Abstract:
An image sensor includes an array of image sensor cells, on a substrate, and a peripheral circuit region extending adjacent the array of image sensor cells. The array of image sensor cells includes a plurality of lens elements and a plurality of color filters extending adjacent the plurality of lens elements. A plurality of photodiodes is provided in the substrate. The plurality of photodiodes are aligned to corresponding ones of the plurality of lens elements. An interconnection structure is also provided, which extends between the plurality of photodiodes and the plurality of color filters. The interconnection structure has an array of cavities therein that are aligned to corresponding ones of the plurality of photodiodes and are filled with a light guide material. The peripheral circuit region includes a metal interconnect pattern and an electrically conductive pad on the metal interconnect pattern. An electrically insulating layer extends on the electrically conductive pad. The electrically insulating layer is formed of the light guide material.

Description:
REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0005703, filed Jan. 21, 2010, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to image sensors and imaging devices including the image sensor. 
     BACKGROUND 
     An image sensor is a sensor that converts an optical image into an electric signal. Recently, with the development of computer industry and communications industry, there is an increasing demand for image sensors having improved performance in diverse fields including a digital camera, a camcorder, a PCS (Personal Communication System), a game machine, a guard camera, a micro camera for medical use, and the like. 
     In particular, a MOS image sensor has a simple drive system and adopts diverse scanning methods. Also, its signal processing circuit can be integrated into one chip to facilitate the miniaturization of the product, and the MOS processing technology can be compatibly used to lower the manufacturing cost of the sensor. Since the MOS image sensor has very low power consumption, it can be easily applied to a product having a limited battery capacity. Accordingly, with the development of the corresponding technology, the MOS image sensor has high resolution, and thus the use of the MOS image sensor has been abruptly increasing. 
     On the other hand, in order to embody such a high-resolution image sensor, technology that improves the sensitivity by spreading a high refractive light guide part on a photoelectric device has recently been used. However, in the case of an image sensor formed through such a manufacturing process, faults such as cracks or the like occur on the optical guide part spread on a conductive pad, and this causes problems in reliability of the image sensor. 
     SUMMARY 
     An image sensor according to an embodiment of the invention includes an array of image sensor cells, on a substrate, and a peripheral circuit region extending adjacent the array of image sensor cells. The array of image sensor cells includes a plurality of lens elements and a plurality of color filters extending adjacent the plurality of lens elements. A plurality of photodiodes is provided in the substrate. The plurality of photodiodes are aligned to corresponding ones of the plurality of lens elements. An interconnection structure is also provided, which extends between the plurality of photodiodes and the plurality of color filters. The interconnection structure has an array of cavities therein that are aligned to corresponding ones of the plurality of photodiodes and are filled with a light guide material. The cavities may also be lined with a moisture blocking layer. The peripheral circuit region includes a metal interconnect pattern and an electrically conductive pad on the metal interconnect pattern. An electrically insulating layer extends on the electrically conductive pad. The electrically insulating layer is formed of the light guide material. This electrically insulating layer may have an opening therein that extends opposite the conductive pad. 
     According to additional embodiments of the invention, the interconnection structure includes a plurality of inter-metal insulating layers having respective metal interconnnect structures therein. In addition, cavities extend through the plurality of inter-metal insulating layers. These cavities are filled with the light guide material, which has an index of refraction that is greater than an index of refraction of the inter-metal insulating layers. The index of refraction of the light guide material may be greater than or equal to 1.65. In particular, the light guide material includes a material selected from a group consisting of a fluor series polymer, a poly-siloxane resin, titanium oxide and a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) series polymer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an image sensor according to embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an equivalent circuit diagram of a sensor array of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a conceptual view explaining an image sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the image sensor according to the first embodiment of the present invention, taken along line K-K′ of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of a conductive pad portion of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view explaining an image sensor according to a modified embodiment of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the image sensor according to a second embodiment of the present invention, taken along line K-K′ of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the image sensor according to a third embodiment of the present invention, taken along line K-K′ of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a view illustrating a computer device; 
         FIGS. 10 and 11  are views illustrating a camera device; and 
         FIG. 12  is a view illustrating a portable phone device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The aspects and features of the present invention and methods for achieving the aspects and features will be apparent by referring to the embodiments to be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed hereinafter, but can be implemented in diverse forms. The matters defined in the description, such as the detailed construction and elements, are nothing but specific details provided to assist those of ordinary skill in the art in a comprehensive understanding of the invention, and the present invention is only defined within the scope of the appended claims. In some embodiments of the present invention, well-known element structures and technologies are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail. 
