KR20120118286A - Image sensor module, imaging apparatus including the module and method for manufacturing the module - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An image sensor module, a video apparatus including the same, and a method for manufacturing an image sensor are provided to improve durability by improving bonding between a sensor chip and a carrier module. CONSTITUTION: A sensor chip(1) comprises a base layer and a porous layer. The base layer comprises a sensor array(11). The sensor array creates data from incident light. A pad is electrically connected to the sensor array. The porous layer is arranged on a second side of the base layer. A carrier module(2) is combined with the sensor chip at a first side of the base layer. The carrier module is electrically connected to the sensor chip through a through via electrode(25).

Description

Image sensor module, an imaging apparatus including the same, and a method for manufacturing the image sensor module

The present invention relates to an image sensor module and an image device, and more particularly, to an image sensor module having a simplified structure, easy to manufacture, and low manufacturing cost, an image device using the same, and a method of manufacturing the same.

In general, the image sensor module generates data from light incident on the sensor array so that a user can acquire data about an image. However, the conventional image sensor module has a problem that the manufacturing process is complicated and inefficient, and the manufacturing cost is high.

The present invention has been made to solve various problems including the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image sensor module and a method of manufacturing the same, which have a simplified structure, are easy to manufacture, and have a low manufacturing cost. However, these problems are exemplary and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a sensor chip having a first surface and a second surface opposed to each other, including a base layer including a sensor array and a porous layer disposed on a second surface of the base layer, An image sensor module is provided having a carrier module coupled to the sensor chip on the first side and electrically connected to the sensor chip through a through via electrode penetrating therein.

The base layer may include an episilicon layer, and the porous layer may include a porous polysilicon layer.

According to another aspect of the present invention, (i) a base layer having a first surface and a second surface opposed to each other, including a sensor array, a porous layer disposed on the second surface of the base layer, and Providing a presensor chip comprising a support layer disposed opposite the base layer to allow the porous layer to intervene, and (ii) separating the support layer from the porous layer. This is provided.

The method may further include coupling a carrier module having a through-via electrode penetrating therein to the presensor chip at the first surface of the base layer.

The separating may be performed after the combining.

Coupling a carrier module having a through via hole penetrating therein to the presensor chip at the first surface of the base layer, and forming a through via electrode electrically connected to the presensor chip through the through via hole; It may further include.

The separating may be performed after the combining and forming the through via electrode.

The separating of the support layer from the porous layer may be performed by thermally separating using the thermal expansion coefficient of the support layer and the thermal expansion coefficient of the porous layer.

The method may further include laser annealing the exposed surface of the porous layer as the support layer is separated.

The base layer may include an episilicon layer, and the porous layer may include a porous polysilicon layer.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an imaging device comprising the image sensor module as described above.

According to one embodiment of the present invention made as described above, an image sensor module, a imaging device using the same, and a method of manufacturing the same can be implemented. Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited by these effects.

1 to 7 are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a method of manufacturing an image sensor module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a circuit diagram illustrating one sensor included in a sensor array.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, Is provided to fully inform the user. Also, for convenience of explanation, the components may be exaggerated or reduced in size.

1 to 7 are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a method of manufacturing an image sensor module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, a presensor chip 1 'is prepared. The presensor chip 1 'is a component that will be the sensor chip 1 in the future. The presensor chip 1 'includes a base layer 10, a porous layer 17, and a support layer 19.

The base layer 10 may include an episilicon layer. In this case, the base layer 10 may include a group IV semiconductor wafer or a group III-V compound semiconductor. The base layer 10 has a first and second surfaces opposed to each other and includes a sensor array 11 capable of generating data from incident light.

In the drawing, the sensor array 11 is formed on the first surface of the base layer 10 toward the future carrier module 2 (see FIG. 2), but the present invention is not limited thereto. Various modifications are possible such that the sensor array 11 may be located in the sensor array 11 and the sensor array 11 may be formed on the second surface of the base layer 10 facing the porous layer 17. In addition, the base layer 10 may also have a single layer or a multilayer structure.

The pad 13, which may be electrically connected to the sensor array 11, may also be formed in the base layer 10. In the drawing, the pad 13 may further include a first surface on a first surface that faces the carrier module 2 of the base layer 10. It is shown that the pad 13 is located in a groove formed on the surface of the insulating layer 15 formed and facing the carrier module 2 of the first insulating layer 15. The pad 13 may be electrically connected to the sensor array 11, in which case the pad 13 may be a data input / output path between the sensor array 11 and an external device. The number of pads 13 may be appropriately selected depending on the capacity and use of the sensor chip 1. The first insulating layer 15 may include a stack structure of one or more insulating layers. For example, the first insulating layer 15 may be understood in a broad sense including an interlayer insulating layer and a passivation layer.

