Patent ID: 7163834

Claim:
In a method of fabricating a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, wherein the CMOS image sensor includes a photodiode receiving irradiated light and generating electric charges, a plurality of conductive circuits each formed in different layers, a plurality of interlayer dielectrics insulating the conductive circuits, and a micro-lens formed of the interlayer dielectrics and focusing the irradiated light to the photodiode, the method comprising: forming a lens for re-focusing the light focused by the micro-lens to the photodiode, wherein the step of forming a lens comprises: a first step of randomly forming one of the interlayer dielectrics and forming a nitride layer on an entire surface thereof; a second step of depositing a photoresist layer on the nitride layer, and patterning the photoresist layer so that a set portion of photoresist remains in a corresponding area; a third step of selectively removing the nitride layer by using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask, and removing the photoresist layer; a fourth step of rounding corner portions of the selectively removed nitride layer by using a high frequency bias sputter etch process; and a fifth step of forming the nitride layer in a dome shape by using a wet-etch process.