US 7,507,635 B2
CMOS image sensor and method of fabricating the same
Chang Hun Han, Icheon (Korea, Republic of)
Assigned to Dongbu Electronics, Co., Ltd., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)
Filed on Dec. 28, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/318,434.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2004-0113801 (KR), filed on Dec. 28, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2006/0138482 A1, Jun. 29, 2006
Int. Cl. H01L 21/76 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 438—435  [438/221] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of fabricating a CMOS image sensor, comprising the steps of:
forming a pad oxide layer and a nitride layer sequentially over a first-conductivity-type semiconductor substrate defined by an active area and a device isolation area;
selectively etching the nitride layer to form an opening through which a part of the pad oxide layer is exposed;
forming a first-conductivity-type doping area using the selectively etched nitride layer as a mask;
forming spacers on sidewalls of the opening;
selectively etching the exposed part of the pad oxide layer and underlying substrate using the etched nitride layer and the spacers as a mask to form a trench;
forming a dielectric layer in the trench;
forming an isolation layer on the dielectric layer to fill the trench;
removing the spacers, the nitride layer and the pad oxide layer; and
forming a second-conductivity-type diffusion area in the active area of the substrate in such a way that between the second-conductivity-type diffusion area and the isolation layer is a space corresponding to the first-conductivity-type doping area and the dielectric layer.