     Although the terms “first, second, and so forth” are used to describe diverse elements, components and/or sections, such elements, components and/or sections are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only to discriminate an element, component, or section from other elements, components, or sections. Accordingly, in the following description, a first element, first component, or first section may be different from or may be identical to a second element, second component, or second section. 
     In the following description of the present invention, the terms used are for explaining embodiments of the present invention, but do not limit the scope of the present invention. In the description, a singular expression may include plural expressions unless specially described. The term “comprises” and/or “comprising” used in the description means that one or more other components, steps, operation and/or existence or addition of elements are not excluded in addition to the described components, steps, operation and/or elements. 
     Unless specially defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the description could be used as meanings commonly understood by those ordinary skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs. In addition, terms that are generally used but are not defined in the dictionary are not interpreted ideally or excessively unless they have been clearly and specially defined. 
     Hereinafter, with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an image sensor according to embodiments of the present invention will be described.  FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an image sensor according to embodiments of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is an equivalent circuit diagram of a sensor array of  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , an image sensor includes a sensor array  10  composed of pixels which include photoelectric conversion devices and are two-dimensionally arranged, a timing generator  20 , a row decoder  30 , a row driver  40 , a correlated double sampler (CDS)  50 , an analog-to-digital converter (ADC)  60 , a latch  70 , a column decoder  80 , and the like. The sensor array  10  includes a plurality of unit pixels which are two-dimensionally arranged. The unit pixels serve to convert an optical image into an electrical output signal. The sensor array  10  receives a plurality of drive signals, such as a row selection signal, a reset signal, a charge transfer signal, and the like, from the row driver  40 . Also, a converted electrical output signal is provided to the correlated double sampler  50  through a vertical signal line. 
     The timing generator  20  provides a timing signal and a control signal to the row decoder  30  and the column decoder  80 . The row driver  40  provides a plurality of drive signals for driving the unit pixels to the active pixel sensor array  10  in accordance with the result of decoding in the row decoder  30 . Generally, in the case where the unit pixels are arranged in the form of a matrix, the drive signals are provided for respective rows. 
     The correlated double sampler  50  receives an output signal formed in the active pixel sensor array  10  through vertical signal lines and performs holding and sampling of the output signal. That is, the correlated double sampler  50  performs double sampling of a specified noise level and the signal level of the output signal, and outputs a difference level that correspond to a difference between the noise level and the signal level. 
     The analog-to-digital converter  60  converts an analog signal that corresponds to the difference level into a digital signal and outputs the converted digital signal. The latch  70  latches the digital signal, and sequentially outputs the latched signal to an image signal processing unit (not illustrated) in accordance with the result of decoding in the column decoder  80 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , pixels P are arranged in the form of a matrix to constitute the sensor array  10 . Each pixel P includes a photoelectric conversion device  11 , a floating diffusion region  13 , a charge transfer device  15 , a drive device  17 , a reset device  18 , and a selection device  19 . Functions of these devices will be described with reference to i-th row pixels P(i, j), P(i, j+1), P(i, j+2), P(i, j+3), . . . , P(i, j+N), . . . , P(i+N, j+N). 
     The photoelectric conversion device  11  absorbs an incident light, and accumulates charge that corresponds to the quantity of light. As the photoelectric conversion device  11 , a photodiode, a phototransistor, a photo gate, a pinned photodiode, or a combination thereof may be adopted, and a photodiode has been exemplified in the drawing. The photoelectric conversion device  11  is coupled to the charge transfer device  15  that transfers the accumulated charge to the floating diffusion region  13 . The floating diffusion region (FD)  13  is a region for converting the charge into a voltage, and since the floating diffusion region has a parasitic capacitance, charge is accumulatively stored therein. The drive device  17 , which is exemplified as a source follower amplifier, amplifies the change of electric potential of the floating diffusion region  13  that receives the accumulated charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion device  11 , and outputs the amplified change of electric potential through an output line Vout. 