The porous layer 17 is disposed on a second surface opposite to the first surface, which is the surface facing the carrier module 2 of the base layer 10. Such porous layer 17 may comprise, for example, a porous polysilicon layer.

The support layer 19 is disposed opposite the base layer 10 of the porous layer 17 such that the porous layer 17 is interposed between the base layer 10 and the support layer 19. The support layer 19 may be a bulk wafer. The support layer 19 is intended to facilitate handling during the manufacturing process of the image sensor module. That is, as the image sensor module is miniaturized and thinned, it is not easy to handle it during the manufacturing process. By using the support layer 19 of sufficient size, the ease of handling of the presensor chip 1 'during the manufacturing process can be improved. .

The presensor chip 1 'forms a porous polysilicon layer to be the porous layer 17 by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on the bulk wafer to be the support layer 19, and on the polysilicon layer It may be prepared by forming an episilicon layer to be the base layer 10 by low temperature chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The sensor array 11 is formed in the base layer 10, the sensor array 11 is formed on the surface of the base layer 10, or an additional layer is formed on the base layer 10. May be formed.

Thereafter, the carrier module 2 is aligned with the presensor chip 1 'as shown in FIG. 2 to couple the carrier module 2 and the presensor chip 1' as shown in FIG. Specifically, the carrier module 2 is coupled to the presensor chip 1 'at the first surface side of the base layer 10. Of course, if the presensor chip 1 'has the first insulating layer 15 on the first surface of the base layer 10 as shown in the figure, the carrier module 2 on the first insulating layer 15 Various modifications are possible, such as to be coupled to the pre-sensor chip (1 ').

The carrier module 2 has a through via hole 21 penetrating therein. The through via hole 21 may partially or entirely correspond to the pad 13. In the drawing, two pads 13 and two through via holes 21 are illustrated, but the number of pads 13 and through via holes 21 may be varied. The carrier module 2 does not include a circuit device constituting an active circuit such as a memory device, a logic device, and the like. Therefore, the carrier module 2 is distinguished from a semiconductor chip including a circuit element.

As described above, the carrier module 2 may be prepared before the presensor chip 1 ′ and the carrier module 2 are coupled to each other. Herein, the carrier module 2 may mean only the carrier base 20 as a base, or may include a carrier base 20 and a first insulating layer 23 to be described later. That is, the carrier module 2 may include the carrier base 20 without the second insulating layer 23, or may include both the carrier base 20 and the second insulating layer 23. Of course, the carrier module 2 may also have other additional components.

The carrier base 20 may be made of various materials such as an insulating substrate, a semiconductor substrate, a flexible substrate, and the like, and for example, a wafer may be used. In this case, the carrier module 2 may be manufactured using a pre-sensor chip 1 'manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing process, and as a result, the manufacturing cost of the carrier module 2 may be significantly reduced.

The carrier module 2 may be formed by forming a through via hole 21 in the carrier base 20 and then forming a second insulating layer 23. The second insulating layer 23 faces the presensor chip 1 ′ of the carrier module 2, the side facing the presensor chip 1 ′ of the carrier module 2, and the side of the carrier module 2. The through via hole 21 may be formed on an inner surface thereof. The second insulating layer 23 may be formed through, for example, a thermal oxidation process. Of course, in addition to that it can also be formed using chemical vapor deposition. The second insulating layer 23 may include an oxide layer, a nitride layer, or a stacked structure thereof. For example, if the wafer is used as the carrier base 20, the second insulating layer 23 formed through the thermal oxidation process may be a silicon oxide layer. Of course, if necessary, the second insulating layer may not be formed except the surface facing the presensor chip 1 ′ of the carrier module 2.

As described above, when the carrier module 2 is aligned with the presensor chip 1 ′ as described above, when the carrier module 2 and the presensor chip 1 ′ are combined, the thermal bonding process is performed. Can be combined using. In detail, the presensor chip 1 ′ and the carrier module 2 may be coupled to each other by thermally bonding the first insulating layer 15 and the second insulating layer 23.

