Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array, and a first, second, and an intermediate memory-element. The memory-elements store, respectively, a first, second, and an intermediate exposure value. The pixel array includes pixel-subarrays each including a rescue pixel and a first, second, and third plurality of contiguous pixels. Each of the first plurality of pixels is connected to the first memory-element and spans diagonally-opposite corners of the pixel-subarray. Each of the second plurality of pixels is connected to the second memory-element and located on a first side of the first plurality of pixels. Each of the third plurality of pixels is connected to the second memory-element and located on a second side of the first plurality of pixels. The rescue-pixel is connected to the intermediate memory-element and is (i) located on one of the first side and the second side and/or (ii) adjacent to one of the first plurality of pixels.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing light-shielded cameras includes forming a plurality of camera dies by dicing a camera wafer stack including (a) an image sensor wafer having a plurality of image sensors, (b) a cover glass bonded to the image sensor wafer, and (c) a lens wafer bonded to the cover glass and having a plurality of lenses, to form a plurality of camera dies. The method further includes, prior to the step of dicing, (i) from a first side of the image sensor wafer facing away from the cover glass and at least partly covered by an opaque layer, pre-cutting a sensor-cover wafer stack that includes the image sensor wafer and the cover glass, and (ii) depositing an opaque material in the pre-cuts. The method also includes, after the step of dicing, applying an opaque coating to second-side surfaces, of the camera dies, formed by the step of dicing.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an image-sensor chip-scale package includes bonding, with temporary adhesive, a glass wafer to a device wafer including an array of image sensors. The method also includes forming an isolated-die wafer by removing, from the device wafer, each of a plurality of inter-sensor regions each located between a respective pair of image sensors of the array of image sensors. The isolated-die wafer includes a plurality of image-sensor dies each including a respective image sensor, of the array of image sensors, bonded to the glass wafer. The method also includes encapsulating the isolated-die wafer to form an encapsulated-die wafer; removing, from each of the plurality of image-sensor dies, a respective region of the glass wafer covering the respective image sensor; and singulating the encapsulated-die wafer.

Abstract: An image sensor package includes a transparent material, and a substrate adhered to the transparent material. An image sensor is disposed on or within the substrate so that the image sensor is disposed between the substrate and the transparent material to receive light from an optical side of the image sensor package through the transparent material. A solder mask dam is disposed between the substrate and the transparent material to form a gap between the image sensor and the transparent material, and the solder mask dam is structured to indicate an orientation of the image sensor, when the image sensor is viewed from the optical side.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a photodiode disposed in a semiconductor material layer to accumulate image charge in response to light incident upon the photodiode. A charge collection gate is coupled to the photodiode. The charge collection gate is disposed over the photodiode to generate an inversion layer in the semiconductor material layer under the charge collection gate to collect the image charge from the photodiode. A first transfer gate is disposed proximate to the charge collection gate, wherein the first transfer gate is coupled to transfer the image charge from in the inversion layer in response to a first transfer signal.

Abstract: An optical system comprises an imaging lens for imaging an object to an image and a sensing pixel array for detecting lights from the object toward the image. The sensing pixel array comprises a first sensing pixel and a second sensing pixel, each sensing pixel comprising a microlens covering a one-dimensional series of photodiodes having n photodiodes. A photodiode at an end of the one-dimensional series of photodiodes of the first sensing pixel detects a first light from the object toward the image, and a photodiode at an opposite end of the one-dimensional series of photodiodes of the second sensing pixel detects a second light from the object toward the image, where the first light and the second light pass opposite parts of the imaging lens.

Abstract: A time-of-flight pixel array comprises multiple pixel cells. The pixel cell comprises a light collection region, a light shielded region, and a deep trench isolation (DTI) structure that encircles the light collection region to prevent light from entering the light shielded region. Photogate in the light collection region is disposed above a photodiode to accumulate the photo-generated electrical charges. A doped region disposed near the photogate collects the attracted charges. The doped region extends to the light shielded region and transfers the collected charges to a floating diffusion through a shutter transistor also in the light shielded region. DTI or similar structures are deployed to the entire pixel array to prevent light from exchanging between different light collection regions and light from entering the light shielded regions of all pixel cells. Interference between the shielded regions of different pixel cells is also minimized.

