Through-Oxide Vias Integrated with Color Filter Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging systems require inefficient and costly multiple processing steps to form through-oxide via connections between circuitry in image sensor dies and digital signal processor dies, limiting time, space, and cost efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Through-oxide vias are formed simultaneously with light shielding structures and in-pixel grids or color filter housing structures using the same dielectric material, reducing the number of manufacturing steps and integrating these components for improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional multiple processing steps are used to form through-oxide via connections, then connection reliability is achieved, but manufacturing time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the formation of through-oxide via structures with the formation of color filter housing structures into a single integrated process step. Both structures are formed simultaneously through the same oxide layers using a unified patterning and etching approach, eliminating the need for separate processing steps and reducing overall manufacturing time while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional structure where the through-oxide via structures serve dual purposes: providing electrical connections between dies and forming integrated color filter housings. This universal structure accomplishes multiple functions (electrical interconnection, optical filtering, and structural support) in a single integrated design, reducing the number of separate manufacturing steps required.
2Reliability
If conventional multiple processing steps are used to form through-oxide via connections, then connection reliability is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the through-oxide via formation process with color filter housing formation into a single integrated process. This consolidation reduces the total number of lithography, etching, and deposition steps required, directly lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining the reliability of electrical connections through properly formed via structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated structure serves multiple functions simultaneously - electrical interconnection and optical filtering - eliminating the need for separate manufacturing processes for each function. This multi-functionality reduces material waste, processing time, and overall manufacturing complexity, thereby reducing costs while ensuring reliable connections.
3Manufacturing precision
If through-oxide vias are formed separately from other structures, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates via formation with color filter housing formation into a single patterning and etching process. The same photomask and etch conditions used for housing formation also define the via structures, ensuring consistent precision for both features while reducing overall process complexity by eliminating redundant steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated structure accomplishes multiple functions through a unified formation process. The through-oxide vias and color filter housings are created simultaneously using the same manufacturing steps, reducing process complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision through consistent process parameters applied to both structures.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging system may include an image sensor die stacked on top of a digital signal processor (DSP) die. The image sensor die may be a backside illuminated image sensor die. Through-oxide vias (TOVs) may be formed in the image sensor die and may extend at least partially into in the DSP die to facilitate communications between the image sensor die and the DSP die. Color filter housing structures may be formed over active image sensor pixels on the image sensor die. In-pixel grid structures may be integrated with the color filter housing structures to help reduce crosstalk. Light shielding structures may be formed over reference image sensor pixels on the image sensor die. The TOVs, the in-pixel grid structures, and the light shielding structures may be formed simultaneously. The formation of the color filter housing structures may also be integrated the formation of the TOVs.