According to the combination of the presensor chip 1 ′ and the carrier module 2, the first insulating layer 15 and the second insulating layer 23 may be integrated as shown in the drawing. As described above, the presensor chip 1 ′ and the carrier module 2 may be thermally bonded. In this case, the first insulating layer 15 and the second insulating layer 23 may be integrated. In particular, when the first insulating layer 15 and the second insulating layer 23 are made of the same component, such as silicon oxide, a boundary does not exist between the first insulating layer 15 and the second insulating layer 23. As a result, the degree of bonding between the sensor chip and the carrier module can be further increased, thereby significantly increasing the durability of the image sensor module.

On the other hand, when the first insulating layer 15 and the second insulating layer 23 are formed of different materials or have the same material or have different densities, etc., the presensor chip 1 'and the carrier module 2 ) May have a boundary between the first insulating layer 15 and the second insulating layer 23 even if the thermal bonding. For example, when the first insulating layer 15 is formed by evaporation and the second insulating layer 23 is formed by a thermal oxidation process, the density may be different even if the same material is used.

After bonding the presensor chip 1 ′ and the carrier module 2, the through via electrode 25 is formed in the through via hole 21 as shown in FIG. 4, and the through via is formed through the through via hole 21. The electrode 25 may be electrically connected to the pad 13. The through via electrode 25 may be formed of a conductive material, and the through via electrode 25 may include aluminum or copper. If necessary, as shown in FIG. 4, a bump 27 electrically connected to the through via electrode 25 may be formed. The data generated by the sensor array 11 may be transmitted to the outside through the through via electrode 25 and / or the bump 27. In some cases, the through via electrode 25 may also be referred to as a component of the carrier module 2. The bumps 27 may comprise, for example, solder materials and may also be called solder bumps or solder balls.

In the drawing, the through via electrode 25 is illustrated as being integrated, but this is merely illustrated as such for convenience of illustration and may actually include a plurality of components. The through via electrode 25 fills the through via hole 21 and has a through via electrode body existing only in a portion that does not protrude out of the carrier base 20, and a through via electrode bump protruding out of the carrier base 20. It may be included. In this case, the through via electrode body and the through via electrode bumps may be formed at the same time or may be sequentially formed. Furthermore, a separate conductive layer is formed between the through via electrode body and the through via electrode bump, for example, a barrier layer having one or more stacked structures selected from titanium (Ti), cobalt (Co), tantalum (Ta), TiN, and TaN. Of course, various modifications which may be intervened are possible. In some cases, a through via electrode having only a through via electrode body without a through via electrode bump may be assumed.

Furthermore, a barrier layer (not shown) may be present between the through via electrode 25 and the first insulating layer 23 to prevent the metal material included in the through via electrode 25 from being diffused into the carrier base 20. have. The barrier layer may include titanium (Ti), cobalt (Co), tantalum (Ta), TiN or TaN, and may be formed using a sputtering method or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The through via electrode 25 may be formed using a sputtering method and / or a plating method. For example, the through via electrode 25 including copper may be formed using a plating method.

After the through via electrode 25 is formed, the support layer 19 is separated from the porous layer 17 as shown in FIG. 5. This separation can be made to separate from each other by applying appropriate heat by utilizing the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient of the support layer 19 and the thermal expansion coefficient of the porous layer 17. Of course, alternatively, the support layer 19 may be separated from the porous layer 17. The base layer 10 and the porous layer 17 from which the supporting layer 19 is removed may be referred to as a sensor chip 1. Of course, as shown, the sensor chip 1 may also include the first insulating layer 15.

The support layer 19 has been used for ease of handling of the presensor chip 1 ', but the carrier layer 2 and the presensor chip 1' are easily coupled even when the support layer 19 is not provided. The support layer 19 is separated. Of course, unlike the above, various modifications may be made, such as combining the presensor chip 1 ′ with the carrier module 2, separating the support layer 19 into the porous layer 17, and forming the through via electrode 25. It is possible.

After separating the support layer 19, as shown in FIG. 6, the exposed surface of the porous layer 17 is laser annealed as the support layer 19 is separated. As a result of this laser annealing, the portion adjacent to the base layer 10 of the porous layer 17 has the same structure as the base layer 10, and the thickness of the base layer 10 as shown in Figs. As a result, the thickness of the porous layer 17 becomes thinner. That is, since the base layer 10 is an episilicon layer and the porous layer 17 is a porous polysilicon layer, a portion adjacent to the episilicon layer of the porous polysilicon layer is recrystallized and episilized by laser annealing.

When the image sensor module is completed, light enters through the outer surface 17a of the porous layer 17 and enters the sensor array 11. In this case, when the porous layer 17 such as the porous polysilicon layer is positioned on the optical path, light loss may occur. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, laser annealing is performed so that a substantial portion of the portion of the porous polysilicon layer facing the episilicon layer is episilized through recrystallization, thereby passing the porous polysilicon layer passing distance on the optical path. The performance of the image sensor module can be dramatically improved by reducing.

