WO2015063965A1

WO2015063965A1 - Solid-state imaging device

Info

Publication number: WO2015063965A1
Application number: PCT/JP2014/002586
Authority: WO
Inventors: 平田　達也; 中村　哲也; 良平宮川
Original assignee: パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社
Priority date: 2013-10-31
Filing date: 2014-05-16
Publication date: 2015-05-07
Also published as: JP2016225324A

Abstract

Provided is a solid-state imaging device that minimizes decreases in sensitivity and reduces false signals between adjacent pixels even when said pixels are focus detection pixels that block one part of incident light. A plurality of pixels comprise: first pixels that cause the incidence angle of received light to vary as a result of being provided with a light blocking member that blocks one part of incident light; and second pixels that are not provided with the light blocking member and that do not cause the incidence angle of received light to vary. Each of the pixels is provided with a photodiode, an insulating film, and a core layer (a highly refractive insulating film) that has a higher refraction index than the insulating film. A part of the insulating film that is positioned at the same height from a semiconductor substrate as the core layer serves as a cladding layer. The core layer forms an optical waveguide that guides light by the reflection of incident light at the cladding layer. The bottom surfaces of the core layers of the first pixels are in contact with the light blocking member.

Description

Solid-state imaging device

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device including a light-receiving unit such as a photoelectric conversion unit, and more particularly, to a solid-state imaging device that can generate image signals captured at different light-receiving incident angles with one solid-state imaging device.

In recent years, imaging devices such as video cameras and electronic still cameras have been widely used. For these cameras, solid-state imaging devices such as CCDs and MOS sensors are used.

In general, in a MOS sensor, for example, a photodiode is provided for each pixel arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on a light receiving surface, and a signal charge generated and accumulated in each photodiode at the time of light reception is converted into a floating diffusion by driving a CMOS circuit. The signal is transferred and converted into a signal voltage and read.

In the solid-state imaging device such as the above-described CMOS sensor, for example, the above-described photodiode is formed on a semiconductor substrate, and an insulating film such as silicon oxide is formed so as to cover the upper layer thereof. A wiring layer is formed in the insulating film in a region excluding the photodiode region so as not to prevent light incidence.

Incidentally, in an imaging apparatus such as a camera, it is necessary to detect the focus adjustment state of the taking lens in order to realize automatic focus adjustment. Conventionally, a focus detection element has been provided separately from the solid-state imaging device. However, in that case, the cost increases or the size of the apparatus increases by the amount of the focus detection element and the focus detection optical system that guides light to the focus detection element.

Therefore, in recent years, a so-called pupil division phase difference method (sometimes called a pupil division method or a phase difference method) is adopted as a focus detection method, and a solid-state image pickup configured to be used as a focus detection element. A device has been proposed. The pupil division phase difference method detects the defocus amount of the photographing lens by forming a pair of divided images by dividing the luminous flux passing through the photographing lens into pupils and detecting the pattern shift (phase shift amount). is there. A plurality of focus detection pixels for generating a focus detection signal for detecting a focus adjustment state are arranged separately from the image pickup pixels for outputting an image pickup signal for forming an image signal indicating a subject.

Patent Document 1 discloses a light-shielding unit that uses a metal such as aluminum or tungsten between a on-chip lens and a photodiode as a focus detection pixel that forms a pair of divided images by pupil-dividing a light beam passing through a photographing lens. Is disclosed.

JP 2003-7994 A

However, the area of the light receiving surface has been reduced due to the miniaturization of the element, and there is a problem in that the incident light rate is lowered and sensitivity is deteriorated. This is a serious and serious problem in output reduction in focus detection pixels that block part of incident light of the solid-state imaging device as described above.

Further, the distance between the pixels has been reduced due to the miniaturization of the element, and accordingly, there is a problem that leakage into adjacent pixels increases. This is a problem that in the focus detection pixel that blocks a part of the incident light of the solid-state imaging device as described above, the detection accuracy is lowered due to the false signal to the adjacent pixel or the false signal from the adjacent pixel.

The present disclosure has been made in view of such circumstances, and solid-state imaging that suppresses a decrease in sensitivity and reduces a false signal between adjacent pixels even in a focus detection pixel that blocks a part of incident light. Providing equipment.

