Patent attributes
A method of fabricating a CMOS image sensor can minimize a dark current by avoiding a dry etch process of a photodiode surface. The method can also reduce a contact resistance and variation of the contact resistance of a read-out circuit unit within a unit pixel. The method includes steps of forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate divided into a photodiode area and a transistor area, removing the insulating layer on a gate electrode forming area, forming a gate insulating layer, forming a conductive layer, forming a gate electrode by planarizing the conductive layer, selectively removing the insulating layer to expose the semiconductor substrate, forming a lightly doped impurity region in the exposed semiconductor substrate, forming a spacer on a sidewall of the gate electrode, completely removing the insulating layer, and forming a heavily doped impurity region on the transistor area of the semiconductor substrate.