On the other hand, the porous layer 17 has a large roughness of the outer surface (17a) because of the property of porosity, the roughness is reduced by performing the laser annealing. However, if the roughness is excessively reduced, it cannot function as an anti-reflection layer (AR layer). Therefore, the porous layer 17, which is the porous polysilicon layer, is not all episilicated, and even after the laser annealing, the porous layer 17 is finally left as shown in FIG. 7, and the outer surface 17a is the anti-reflection layer. Can function. In this case, the outer surface 17a of the porous layer 17 may have a pitch smaller than the wavelength of light detected by the sensor array 11, for example, within 400 μm.

According to the method of manufacturing an image sensor module according to the present embodiment, the handling layer 19 can be greatly improved since the support layer 19 is used in manufacturing a small and thin image sensor module.

Of course, after forming an episilicon layer on the thick bulk silicon layer, forming a sensor array, and bonding the carrier module, the bulk silicon layer is thinned by etching (thinning) using chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). It may be considered to manufacture a sensor module. However, in this case, when the bulk silicon layer is etched, there is a problem that it is not easy to control the thickness of the bulk silicon layer after the etching to be very constant over the entire surface of the image sensor module.

On the other hand, in the manufacturing method according to the present embodiment, the porous layer 17 is formed on the support layer 19 by chemical vapor deposition, and the support layer 19 is simply separated afterwards, and the porous layer formed by chemical vapor deposition ( 17) can be formed by controlling the thickness very precisely, such a problem does not occur.

On the other hand, unlike the manufacturing method according to the present embodiment, it may be considered to separate the bulk silicon layer later using a silicon on insulator (SOI) structure of the bulk silicon layer-silicon oxide layer-episilicon layer, but the SOI itself is very expensive. There is a problem. However, the manufacturing method of the image sensor module according to the present embodiment does not use such an expensive SOI, thereby making it possible to manufacture a cheap and high quality image sensor module.

Meanwhile, in the above-described embodiment, the through via electrode 25 is formed in the through via hole 21 after the carrier module 2 having the through via hole 21 and the presensor chip 1 'are combined. This is not limited to this. For example, after preparing the carrier module 2 having the through via hole 21 and the through via electrode 25 penetrating therein, the carrier module 2 and the presensor chip 1 'may be combined.

The manufactured image sensor module may have a structure as shown in FIG. 7, which may be referred to as an image sensor module according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, the image sensor module according to the present embodiment includes a sensor chip 1 and a carrier module 2.

The sensor chip 1 has a base layer 10 including a sensor array 11 having a first surface and a second surface facing each other, and a porous layer 17 disposed on a second surface of the base layer 10. It includes. The carrier module 2 is coupled to the sensor chip 1 on the first surface side of the base layer 10 and is electrically connected to the sensor chip 1 through a through via electrode 25 penetrating therein. Here, the base layer 10 may include an episilicon layer, and the porous layer 17 may include a porous polysilicon layer. Such components of the image sensor module according to the present embodiment may refer to the description of the method of manufacturing the image sensor module according to the above-described embodiment.

In detail, the sensor chip 1 includes a sensor array 11 and a pad 13, and the carrier module 2 has a through-via hole 21 corresponding to the pad 13 at least partially. It is disposed above the sensor chip 1. The through via electrode 25 is electrically connected to the pad 13 through the through via hole 21. The pad 13 may be electrically connected to the sensor array 11 to become a transmission path of data generated by the sensor array 11. The through via electrode 25 may be part of the carrier module 2 or may be an independent configuration separated from the carrier module 2.

Such an image sensor module according to the present embodiment has a simpler configuration than a conventional image sensor module, thereby dramatically increasing the yield in the manufacturing process, thereby reducing manufacturing costs, and reducing the possibility of malfunction or malfunction of the image sensor module. It can be lowered significantly.

Meanwhile, as shown in the drawing, a second insulating layer 23 is further provided on the surface of the carrier module 2 in the direction of the sensor chip 1, and the second insulating layer 23 is a through via hole 21. It may be made to have an opening corresponding to.