In order to solve the above problems, the solid-state imaging device according to the present disclosure is a solid-state imaging device having a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally, and the plurality of pixels include a light shielding member that blocks a part of incident light. Accordingly, the first pixel that varies the light-receiving incident angle and the second pixel that does not include the light-shielding member and does not vary the light-receiving incident angle are formed on the semiconductor substrate. A photodiode, an insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a core having a refractive index higher than that of the insulating film formed by being embedded in a recess formed in the insulating film in an upper portion of the photodiode A portion of the insulating film located at the same height from the core layer and the semiconductor substrate as a cladding layer, and the core layer is formed by reflecting the incident light on the cladding layer. Forming an optical waveguide for guiding the bottom surface of the core layer of the first pixel is adjacent to the light shielding member.

According to this configuration, even a focus detection pixel that blocks a part of incident light can suppress a decrease in sensitivity and reduce a false signal between adjacent pixels. Specifically, compared with a case where there is no optical waveguide, it is possible to reduce sensitivity reduction due to light attenuation and color mixture between adjacent pixels. Furthermore, since the bottom surface of the core layer and the light shielding member are in contact with each other, false signals due to leakage into adjacent pixels are reduced compared to the case where an insulating film is interposed between the core layer and the light shielding member, and the light shielding is inherently performed. It is possible to reduce the leakage of light to the own pixel.

Here, the light shielding member may be a metal film formed on a metal wiring layer.

According to this configuration, since the light shielding member is a metal film, high light shielding properties can be secured, and furthermore, since the light shielding member can be formed simultaneously with the metal wiring in the process of forming the metal wiring layer, an increase in manufacturing cost can be suppressed. it can.

Here, the metal wiring layer on which the light shielding member is formed may be a metal wiring layer closest to the semiconductor substrate among a plurality of metal wiring layers.

According to this configuration, compared with the case where a metal wiring layer other than the metal wiring layer closest to the semiconductor substrate is used, the sensitivity is less decreased and leakage to adjacent pixels can be reduced.

Here, a liner film having a refractive index higher than that of the cladding layer may be provided at a height of an interface between the metal wiring layer on which the light shielding member is formed and the core layer from the semiconductor substrate surface. Good.

Even in this case, it is possible to reduce leakage to adjacent pixels as compared with the case where a clad layer exists between the bottom surface of the core layer and the light shielding member.

Here, the bottom surface of the core layer of the first pixel may be different from the bottom surface of the core layer of the second pixel from the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

According to this configuration, a decrease in sensitivity of the second pixel can be further reduced.

Here, each of the plurality of pixels has a color filter layer, and the distance from the semiconductor substrate surface of the bottom surface of the core layer of the second pixel may be different for each color of the color filter. Good.

According to this configuration, the height (distance) from the bottom surface of the core layer and the surface of the semiconductor substrate can be optimized to a film thickness that minimizes the reflection of light by the wavelength (color) of received light. The decrease in light sensitivity can be reduced for each wavelength, and the decrease in image quality can be reduced.

Here, the core layer may be formed of silicon nitride having a higher refractive index than the silicon oxide.

According to this configuration, it can be manufactured by a normal process without using any special material.

According to the solid-state imaging device of the present disclosure, sensitivity reduction due to light diffraction and attenuation due to miniaturization of focus detection pixels and false signals between adjacent pixels can be reduced.

It is a top view which shows the example of the example of the solid-state imaging device (14x14 pixel) which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic cross section of the focus detection pixel according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a focus detection pixel when a light shielding member and a bottom surface of a high refractive insulating film that is a bottom surface of an optical waveguide (core layer) are separated without contact. (A) is a schematic cross section of the imaging pixel according to the second embodiment, and (b) is a schematic cross section of the focus detection pixel according to the second embodiment. It is a figure which shows the dependence of the reflectance of the imaging pixel which concerns on 2nd Embodiment, and the height of an optical waveguide bottom face. It is a schematic cross section which shows one process of the manufacturing method which forms the optical waveguide of the solid-state imaging device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic cross section which shows one process of the manufacturing method which forms the optical waveguide of the solid-state imaging device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic cross section which shows one process of the manufacturing method which forms the optical waveguide of the solid-state imaging device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic cross section which shows one process of the manufacturing method which forms the optical waveguide of the solid-state imaging device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic cross section which shows one process of the manufacturing method which forms the optical waveguide of the solid-state imaging device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic cross section which shows one process of the manufacturing method which forms the optical waveguide of the solid-state imaging device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic cross section which shows one process of the manufacturing method which forms the optical waveguide of the solid-state imaging device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic cross section which shows one process of the manufacturing method which forms the optical waveguide of the solid-state imaging device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, the solid-state imaging device according to each embodiment will be described using a MOS image sensor (CMOS image sensor) as an example with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a solid-state imaging device (14 × 14 pixels) according to the first embodiment. In an actual solid-state image pickup device, a scale of several million pixels is regularly used in this arrangement. The pixel size is 2.0 μm or less, and 1.1 μm in this embodiment.