Abstract: A time-of-flight (TOF) sensor includes a light source structured to emit light and a plurality of avalanche photodiodes. The TOF sensor also includes a plurality of pulse generators, where individual pulse generators are coupled to individual avalanche photodiodes in the plurality of avalanche photodiodes. Control circuitry is coupled to the light source, the plurality of avalanche photodiodes, and the plurality of pulse generators, to perform operations. Operations may include emitting the light from the light source, and receiving the light reflected from an object with the plurality of avalanche photodiodes. In response to receiving the light with the plurality of avalanche photodiodes, a plurality of pulses may be output from the individual pulse generators corresponding to the individual photodiodes that received the light. And, in response to outputting the plurality of pulses, a timing signal may be output when the plurality of pulses overlap temporally.

Abstract: A collimator for under-display fingerprint sensing includes (a) a substrate having opposite facing first and second sides, (b) an array of microlenses disposed on the first surface for focusing light from a fingerprint surface onto a focal plane that is between the array of microlenses and the second side of the substrate such that the light, as projected by the array of microlenses, is diverging when exiting the second side of the substrate, and (c) an array of apertures between the array of microlenses and the substrate, wherein each of the apertures is aligned to and cooperates with a respective one of the microlenses to form a field-of-view-limited lens having a field of view corresponding to a respective local portion of the fingerprint surface.

Abstract: A system for capturing a high dynamic range (HDR) image comprises an image sensor comprising a split pixel including a first pixel having higher effective gain and a second pixel having lower effective gain. The second pixels exposed with a capture window capture at least a pulse emitted by a light emitting diode (LED) controlled by a pulse width modulation. A first HDR image is produced by a combination including an image produced by the second pixels, and images produced by multiple exposures of the first pixels. A weight map of LED flicker correction is generated from the difference of the image produced by second pixels and the images produced by the first pixels, and the flicker areas in the first HDR image are corrected with the weight map and the image from the second pixels.

Abstract: A 3D imaging system comprises a phase detection autofocus (PDAF) image sensor, a lens for imaging a cross-section of a 3D object on the PDAF image sensor and an actuator for driving the lens for focusing each cross-section of the 3D object on the PDAF image sensor. The actuator drives the lens until the PDAF image sensor identifies an image of a first cross-section of the 3D object in-focus and records the image of the first cross-section. The PDAF image sensor records images of subsequent cross-sections of the 3D object formed by the lens driven by the actuator on the PDAF image sensor. The recorded images of each cross-section of the 3D object are stacked to form a 3D image of the 3D object.

Abstract: A chip comprises a semiconductor substrate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, a plurality of conductive metal patterns formed on the first side of the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of solder balls formed on the first side of the semiconductor substrate, and at least one code pattern of a first group and at least one code pattern of a second group formed on the first side of the semiconductor substrate in a space free from the plurality of conductive metal patterns and the plurality of solder balls, wherein the code patterns are visible from a backside of the chip, and wherein a tracing number of the chip is represented by the code patterns.

Abstract: An image-sensor package includes a cover glass, an image sensor, and an integrated circuit. The cover glass has a cover-glass bottom surface, to which the image sensor is bonded. The integrated circuit is beneath the cover-glass bottom surface, adjacent to the image sensor, and electronically connected to the image sensor. A method for packaging an image sensor includes attaching an image sensor to a cover-glass bottom surface of a cover glass, a light-sensing region of the image sensor facing the cover-glass bottom surface. The method also includes attaching an integrated circuit to the cover-glass bottom surface, a top IC-surface of the integrated circuit facing the cover-glass bottom surface.

Abstract: A semiconductor device package includes a transparent substrate, a photo detector and a first conductive layer. The transparent substrate has a first surface and a first cavity underneath the first surface. The photo detector is disposed within the first cavity. The photo detector has a sensing area facing toward a bottom surface of the first cavity of the transparent substrate. The first conductive layer is disposed over the transparent substrate and electrically connected to the photo detector.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a photodiode disposed in a semiconductor material to generate image charge in response to incident light, and a first transfer gate is coupled to the photodiode to extract image charge from the photodiode in response to a first transfer signal. A first storage gate is coupled to the first transfer gate to receive the image charge from the first transfer gate, and a first output gate is coupled to the first storage gate to receive the image charge from the first storage gate. A first capacitor is coupled to the first output gate to store the image charge.

Abstract: A subrange analog-to-digital converter (ADC) converts analog image signal received from a bitline to a digital signal through an ADC comparator. The comparator is shared by a successive approximation register (SAR) ADC coupled to provide M upper output bits (UOB) of the subrange ADC and a ramp ADC coupled to provide N lower output bits (LOB). The digital-to-analog converter (DAC) of the SAR ADC comprises M buffered bit capacitors connected to the comparator. Each buffered bit capacitor comprises a bit capacitor, a bit buffer, and a bit switch controlled by one of the UOB of the SAR ADC. A ramp buffer is coupled between a ramp generator and a ramp capacitor. The ramp capacitor is further coupled to the same comparator. The implementation of ramp buffer and the bit buffers as well as their sharing of the same kind of buffer reduces differential nonlinear (DNL) error of the subrange ADC.

Abstract: An image sensor including a photodiode, a first doped region, a second doped region, a first storage node, a second storage node, a first vertical transfer gate, and a second vertical transfer gate is presented. The photodiode is disposed in a semiconductor material to convert image light to an electric signal. The first doped region and the second doped region are disposed in the semiconductor material between a first side of the semiconductor material and the photodiode. The first doped region is positioned between the first storage node and the second storage node while the second doped region is positioned between the second storage node and the first doped region. The vertical transfer gates are coupled between the photodiode to transfer the electric signal from the photodiode to a respective one of the storage nodes in response to a signal.

Abstract: Backside illuminated sensor pixel structure. In one embodiment, an image sensor includes a plurality of photodiodes arranged in rows and columns of a pixel array that are disposed in a semiconductor substrate. Individual photodiodes of the pixel array are configured to receive incoming light through a backside of the semiconductor substrate. The individual photodiodes have a diffusion region formed in an epitaxial region and a plurality of storage nodes (SGs) that are disposed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate and formed in the epitaxial region. An opaque isolation layer having a plurality of opaque isolation elements is disposed proximate to the front side of the semiconductor substrate and proximate to the diffusion region of the plurality of photodiodes. The opaque isolation elements are configured to block a path of incoming light from the backside of the semiconductor substrate toward the storage nodes.

Abstract: An image sensor includes one or more photodiodes disposed in a semiconductor material to receive image light and generate image charge, and a floating diffusion to receive the image charge from the one or more photodiodes. One or more transfer transistors is coupled to transfer image charge in the one or more photodiodes to the floating diffusion, and a source follower transistor is coupled to amplify the image charge in the floating diffusion. The source follower includes a gate electrode (coupled to the floating diffusion), source and drain electrodes, and an active region disposed in the semiconductor material between the source and drain electrodes. A dielectric material is disposed between the gate electrode and the active region and has a first thickness and a second thickness. The second thickness is greater than the first thickness, and the second thickness is disposed closer to the drain electrode than the first thickness.

Abstract: An athermal lens system includes a converging lens element having a negative first thermo-optic coefficient, and a diverging lens element having a second thermo-optic coefficient more negative than the first thermo-optic coefficient, wherein the diverging lens element is coupled with the converging lens element to form a converging athermal doublet lens.