We have investigated the effects of deliberate heavy metals contamination on dark current and image defects in CMOS Image Sensors (CIS). Analysis of dark current in these imager dice has revealed different behaviors among most important 3d metals present in the process line. We have implanted directly in 3 Mega array pixels the following metals: Cr, V, Cu, Ni, Fe, Ti, Mo, W, Al and Zn. Analyzing the dark current "spectrum" as obtained for fixed integration periods of time by means of standard image-testing equipment, these impurities can be identified and detected with a sensitivity of ∼ 10 9 traps/cm 3 or higher.
To improve the gate oxide long term performance of MOSFETs in back side illuminated CMOS image sensors the wafer back is patterned with suitable through-silicontrenches. We demonstrate that the reliability improvement is due to the annealing of the gate oxide border traps thanks to passivating chemical species carried by trenches.
Various measurement techniques are compared and the most suitable methods for contamination detection are identified. The results of this study show that it is not possible to define a unique recipe that can be applied in all cases. Concerning metal contaminants, the stratigraphic in-depth distribution and hence the diffusivity of contaminants determines the most effective approach. Iron and palladium are chosen as the examples of fast diffusers, molybdenum and tungsten as slow diffusers. Fast diffusers like iron and palladium diffuse through several hundred microns during an ordinary thermal treatment. Minority carrier lifetime measurements are probably the best choice to detect these contaminants. Molybdenum and tungsten do not diffuse deep enough to be efficiently revealed by recombination lifetime measurements, but are easily revealed in the silicon volume by DLTS. Because of their low diffusivity, a very small amount of these elements per unit surface may result in a significant concentration in the near-surface region where devices are built. Ion implantation is confirmed to be an important source of metal contamination. It is shown that ion implantation can be responsible both for iron contamination and for contamination by slow diffusers, such as molybdenum and tungsten. A procedure for monitoring molybdenum and tungsten contamination in ion implantation processes by DLTS is defined and calibrated. Finally, the efficiency of some gettering techniques in reducing iron, molybdenum and tungsten contamination is discussed. Gettering is found to be active at relatively high contaminant concentrations, but low contamination levels are not gettered under our experimental conditions. Carbon implantation showed partial efficiency in gettering molybdenum and tungsten, whereas gettering did not take place after silicon implantation.
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