     The reset device  18  periodically resets the floating diffusion region  13 . The reset device  18  may be composed of a MOS transistor which is driven by a predetermined bias (i.e. reset signal) provided by a reset line RX(i) through which the bias is applied. If the reset device  18  is turned on by the bias provided by the reset line RX(i), a predetermined electric potential, e.g. a power supply voltage VDD, which is provided to a drain of the reset device  18 , is transferred to the floating diffusion region  13 . The selection device  19  serves to select pixels P to be read in the unit of a row. The selection device  19  may be composed of a MOS transistor that is driven by a bias (e.g. row selection signal) provided by a row selection line SEL(i). If the selection device  19  is turned on by the bias provided by the row selection line SEL(i), a predetermined electric potential, e.g. a power supply voltage VDD, which is provided to a drain of the selection device  19 , is transferred to a drain region of the drive device  17 . A transfer line TX(i) for applying a bias to the charge transfer device  15 , the reset line RX(i) for applying the bias to the reset device  18 , and the row selection line SEL(i) for applying the bias to the selection device may be arranged to extend substantially in parallel to one another in a row direction. 
     Hereinafter, with reference to  FIGS. 3 to 6 , an image sensor according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.  FIG. 3  is a conceptual view explaining an image sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the image sensor according to the first embodiment of the present invention, taken along line K-K′ of  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 5  is a plan view of a conductive pad portion of  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 6  is a plan view explaining an image sensor according to a modified embodiment of  FIG. 5 . For convenience in explanation,  FIG. 4  illustrates only a part of a sensor array region and a part of a peripheral circuit region. 
     First, referring to  FIG. 3 , the peripheral circuit region II may be, for example, a region in which the correlated double sampler  50 , the analog-to-digital converter  60 , the latch  70 , and the like are formed, and the sensor array region I may be a region in which the sensor array  10  of  FIG. 1  is formed. Also, as illustrated, the peripheral circuit region II may be formed to surround the sensor array region I, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Referring to  FIG. 4 , an image sensor according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a substrate  110 , an interconnection structure  140 , a cavity  150 , an anti-moisture-absorption layer  160 , a light guide part  170 , and a conductive pad  198 . The substrate  110  may be, for example, a first conduction type (e.g. p type) substrate. Although not illustrated, an epitaxial layer may be formed on the substrate  110 , or a plurality of wells may be formed in the substrate  110 . For example, the substrate  110  may be an SOI (Silicon On Insulator) substrate which includes a lower silicon substrate, a buried insulating layer formed on the lower silicon substrate, and a silicon semiconductor layer formed on the buried insulating layer. An isolation region (not illustrated) may be formed in the substrate  110 , and an active region may be defined by the isolation region. In general, the isolation region may be FOX (Field OXide) or STI (Shallow Trench Isolation) using a LOCOS (Local Oxidation of Silicon) method. The isolation region serves to partition the unit pixels. 
     A photoelectric conversion device  120  may be formed in the substrate  110 . The photoelectric conversion device  120  may absorb light of a color having passed through a color filter  190  and generate and/or accumulate charge corresponding to the quantity of light. The photoelectric conversion device  120  may adopt a phototransistor, a photo gate, a photodiode, a pinned photodiode, or a combination thereof, and in the embodiment of the present invention, a photodiode is adopted as the photoelectric conversion device  120 . Although not illustrated in the drawing, a floating diffusion region for reading the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion device  120  may be formed in the substrate  110 . 
     An interlayer insulating layer  130  may be formed on the substrate  110 , and a plurality of gate structures  135  may be arranged in the interlayer insulating layer  130 . The interlayer insulating layer  130  may include a silicon nitride layer and/or a silicon oxide layer. Also, the plurality of gate structures may be, for example, transistors. The transistor may include a charge transfer device, a selection device, a drive device, a reset device, and the like. For example, readout devices may be arranged on the sensor array region I, and MOS devices, resistors, capacitors, and the like, may be arranged in the peripheral circuit region II. Since it is well known to a person skilled in the art that the above-described devices can be embodied in diverse types, the explanation thereof will be omitted for convenience in explanation. 