This solid-state imaging device has a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally. The plurality of pixels include two types of pixels, an imaging pixel 201 and focus

detection pixels

211L and 211R. Each pixel has a microlens 202 (on-chip lens), and the letters “R”, “G”, and “B” written on each pixel indicate light components (red, green, and blue) received by each pixel. Show. The color filter of the imaging pixel 201 has a three primary color Bayer arrangement, and a plurality of

focus detection pixels

211L and 211R are arranged therein. The arrangement of the

focus detection pixels

211L and 211R in the figure is an example, and is not limited to this.

The

focus detection pixels

211L and 211R are pixels that each have a light receiving incident angle by providing a light shielding member that blocks a part of incident light, and are also referred to as first pixels. In the

focus detection pixels

211L and 211R, a light shielding member 212 is disposed in the pixel in order to form a pair of divided images by dividing the light beam passing through the photographing lens into pupils. In the focus detection pixel 211L, the right side of the pixel is shielded by the light shielding member 212. Conversely, in the focus detection pixel 211R, the left side is shielded by the light shielding member 212. In this example, the light shielding member 212 is arranged on the left and right of the

focus detection pixels

211R and 211L to divide the pupil into left and right, but by passing the light shielding member 212 above and below the pixels, the passing light flux is A pair of divided images may be formed by dividing. In this example, the

focus detection pixels

211L and 211R are arranged so as to receive the “G” component, but other “R” and “B” components may be used for focus detection. It may be colorless (no component restriction).

The imaging pixel 201 is a pixel that does not include a light blocking member and does not change the light incident angle, and is also referred to as a second pixel.

The focus detection pixel 211L has the same configuration as the focus detection pixel 211R except that the arrangement position of the light shielding member 212 is different from the focus detection pixel 211R as described above. The description will focus on the pixel 211R.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the focus detection pixel 211R according to the first embodiment. As shown in the figure, the focus detection pixel 211R is formed on the semiconductor substrate 301, and includes a photodiode 302, a gate electrode 303, an insulating film 304, a copper wiring 305, a liner film 306, and a copper wiring 307. , A liner film 308, a high refractive insulating film 309, a color filter 310, and a partition wall 311.

As described above, the photodiode 302 that accumulates charges for each pixel is configured in the imaging region serving as the light receiving surface in the semiconductor substrate 301, and further, the gate electrode is formed on the semiconductor substrate 301 adjacent to the photodiode 302. 303 is formed.

In the semiconductor substrate 301, a signal reading unit that reads a signal charge generated or accumulated in the photodiode 302 in the floating diffusion or a voltage corresponding to the signal charge is formed, and the signal is applied by applying the voltage to the gate electrode 303. An electric charge is transferred.

Further, an insulating film 304 made of, for example, silicon oxide, and silicon carbide (with a refractive index of 1.7 to 1.9) or silicon nitride (with a refractive index of 1.. The liner film 306 made of 9 to 2.1) and the liner film 308 are laminated to form an insulating film.

The

copper wirings

305 and 307 are copper wirings formed in different metal wiring layers. However, for example, a barrier metal layer made of tantalum / tantalum nitride formed by a damascene process may be formed on the outer periphery of the copper wiring. The copper wiring 305 is formed in the lowermost metal wiring layer closest to the semiconductor substrate 301 among the metal wiring layers.

The

liner films

306 and 308 are etch stop films at the time of forming vias and are films for preventing diffusion of copper constituting the metal wiring layer.

As described above, the wiring layer is embedded in the laminated insulating film. Each of the copper wiring 305 and the copper wiring 307 may have a wiring structure formed integrally with the via portion in the opening from the bottom surface of the wiring groove to the lower layer wiring by, for example, a dual damascene process.

