Solid State Imaging Device Partition Wall Crosstalk Prevention

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing manufacturing methods for color imaging devices increase costs due to the need for additional steps and materials to prevent crosstalk between color filters, leading to variations in pixel sensitivity.

Innovation Solution

A solid state imaging device with color filters of at least three colors and partition walls formed between adjacent filters using the same color material as the adjacent filters, which reduces manufacturing costs while preventing crosstalk and sensitivity variations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a partition wall made of a different material (with different refractive index) is formed between color filters, then crosstalk between color filters is prevented, but manufacturing cost increases due to additional steps and materials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrosstalk preventionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall is formed using the same material as the color filters, ensuring homogeneous composition throughout the color filter assembly. This eliminates the need for additional material types and simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining effective crosstalk prevention through the continuous color material that extends into the partition region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

Solution Approach 2:

The partition wall material is merged with the color filter material, creating a unified structure where the color material continuously extends from the color filter into the partition wall region. This integration eliminates the boundary between separate materials and reduces manufacturing complexity by combining what would otherwise be distinct fabrication steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a partition wall made of a different material is formed between color filters, then crosstalk is suppressed, but device complexity increases due to additional manufacturing steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrosstalk preventionVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall is formed using the same material as the color filters, ensuring homogeneous composition throughout the color filter assembly. This eliminates the need for additional material types and simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining effective crosstalk prevention through the continuous color material that extends into the partition region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

Solution Approach 2:

The partition wall material is merged with the color filter material, creating a unified structure where the color material continuously extends from the color filter into the partition wall region. This integration eliminates the boundary between separate materials and reduces manufacturing complexity by combining what would otherwise be distinct fabrication steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach effectively suppresses crosstalk and resulting sensitivity variations between pixels without increasing manufacturing costs, particularly effective in high-angle view imaging applications.

Implementation Method 1

a partition wall formed between adjacent ones of the color filters so as to contain a color material of the same color as a color filter of a color different from colors of the adjacent color filters

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS10063816B2Solid state imaging device, electronic apparatus, and method for manufacturing solid state imaging device

Publication Date: 2018.08.28 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

[Object] To prevent crosstalk between color filters and the resulting variation in sensitivity between pixels while suppressing the increase in manufacturing cost.[Solution] Provided is a solid state imaging device including: a plurality of photoelectric conversion units configured to receive incident light on a light receiving surface and generate a signal charge; color filters of at least three colors provided to correspond one-to-one to the plurality of photoelectric conversion units; and a partition wall formed between adjacent ones of the color filters so as to contain a color material of the same color as a color filter of a color different from colors of the adjacent color filters.