     The interconnection structure  140  may be formed on the interlayer insulating layer  130 . The interconnection structure  140  includes multilayer inter-metal insulating layers  140   a ,  140   b , and  140   c , and interlayer metal interconnections M 1 , M 2 , and M 3  arranged in the multilayer inter-metal insulating layers  140   a ,  140   b , and  140   c , respectively. The interconnection structure  140  may include the first inter-metal insulating layer  140   a , the first metal interconnection M 1  formed in the first inter-metal insulating layer  140   a , the second inter-metal insulating layer  140   b  formed on the first metal interconnection M 1 , the second metal interconnection M 2  formed in the second inter-metal insulating layer  140   b , the third inter-metal insulating layer  140   c  formed on the second metal interconnection M 2 , and the third metal interconnection M 3  formed in the third inter-metal insulating layer  140   c.    
     In this case, the multilayer metal interconnections M 1 , M 2 , and M 3  may be, but are not limited to, copper interconnections or aluminum interconnections. For example, the multilayer metal interconnections M 1 , M 2 , and M 3  may be damascene interconnections. The respective multilayer metal interconnections M 1 , M 2 , and M 3  may be connected together by via contact VIA 1 . 
     The first inter-metal insulating layer  140   a , the second inter-metal insulating layer  140   b , and the third inter-metal insulating layer  140   c  may have a structure in which multilayer insulating layers are laminated, and for example, the first inter-metal insulating layer  140   a  may include silicon nitride layers and/or silicon oxide layers sequentially formed on the interlayer insulating layer  130 . 
     Although not illustrated in the drawing, diffusion barrier layers may be formed among the multilayer inter-metal insulating layers  140   a ,  140   b , and  140   c . That is, diffusion barrier layers may be formed between the first inter-metal insulating layer  140   a  and the second inter-metal insulating layer  140   b  and between the second inter-metal insulating layer  140   b  and the third inter-metal insulating layer  140   c , respectively. The diffusion barrier layers are to prevent metal atoms in the multilayer metal interconnections M 1 , M 2 , and M 3  from being diffused. For example, if the multilayer metal interconnections M 1 , M 2 , and M 3  are copper interconnections, the diffusion barrier layers can prevent the diffusion of the copper atoms. 
     Also, the diffusion barrier layers can serve as etch stop layers when the metal interconnections are formed. Accordingly, the diffusion barrier layers and the multilayer inter-metal insulating layers  140   a ,  140   b , and  140   c  may have different etch rates. For example, the multilayer inter-metal insulating layers  140   a ,  140   b , and  140   c  may be silicon oxide layer, and the diffusion barrier layers may be silicon nitride layers. A cavity  140   c  to be described later may be formed to pierce the multilayer inter-metal insulating layers  140   a ,  140   b , and  140   c  including the diffusion barrier layers. 
     For example, an etch stop layer  137  may be formed between the interconnection structure  140  and the interlayer insulating layer  130 . That is, the etch stop layer  137  may be formed on the interlayer insulating layer  130 , and the interconnection structure 140  may be formed on the etch stop layer  137 . For example, the etch stop layer  137  may include a silicon nitride layer or a silicon oxide layer. The etch stop layer  137  may be used to adjust the depth of the cavity  150  to be described later. 
     The cavity  150  extends through the interconnection structure  140  corresponding to the photoelectric conversion device  120 . More specifically, since interfaces exist between the multilayer inter-metal insulating layers  140   a ,  140   b , and  140   c , which are formed of a plurality of layers, and the interlayer insulating layer  130 , such interfaces may obstruct an incident light provided through a color filter  190  from reaching the photoelectric conversion device  120 . Also, since the diffusion barrier layer (e.g. the silicon nitride layer), has a low light transmittance, it may obstruct the incident light from reaching the photoelectric conversion device  120 . Accordingly, the cavity  150 , which is formed on the photoelectric conversion device  120  and extends through the interconnection structure  140 , can increase the light quantity and the light sensitivity of the incident light that reaches the photoelectric conversion device  120 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the cavity  150  may be formed to extend through the etch stop layer  137  and the interlayer insulating layer  130 . Also, the cavity  150  may have a tapered side profile, and an upper width of the cavity  150  may be formed to be larger than a lower width thereof. Also, a bottom surface of the cavity  150  may be evenly formed. However, this is merely one embodiment, and the feature of the cavity is not limited thereto. For example, the cavity  150  may not have a tapered side profile, and the bottom surface of the cavity  150  may be concave or convex shape rather than a planar shape. 
     The anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  may be conformally formed on the cavity  150  that is formed in the interconnection structure  140 . For example, the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  may be formed on the whole surface of the substrate  110  including the side wall and the button surface of the cavity  150  in a sensor array (see “ 10 ” in  FIG. 1 ), except for a region, i.e. a region of a conductive pad  198  of a peripheral circuit region II. In other words, the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  may be conformally formed on both side surfaces and the bottom surface of the cavity  150  and may be formed to extend to the upper surface of the inter-metal insulating layer  140   c.    
     On the other hand, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the conductive pad  198  may be formed on the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  of the peripheral circuit region II. One part of the conductive pad  198 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , may be formed in the third inter-metal insulating layer  140   c  to connect with the third metal interconnection M 3 , and the other part of the conductive pad  198  may be formed on the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  that is formed on the interconnection structure  140 . 
     The light guide part  170  may include a light transmission material which is formed on the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  and fills the cavity  150 . That is, the cavity  150  may be filled with the light transmission material, and the light transmission material may be formed on the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the light transmission material of the light guide part  170  fills the cavity  150 , and is formed to extend to the upper surface of the inter-metal insulating layer  140   c  on the uppermost part of the interconnection structure  140 . Accordingly, the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  is conformally formed on both side walls and the bottom surface of the cavity  150  and the uppermost surface of the interconnection structure  140 , and the light transmission material is formed on the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  to fill the cavity  150 . 
     On the other hand, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the light guide part  170  may also be formed on the conductive pad  198  and the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  of the peripheral circuit region II. In this case, the light guide plate  170  formed on the peripheral circuit region II may include an opening  200  having a tapered side profile which is formed on the conductive pad  198  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The upper width W 1  of the opening  200  may be larger than the lower width W 2  thereof. That is, the opening  200  may have a trapezoid-shaped side profile of which the upper width W 1  is larger than the lower width W 2  thereof. In this case, the taper angle θ of the opening  200  may be 50° to 70°. The opening  200  having the tapered side profile as described above may be formed by performing photolithography with respect to the light guide part  170  using photoresist (not illustrated) having a tapered side profile. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  overlooking the conductive pad  198  and the light guide part  170 , the light guide part  170  may include a planarization region A, a slope region B, and an exposure region C for exposing the conductive pad  198 . An area formed by a first boundary  202  that is defined as a boundary between the planarization region A and the slope region B may be larger than an area formed by a second boundary  204  that is defined as a boundary between the slope region B and the exposure region C. Also, the first boundary  202  may have the same shape as that of the second boundary  204 . Specifically, the shape of the first boundary  202  and the second boundary  204  may be an octagon. Also, the width L of the slope region B may be 1 to 5 μm. 
     Although the first boundary  202  and the second boundary  204  are in the shape of an octagon in  FIG. 5 , they may be formed to have different shapes by a defocusing exposure process. That is, the first boundary  202  and the second boundary  204  may be formed in the shape of a curve rather than in the shape of a straight line as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     On the other hand, the area formed by the first boundary  202  may be an area of an upper surface of the opening  200 , and the area formed by the second boundary  204  may be an area of a lower surface of the opening  200 . Accordingly, the area of the upper surface of the opening  200  may be larger than the area of the lower surface thereof. Also, the shape of the upper surface of the opening  200  may be in the shape of an octagon as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the first boundary  202  and the second boundary  204  of an image sensor according to a modified embodiment of the first embodiment of the present invention may be in the shape of either a circle or an ellipse. Also, in the same manner, the width L of the slope region B may be 1 to 5 μm. Here, the area formed by the first boundary  202  may be an area of the upper surface of the opening  200 , and the area formed by the second boundary  204  may be an area of the lower surface of the opening  200 . Accordingly, the area of the upper surface of the opening  200  may be larger than the area of the lower surface thereof. Also, the upper surface of the opening  200  may be in the shape of either a circle or an ellipse as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     If the opening  200  of the light guide part  170  is formed to have the same shape as that of the opening  200  of the image sensor according to the first embodiment of the present invention, faults such as cracks or the like, which are formed on an edge portion  201  of the light guide part  170  in the process of etching the light guide part  170  in order to expose the conductive pad  198 , can be reduced, and thus the reliability of the image sensor can be improved. 
     Although it is exemplified in  FIG. 4  that the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  is conformally formed on the uppermost surface of the interconnection structure  140  of the sensor array region I and the light transmission material is formed on the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  to fill the cavity  150 , the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  formed on the uppermost surface of the interconnection structure  140  of the sensor array region I may be omitted as needed. 
     The light guide part  170  serves to make the light incident into the cavity  150  through the color filter  190  stably reach the photoelectric conversion device  120 . Accordingly, the light transmission material, in order to make the incident light well transmitted therethrough, may be made of, for example, an organic polymer compound, for example, a fluoro series polymer Cytop™ having a ring structure, poly-siloxane resin, poly-siloxane resin and titanium oxide, or PMMA series polymer. 
     Also, light transmission material of the light guide part  170  may be a material having a refractive index which is higher than that of a material that forms the multilayer inter-metal insulating layers  140   a ,  140   b , and  140   c . For example, the refractive index of the light transmission material of the light guide part  170  may be similar to the refractive index of the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160 . Accordingly, the light incident to the light guide plate  170  is totally reflected inside the cavity  150 , and due to this, the incident light can stably reach the photoelectric conversion device  120 . For example, the light transmission material of the light guide part  170  may have the refractive index that is equal to or higher than about 1.65. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , on the light guide part  170 , a lower planarization layer  180 , a color filter  190 , an upper planarization layer  192 , a lens  194 , and a protection layer  196  may be sequentially formed. In  FIG. 4 , it is exemplified that the planarization layers  180  and  192  are formed on both upper and lower sides of the color filter  190 . However, the forming of the planarization layer is not limited thereto. The planarization layer  192  may be formed only on the upper side of the color filter  180 , or may be formed on neither the upper side nor the lower side of the color filter  190 . 
     The lens  194  may be formed of an organic material such as photosensitive resin or an inorganic material. In the case of forming the lens  194  with an organic material, for example, the lens  194  may be formed by forming an organic material pattern on the upper planarization layer  192  and performing a thermal process thereon. Through the thermal process, the organic material pattern is changed to a lens shape. 
     The protection layer  196  may be an inorganic oxide layer. For example, a silicon oxide layer, a titanium oxide layer, a zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ) layer, a hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ) layer and its laminated layer, or a combined layer may be used. In particular, as the protection layer  196 , LTO (Low Temperature Oxide), which is a kind of a silicon oxide layer, may be used. The reason why such LTO is used is that the LTO is manufactured at low temperature (at about 100 to 200° C.), and thus lower layers are less damaged. In addition, since LTO is amorphous, it is not rough, and thus the reflection, refraction, scattering, or the like, of the incident light can be reduced. 
     In the case where the lens  194  is made of an organic material, it may be weak against an external impact. Accordingly, the protection layer  196  serves to protect the lens  194  from an external impact. Also, some space may exist between the lenses  194 , and the protection layer  196  also serves to fill such space. If the space between the neighboring lenses  194  is filled, the converging capability of the incident light can be heightened. This is because the reflection, refraction, scattering, or the like, of the incident light that reaches the space between the neighboring lenses  194  can be reduced. 
     Further, an adhesion layer (not illustrated) may be formed on the light transmission material of the light guide part  170 . The adhesion layer strengthens the adhesion capability between the light transmission material of the light guide part  170  on the lower side and the color filter  190  on the upper side, and thus the light transmission material and the color filter  190  can be adhered more stably. 
     Next, with reference to  FIG. 7 , an image sensor according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.  FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the image sensor according to a second embodiment of the present invention, taken along line K-K′ of  FIG. 3 . The image sensor according to the second embodiment of the present invention is the same as the image sensor according to the first embodiment of the present invention except for a portion of a conductive pad  198 , and thus the duplicate explanation thereof will be omitted. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , a conductive pad  198  of an image sensor according to the second embodiment of the present invention may have a tapered side profile. More specifically, an anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  may be conformally formed on the uppermost surface of an interconnection structure  140  of a peripheral circuit region II to have a tapered side profile, and a conductive pad  198  is conformally deposited on the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  to have a tapered side profile. In this case, the taper angle of the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  and the conductive pad  198  may be smaller than 80° in the same manner as the taper angle θ of the opening  200 . Specifically, the taper angle of the anti-moisture-absorption layer  160  and the conductive pad  198  may be 50° to 70°. Since other particulars of the image sensor according to the second embodiment of the present invention are the same as those of the image sensor according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the duplicate explanation thereof will be omitted. 
     Next, with reference to  FIG. 8 , an image sensor according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.  FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the image sensor according to a third embodiment of the present invention, taken along line K-K′ of  FIG. 3 . The image sensor according to the third embodiment of the present invention is the same as the image sensor according to the first embodiment of the present invention except for the shape of an opening  200 , and thus the duplicate explanation thereof will be omitted. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , an opening  200  of an image sensor according to the third embodiment of the present invention may have a stepped side profile like stairs. The opening  200  having a side profile in the form of stairs may be formed, for example, using a grayscale mask. In this case, unlike the conductive pad as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the conductive pad  198  may be formed in the same manner as the conductive pad  198  of the image sensor according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     Since other particulars of the image sensor according to the third embodiment of the present invention are the same as those of the image sensor according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention, the duplicate explanation thereof will be omitted. 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS. 9 to 12 , a processor-based device that includes an image sensor according to the embodiments of the present invention will be described.  FIG. 9  is a view illustrating a computer device,  FIGS. 10 and 11  are views illustrating a camera device, and  FIG. 12  is a view illustrating a portable phone device. It is apparent that the image sensor according to the embodiments of the present invention can be used in other devices (e.g. a scanner, a machined clock work, a navigation device, a video phone, a monitoring device, an auto focus device, a tracking device, an operation supervisory device, an image stabilizing device, and the like) in addition to the above-described device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a computer device  300  includes a central information processing device (CPU)  320  such as a microprocessor that can communicate with an input/output (I/O) device  330  through a bus  305 . An image sensor  310  can communicate with a device through the bus  305  or other communication links. Also, the processor-based device  300  may further include a RAM  340  and/or a port  360  which can communicate with the CPU  320  through the bus  305 . The port  360  may be a port which can couple a video card, a sound card, a memory card, a USB device, and the like, or can communicate with other devices. The image sensor  310  may be integrated together with the CPU, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, or the like. Also, a memory may be integrated together with the image sensor. Of course, the image sensor may also be integrated into a separate chip together with the processor. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , a camera device  400  includes an image sensor package  410  in which an image sensor  413  is packaged on a circuit board  411  through a bonding wire. Also, a housing  420  is attached to the circuit board  411  to protect the circuit board  411  and the image sensor  413  from an external environment. An optical tube assembly  421 , through which an image to be captured passes, may be formed in the housing. A protection cover  422  may be installed at an outer end portion of the optical tube assembly  421 , and an infrared blocking and anti-reflection filter  423  may be mounted at an inner end portion of the optical tube assembly  421 . Also, a lens  424  is mounted inside the optical tube assembly  421 , and the lens  424  can move along screw thread formed on the optical tube assembly  421 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , a camera device  500  uses an image sensor package  501  using a through via  572 . Using the through via  572 , an image sensor  570  and a circuit board  560  can be electrically connected to each other even without using the wire bonding. Here, the unexplained reference numeral “ 520 ” denotes a first lens, “ 540 ” denotes a second lens, and “ 526 ” and “ 527 ” denote lens components. Also, “ 505 ” denotes a support member, “ 545 ” denotes an aperture, “ 510 ” and “ 530 ” denote transparent substrates, and “ 550 ” denotes glass. Referring to  FIG. 12 , an image sensor  452  is attached at a specified position of a portable phone system  450 . Of course, the image sensor  452  may be attached to a position that is different from the position illustrated in  FIG. 12 . 
     Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.