In the upper part of the photodiode 302, recesses are formed with respect to the insulating film 304 and the

liner films

306 and 308 formed by stacking as described above. A high refractive insulating film 309 having a refractive index higher than that of silicon oxide (refractive index: 1.4 to 1.5) is formed on the side wall and bottom surface of the recess. The high refractive insulating film 309 is formed of a silicon nitride film (refractive index 1.9 to 2.0) or the like. The cross section of the high refractive insulating film 309 is narrow on the semiconductor substrate 301 side and wide on the microlens 202 side. That is, in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 2, the width of the high-refractive insulating film 309 becomes smaller as it approaches the semiconductor substrate 301 side.

As described above, by using the high refractive insulating film 309 having a refractive index higher than that of the insulating film 304, the insulating film 304 serves as a cladding layer, and the high refractive insulating film 309 serves as a core layer. It has a function as an optical waveguide guided to the diode 302. In other words, the portion of the insulating film 304 that is located at the same height from the semiconductor substrate 301 as the high refractive insulating film 309 (core layer) is used as a cladding layer, and the high refractive insulating film 309 (core layer) is incident on the cladding layer. An optical waveguide that guides light by reflection of light is formed.

The color filter 310 selects the light incident on the photodiode 302 according to the wavelength (RGB color in the example of FIG. 1). The color filter 310 is formed, for example, by mixing pigments for each color into an organic material (for example, acrylic resin). In this case, the refractive index of the color filter 310 is 1.5 to 1.7. The color filter 310 is formed in an island shape (in a state of being individually formed corresponding to each pixel portion). In the example of FIG. 1, the focus detection pixel 211R is arranged so as to receive the “G” component. However, in order to detect the focus, other “R” and “B” components may be used. A transparent film “W” that is not selected may be used. In the cross section of the color filter 310, the semiconductor substrate 301 side is narrow and the microlens 202 side is wide. That is, in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 2, the width of the color filter 310 becomes smaller as it approaches the semiconductor substrate 301 side. Thus, the cross-sectional shape of the color filter 310 has an inverted trapezoidal shape. That is, the bottom side on the semiconductor substrate 301 side has a trapezoidal shape with a smaller width than the upper side on the microlens 202 side.

The partition 311 prevents light incident from the micro lens 202 or the color filter 310 from entering the adjacent pixel portion. The partition 311 has a lattice shape (mesh shape) in which a portion corresponding to the color filter 310 is opened in a plan view. In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, each of the partition walls 311 seems to be independent. Here, the cross-sectional shape of the partition wall 311 has a trapezoidal shape as a whole. The trapezoidal shape here is a shape in which the bottom side on the semiconductor substrate 301 side is longer than the upper side on the microlens 202 side. That is, the width becomes narrower as the distance from the semiconductor substrate 301 increases. The partition 311 is made of a material having a refractive index lower than that of the material constituting the color filter 310, for example, a silicon oxide film (TEOS (Tetra Ethyl Ortho Silicate) film, refractive index 1.4 to 1.5). For this reason, the light traveling in the oblique direction in the color filter 310 is reflected when it reaches the surface of the partition 311. At this time, since the partition 311 has a shape that becomes narrower as the distance from the semiconductor substrate 301 increases, the reflected light travels toward the photodiode 302.

The microlens 202 collects light incident from above on the photodiode 302 of the corresponding pixel portion. Here, the microlens 202 is a convex lens protruding in a direction away from the semiconductor substrate 301.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the focus detection pixel 211R, the light shielding member 212 is configured to shield incident light at an angle from the diagonally upper right direction by shielding the left side of the pixel. The light shielding member 212 can be formed at the same time in the same layer as the lowermost copper wiring 305 in the metal wiring layer. At this time, the light shielding member 212 is in contact with the bottom surface of the high refractive insulating film 309 which is the bottom surface of the optical waveguide core layer.

Next, a configuration example in which an insulating film is interposed between the bottom surface of the core layer and the light shielding member 212 will be described as a comparative example of the focus detection pixel 211R shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the focus detection pixel when the light shielding member 212 and the bottom surface of the high-refractive insulating film 309 that is the bottom surface of the optical waveguide (core layer) are separated without contact. At this time, since the clad layer of the insulating film 304 exists between the bottom surface of the high refractive insulating film 309 that is the bottom surface of the optical waveguide core layer and the interface of the light shielding member 212, the optical waveguide effect cannot be exhibited. As shown in FIG. 3, in the focus detection pixel 211R, a part of the incident light having an angle from the upper right oblique direction leaks into the adjacent pixel or the lower photodiode 302 as a lower layer and becomes a false signal. .

In the

focus detection pixels

211R and 211L of the solid-state imaging device according to the first embodiment, a recess is formed above the photodiode 302 in the insulating film 304 formed in the upper layer of the photodiode 302, and the high refractive insulation is provided in the recess. The optical waveguide is configured by embedding the film 309, and compared with a case where there is no optical waveguide, the sensitivity can be reduced due to light attenuation and the color mixing between adjacent pixels can be reduced. In addition, since the light shielding member 212 uses the metal wiring film of the lowermost metal wiring layer, the sensitivity is less lowered than the case where the upper wiring layer is used, and leakage to adjacent pixels can be reduced. Further, the bottom surface of the high-refractive insulating film 309, which is the core layer of the optical waveguide formed by the buried layer, is in contact with the light shielding member 212 that blocks a part of the incident light for varying the light incident angle. Compared with the case where the insulating film 304 exists between the bottom surface of the high-refractive insulating film 309, which is the bottom surface of the layer, and the interface of the light shielding member 212, leakage into adjacent pixels and the self pixel of light that should originally be shielded from light Leakage into the water can be reduced (that is, the light shielding property can be increased).

Between the metal film of the lowermost metal wiring layer that is the light shielding member 212 and the bottom surface of the high refractive insulating film 309 that is the core layer of the optical waveguide formed by the buried layer, the refractive index is higher than that of the cladding layer formed of the insulating film 304. A high liner film 306 may be interposed.

This is because the refractive index of the liner film 306 is higher than that of the clad layer and the thickness is as thin as 60 nm or less, so that the optical waveguide effect is only slightly reduced and leakage into adjacent pixels hardly occurs.

[Second Embodiment]
4A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the imaging pixel 201 according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the focus detection pixel 211R according to the second embodiment. .

The height (distance) Hnorm from the bottom surface of the high refractive insulating film 309 that is the core layer of the optical waveguide and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 301 of the imaging pixel 201 shown in FIG. 4A is shown in FIG. The focus detection pixel 211 </ b> R is different from the height (distance) Haf from the bottom surface of the high refractive insulating film 309 that is the core layer of the optical waveguide and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 301.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the dependency between the reflectance of the imaging pixel 201 according to the second embodiment and the height of the bottom surface of the optical waveguide. That is, the dependence of the incident light reflectance in the imaging pixel 201 on the height (distance) Hnorm from the bottom surface of the high refractive insulating film 309 which is the core layer of the optical waveguide and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 301 is shown. The wavelength (color) depends on the correlation between the refractive index of the high refractive insulating film 309, the height (distance) from the bottom surface of the high refractive insulating film 309 and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 301, and the refractive index of the insulating film 304 interposed therebetween. The height Hnorm at which the reflectivity is minimized is different (Hnorm_B, Hnorm_G, Hnorm_R).

The focus detection pixel 211R of the solid-state imaging device according to the second embodiment has a height (distance) between the bottom surface of the high-refractive insulating film 309 that is the core layer of the optical waveguide and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 301. By making Hnorm different from the height (distance) Haf from the bottom surface of the high refractive insulating film 309 that is the core layer of the optical waveguide and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 301 of the focus detection pixel 211R, the sensitivity of the imaging pixel is reduced. Further reduction can be achieved.

Furthermore, the distance from the bottom surface of the core layer of the imaging pixel 201 and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 301 may be different for each wavelength of received light (for example, for each RGB color). As a result, the height (distance) Hnorm from the bottom surface of the core layer and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 301 can be set to a film thickness that minimizes reflection of light by the wavelength (for example, color) of the received light. The decrease in light sensitivity can be reduced for each wavelength, and the decrease in image quality can be reduced.

Next, a detailed manufacturing method for the optical waveguide forming portion to the wiring layer portion, which is a characteristic portion of the solid-state imaging device according to the second embodiment, will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A to 6H.

6A to 6H are schematic cross-sectional views showing one step of the manufacturing method for forming the optical waveguide of the solid-state imaging device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6A shows a cross-sectional view after copper wiring is formed in the manufacturing process. First, a plurality of photodiodes 302 are formed inside the surface layer of one main surface (upper surface) of the semiconductor substrate 301. The semiconductor substrate 301 is, for example, a silicon substrate, and the photodiode 302 is formed by ion implantation of impurities such as boron (B) from the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate 301. The photodiode 302 is configured by a pn junction of an n-type charge injection layer and a p + type surface layer (detailed illustration is omitted). The plurality of photodiodes 302 are arranged in a matrix, for example, when the semiconductor substrate 301 is viewed from above in the Z-axis direction. The imaging pixel 201 and the focus detection pixel 211R are both arranged in a matrix arrangement.

Thereafter, after forming a gate insulating film, a gate electrode 303 for charge transfer and the like are formed. The photodiode 302, the gate electrode 303, and the like are formed by appropriately using a general photolithography process, an ion implantation process, a film forming process, and a thermal diffusion process.

Further, an insulating film 304 is stacked on the semiconductor substrate 301, and a copper wiring 305 is formed from the upper surface of the insulating film 304 toward the inside (the lower side in the Z-axis direction). When the copper wiring 305 is formed by performing a general damascene wiring process, after laminating the insulating film 304, a portion where the copper wiring 305 is to be formed is subjected to a lithography process and an etching process to form a groove, This is done by embedding copper (Cu) in the groove and executing a CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) process or the like. The liner film 306 is formed thereafter. A light shielding member 212 is formed on the focus detection pixel 211R. This is because a portion where the focus detection pixel 211R is formed at the same timing as the formation of the copper wiring 305 is subjected to a lithography process and an etching process to form a groove. It is formed by embedding copper (Cu) in the groove and executing a CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) process or the like.

By repeating the steps as described above, a wiring layer having a plurality of insulating films 304, a plurality of

copper wirings

305 and 307, and

liner films

306 and 308 can be formed.

FIG. 6B shows a form after the resist film 401 is formed on the wiring using a lithography process and then the resist on the upper surface of the photodiode 302 of the imaging pixel 201 is removed. At this time, the focus detection pixel 211R is not provided with a resist opening.

FIG. 6C shows a cross section after the insulating film 304 and the

liner films

306 and 308 are opened by etching using the opening of the resist film 401 as a mask. At this time, the etching is performed first using the liner film 306 as an etch stop film, and then by adjusting the time, the height from the bottom surface of the high refractive insulating film which is the core layer of the optical waveguide optimum for the imaging pixel and the surface from the semiconductor substrate surface ( The etching is adjusted in detail so that the distance becomes Haf.

Thereafter, the resist film 401 is removed by ashing and cleaning (FIG. 6D).

Next, FIG. 6E shows a form after the resist film 401 is generated using a lithography process and then the resist on the upper surface of the photodiode 302 of the focus detection pixel 211R is removed. At this time, the opening portion opened in the imaging pixel 201 is filled with the resist film 401, and the opening portion is protected during the next etching.

FIG. 6F shows a cross section after opening the insulating film 304

liner films

306 and 308 by etching using the opening of the resist film 401 as a mask. At this time, the etching is first performed using the liner film 306 as an etch stop film. Thereafter, the resist film 401 and the liner film 306 (or a partial upper layer of the liner film 306) are removed by ashing and cleaning (FIG. 6G).

Thereafter, the core portion of the optical waveguide structure can be formed by embedding a high-refractive insulating film 309 such as SiN in the openings opened in the imaging pixel 201 and the focus detection pixel 211R (FIG. 6H).

6D, after an opening is formed in the insulating film of the imaging pixel, a film such as SiN is formed for the purpose of protecting the side wall of the opening, and then the focus detection pixel 211R is opened. Even if the flow and structure are used, it is suitable as a structure that achieves the object of the present disclosure.

Through the above steps, the solid-state imaging device shown in FIG. 4 is formed.

In the

focus detection pixels

211R and 211L (first pixels) of the solid-state imaging device according to the present disclosure, a concave portion is formed above the photodiode 302 in an insulating film formed in an upper layer of the photodiode, and high refractive insulation is provided in the concave portion. The optical waveguide is configured by embedding the film 309, and compared with the case where there is no optical waveguide, the sensitivity can be reduced due to light attenuation and the color mixture between adjacent pixels can be reduced. At this time, the bottom surface of the core layer (high refractive insulating film 309) of the optical waveguide formed by the buried layer is in contact with the light shielding member 212 that blocks a part of incident light for varying the incident light incident angle. Compared with the case where a cladding layer is present between the light shielding member 212 and the light shielding member 212, leakage to adjacent pixels can be reduced.

Further, the light shielding member 212 that blocks a part of the incident light for varying the light receiving incident angle of the focus detection pixel of the solid-state imaging device is normally a photodiode so as not to prevent the light from entering the photodiode 302. A metal film of a metal wiring layer such as aluminum, tungsten, or copper that forms wiring in the insulating film 304 in a region other than the region 302 may be used. At this time, the sensitivity of the metal wiring layer in which the metal film of the lowermost metal wiring layer having the shortest distance from the semiconductor substrate is the light shielding member 212 is higher than that in the case where the light shielding member is provided in the upper metal wiring layer. There is little decrease, and leakage to adjacent pixels can be reduced.

Further, a liner film 306 having a higher refractive index than that of the cladding layer made of the insulating film 304 may be interposed between the lowermost metal wiring layer as the light shielding member 212 and the core layer of the buried layer. Since the liner film 306 is as thin as 60 nm or less and the refractive index is higher than that of the cladding layer, even in this case, leakage to the adjacent pixels is caused as compared with the case where the cladding layer exists between the bottom surface of the core layer and the light shielding member. Can be reduced.

In the solid-state imaging device, the bottom surface of the core layer of the imaging pixel 201 (second pixel) that does not change the light incident angle without providing the normal light shielding member 212 is the core of the

focus detection pixels

211R and 211L. The bottom surface of the layer and the height from the surface of the semiconductor substrate may be different. Further, the bottom surface of the core layer of the imaging pixel 201 (second pixel) that does not vary the light receiving incident angle without providing the normal light blocking member 212 is for each wavelength of incident light (for example, for each color of the color filter 310). ) May be different. As a result, the distance between the bottom surface of the core layer and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 301 can be set to a film thickness that minimizes the reflection of light according to the wavelength of incident light, so that the reflection is minimized for each wavelength of incident light. Image quality deterioration can be reduced.

It should be noted that half of the imaging pixel 201 may be configured as the focus detection pixel 211R and the remaining half as 211L. In this way, two images (two images having parallax) with different light receiving incident angles can be taken, and can be used for a 3D camera. Of course, even in this case, the focus detection pixel 211R and the focus detection pixel 211L can be used for automatic focus adjustment (autofocus).

The present disclosure can be used for a solid-state imaging device, and can be used for an imaging device such as a video camera or an electronic still camera having automatic focusing, and is industrially useful.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 201 Imaging pixel 202

Microlens

211L, 211R Focus detection pixel 212 Light shielding member 301 Semiconductor substrate 302 Photodiode 303 Gate electrode 304 Insulating film 305,307 Copper wiring 306,308 Liner film 309 High refractive insulating film 310 Color filter 311 Partition 401 Resist film

Claims

A solid-state imaging device having a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally,
The plurality of pixels are:
A first pixel that varies a light-receiving incident angle by including a light-shielding member that blocks part of incident light;
A second pixel that does not include the light shielding member and does not vary the light incident angle;
Each of the plurality of pixels is
A photodiode formed on a semiconductor substrate;
An insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate;
A core layer (309) formed in a recess formed in the insulating film above the photodiode and having a higher refractive index than the insulating film;
A portion of the insulating film located at the same height from the core layer and the semiconductor substrate is a cladding layer, and the core layer forms an optical waveguide that guides light by reflection of the incident light at the cladding layer,
The bottom surface of the core layer of the first pixel is a solid-state imaging device in contact with the light shielding member.
The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding member is a metal film formed on a metal wiring layer.
The solid-state imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the metal wiring layer on which the light shielding member is formed is a metal wiring layer closest to the semiconductor substrate among a plurality of metal wiring layers.
The liner film having a refractive index higher than that of the cladding layer at a height of an interface between the metal wiring layer on which the light shielding member is formed and the core layer from the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The solid-state imaging device described.
The distance from the semiconductor substrate surface to the bottom surface of the core layer of the first pixel is different from the distance from the semiconductor substrate surface to the bottom surface of the core layer of the second pixel. The solid-state imaging device according to item 1.
Each of the plurality of pixels has a color filter layer,
The solid-state imaging device according to claim 5, wherein a distance from a surface of the semiconductor substrate to a bottom surface of the core layer of the second pixel is different for each color of the color filter.
The cladding layer is formed of silicon oxide;
The solid-state imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the core layer is formed of silicon nitride having a higher refractive index than the silicon oxide.