Patent ID: 7514732
Filing Date: 2009-04-07
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. An image pickup apparatus comprising: a photoelectric conversion element, which has a first semiconductor region of a first conductive type and a second semiconductor region of a second conductive type forming a junction with the first semiconductor region; a third semiconductor region of the first conductive type, which has an impurity concentration higher than that of the first semiconductor region and which is arranged in the first semiconductor region for establishing a potential of the first semiconductor region at a predetermined potential, wherein the third semiconductor region is connected to a well contact electrode that defines the potential of the first semiconductor region; an element isolation region provided between the third semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region; a conductive layer provided on the element isolation region; a fourth semiconductor region of the first conductive type, which is arranged under the element isolation region continuously to the third semiconductor region, wherein the fourth semiconductor region is arranged under the element isolation region continuously from the second semiconductor region to the third semiconductor region so that the element isolation region does not contact the first semiconductor region; and a side wall positioned on a side of the conductive layer, such that a width c of the element isolation region, a width b of the side wall, and a distance a between an end of the element isolation region at a side of the third semiconductor region and an end of the conductive layer at the side of the third semiconductor region satisfy a relation c>a≧b, and such that the side wall is used as a mask for forming a subsequent semiconductor layer.