of each micro lens to be formed in the lens forming step.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPH03276677A
Cited
JPH0474470A
Cited
EP0511404A1
Cited
US5250798A
Cited
US5132251A
Cited
JPH05206429A
Cited
US5466926A
Cited
JPH05251674A
Cited
EP0573219A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-11-01 | 2003-05-03 | 2003-11-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-01 | 2007-05-03 | 2007-11-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-01 | 2011-05-03 | 2011-11-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |