Patent ID: 7785914

Claim:
A method comprising: forming an interlayer dielectric layer over a substrate, wherein the substrate has a pixel region and a logic pad region; forming a top conductive layer over the interlayer dielectric layer in the logic pad region; forming an etch stop layer over the interlayer dielectric layer and the top conductive layer; forming at least one protective layer over the etch stop layer; selectively etching said at least one protective layer using a photoresist mask, wherein substantially all of said at least one protective layer is removed in the pixel region and a portion of said at least one protective layer is selectively removed in the logic pad region, wherein said at least one protective layer is selectively removed over at least a portion of the top conductive layer in the logic pad region; and removing substantially all of the etch stop layer in the pixel region; selectively removing a portion of the etch stop layer in the logic pad region, wherein the etch stop layer is selectively removed over at least a portion of the top conductive layer in the logic pad region; forming at least one color filter above the uppermost surface of a portion of the interlayer dielectric layer formed in the pixel region; forming an over coating layer over said at least one color filter in the pixel region; and forming at least one micro lens over the over coating layer in the pixel region, wherein the interlayer dielectric layer is in direct contact with both said at least one color filter and the top conductive layer.