Patent ID: 7919798
Filing Date: 2011-04-05
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. An image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate having pixel and periphery areas defined thereon; transistors formed on the pixel and periphery areas; a photodiode formed in the pixel area adjacent to a respective one of the transistors; a plurality of insulating layers formed over the entire semiconductor substrate including the photodiodes and transistors; a contact formed in a lower one of the insulating layers and in electrical contact with a respective transistor; a plurality of light-shield contacts formed over the pixel area for deflecting light towards a respective photodiode; a plurality of metal lines formed in a respective one of the insulating layers; and a plurality of light-shield metal layers formed over the pixel area to deflect light towards a respective photodiode, wherein an uppermost one of the light-shield metal layers has a greater thickness than that of a respective metal line formed on the same layer, wherein the light-shield contacts and the light-shield metal layers are formed to directly contact each other and thereby form a straight line in a vertical direction relative to the uppermost lateral surface of the semiconductor substrate.