Since the sensor chip 1 and the carrier module 2 are bonded to each other, an adhesive layer (not shown) may exist between the sensor chip 1 and the carrier module 2. Alternatively, however, the sensor chip 1 and the carrier module 2 may be thermally bonded. In particular, the first insulating layer 15 is present on the surface of the sensor chip 1 in the direction of the carrier module 2 and the carrier module is present. When the second insulating layer 23 is present on the surface in the direction of the sensor chip 1 in (2), the second insulating layer 23 and the first insulating layer 15 are bonded to each other through thermal bonding so that the sensor can be bonded without an adhesive. The chip 1 and the carrier module 2 may be bonded to each other. In this case, since the sensor chip 1 and the carrier module 2 can be bonded using ordinary heating means without requiring an adhesive or the like, the manufacturing cost of the image sensor module can be reduced.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram illustrating one sensor that may be included in the sensor array 11 in the embodiments and modifications thereof described so far. FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram specifically illustrating a CMOS sensor, which includes a photodiode 185, a transfer transistor 188, a reset transistor 158, a drive transistor 168, and a selection transistor. transistor 178).

Photodiode 185 is provided with light energy and thus generates a charge. The transfer transistor 188 may control the transfer of the generated charges to the floating node 190 by the transfer gate line TG. The reset transistor 158 may control the input power supply V _dd by the reset gate line RS to reset the potential of the floating node 190. The drive transistor 168 may serve as a source follower amplifier. The selection transistor 178 is a switching element capable of selecting a unit pixel by the selection gate line SEL.

When the reset transistor 158 is turned on, the potential of the floating node 190 is reset, and when the transfer gate line TG is turned on, the potential of the floating node 190 is changed according to the amount of charge generated by the photodiode 185. The potential is different. When the potential of the floating node 190 is changed, a potential difference is generated between the gate electrode and the source electrode of the drive transistor 168, and the magnitude of the potential difference is such that the potential of the floating node 190 is changed, that is, the photodiode 185. It will vary depending on the amount of charge generated in. As a result, the amount of current between the source electrode and the drain electrode of the drive transistor 168 is changed according to the amount of charge generated by the photodiode 185. Accordingly, when the selection transistor 178 is turned on, the corresponding amount of current that is changed becomes an output. The output is made according to the amount of charge generated by the photodiode 185.

Of course, FIG. 8 illustrates a case where a CMOS sensor is used as one component of the sensor array 11, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various sensors such as a CCD sensor may be used.

The image sensor module according to the embodiments of the present invention described above may be used in an imaging apparatus of various fields. For example, the imaging device may be used as a camera module of a mobile communication product such as a mobile phone. As another example, the imaging device may be used as a camera module of a home appliance such as a computer. As another example, the imaging apparatus may be used as a camera module for night photographing using infrared rays, for example, the imaging apparatus may be mounted on a vehicle or the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

1: sensor chip 2: carrier module
10: base substrate 11: sensor array
13: pad 15: first insulating layer
20: carrier base 21: through via hole
23: second insulating layer 25: through via electrode
27: bump

Claims (11)

A sensor chip having a first surface and a second surface opposed to each other, the base layer including a sensor array and a porous layer disposed on the second surface of the base layer; And
A carrier module coupled to the sensor chip on the first surface side of the base layer and electrically connected to the sensor chip through a through via electrode penetrating therein;
With, the image sensor module. The method of claim 1,
The base layer comprises an episilicon layer, the porous layer comprises a porous polysilicon layer, image sensor module. A base layer having a first surface and a second surface opposed to each other, the base layer including a sensor array, a porous layer disposed on the second surface of the base layer, and a porous layer disposed opposite to the base layer of the porous layer; Providing a presensor chip comprising a support layer; And
Separating the support layer from the porous layer;
Including, the image sensor module manufacturing method. The method of claim 3,
And coupling a carrier module having a through-via electrode penetrating therein with the presensor chip at a side of the first surface of the base layer. The method of claim 4, wherein
And performing the separating step after the combining step. The method of claim 3,
Coupling a carrier module having a through via hole penetrating therein to the presensor chip at a first surface of the base layer; And
And forming a through via electrode electrically connected to the presensor chip through the through via hole. The method of claim 6,
And performing the separating after the combining and forming the through via electrode. The method of claim 3,
The separating of the support layer from the porous layer is performed by thermally separating using the thermal expansion coefficient of the support layer and the thermal expansion coefficient of the porous layer, image sensor module manufacturing method. The method of claim 3,
And laser annealing the exposed surface of the porous layer as the support layer is separated. The method of claim 3,
The base layer comprises an episilicon layer, the porous layer comprises a porous polysilicon layer, image sensor module manufacturing method. An imaging device comprising the image sensor module according to claim 1.

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