Patent ID: 7875917

Claim:
An image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a pixel region and a peripheral region defined by a first device isolation layer; first and second readout circuitries in the pixel region; an insulating layer including first, second, and third lower metal lines and a pad on the semiconductor substrate, the first and second lower metal lines being electrically connected to the first and second readout circuitries, respectively, and the third lower metal line being in the peripheral region; first and second photodiode patterns on the insulating layer and separated in each pixel by a gap region, the first and second photodiode patterns being electrically connected to the first and second lower metal lines, respectively; a second device isolation layer on the insulating layer and the first and second photodiode patterns, the second device isolation layer having a first via hole partially exposing the first photodiode pattern and a second via hole exposing the third lower metal line; an upper metal line on the second device isolation layer, electrically connected with the first photodiode pattern and the third lower metal line through the first via hole and the second via hole, respectively; a pad hole in the second device isolation layer and the insulating layer to expose the pad; and a passivation layer over the second device isolation layer, the upper metal line, and the pad.