Patent ID: 7745857

Claim:
A semiconductor device having plural photodiodes formed side-by-side via element-separating regions, comprising: a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type formed on a top surface of the first semiconductor layer; element-separating regions formed at least in the second semiconductor layer to separate the plural photodiodes from each other; a conductive layer that is connected to the second semiconductor layer in an outer periphery with respect to all of the plural photodiodes and is formed on the second semiconductor layer in a pattern divided for each of the photodiodes; and an insulating layer formed over the first and second semiconductor layers, the element-separating regions, and the conductive layer to cover the entire surface of the conductive layer; the insulating layer having an opening that extends to the second semiconductor layer in a central region inside the pattern of the conductive layer, and that exposes a photosensitive region of the semiconductor device; wherein the insulating layer comprises a first insulating layer, and a second insulating layer formed on the first insulating layer; and a mask layer is formed between the first and second insulating layers, in a ring shape along an outer periphery of the opening.