Patent ID: 8466010

Claim:
A method of fabricating a backside illuminated imaging sensor, the method comprising: providing a backside illuminated imaging sensor, the imaging sensor including: an epitaxial layer having an imaging array formed in a front side of the epitaxial layer, wherein the imaging array is adapted to receive light from a back side of the epitaxial layer; a metal stack coupled to the front side of the epitaxial layer, wherein the metal stack includes a seal ring formed in an edge region of the imaging sensor; etching an opening extending from the back side of the epitaxial layer to a metal pad of the seal ring to expose the metal pad; depositing material on the back side of the epitaxial layer and within the opening; and etching the material to form a seal ring support on the metal pad and within the opening to structurally support the seal ring, wherein the seal ring support has a first width in a corner region of the backside illuminated imaging sensor and a second width different from the first width in a side region of the backside illuminated imaging sensor.