Abstract: A photodiode array has buried photodiodes and vertical selection transistors. Trenches are lined with gate oxide and metallic plugs of first material lie within the trenches. Gate contacts of second material contact the metallic plugs, with photodiode diffusion regions adjacent the trenches as sources of vertical transistors, the metallic plugs form gates of the vertical transistors, and buried photodiode regions form sources of the vertical transistors. In embodiments, the first conductive material is tungsten, titanium nitride, titanium carbide, or aluminum and the second conductive material is polysilicon. The array is formed by trenching, growing gate oxide, and depositing first material in the trenches. The first material is etched to define metallic plugs, the second material is deposited onto the metallic plugs then masked and etched; and drain regions implanted. Etching the second material is performed by a reactive ion etch that stops upon reaching the metallic plugs.

Abstract: A pixel-array substrate includes a semiconductor substrate and a passivation layer. The semiconductor substrate includes a pixel array surrounded by a periphery region. A back surface of the semiconductor substrate forms, in the periphery region, a plurality of first peripheral-trenches extending into the semiconductor substrate. The passivation layer is on the back surface and lines each of the plurality of first peripheral-trenches.

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 formed using laser marking 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 at least one code pattern is visible from a backside of the chip, the at least one code pattern represents a binary number having four bits; and the binary number represents a decimal number to represent a tracing number of the chip.

Abstract: An event sensing system includes a pixel array including a plurality of event driven pixel circuits configured to be illuminated by incident light. The event driven pixel circuits are configured to generate an event current in response to a detection of an event in the incident light. Output signals of a row of the pixel array are configured to be read out from the row of the pixel array to a line buffer in response to the detection of the event in the incident light. A random number generator is configured to randomly generate a filtering mask. A mask circuit is the output signals of the row of the pixel array from the line buffer and the filtering mask from the random number generator to filter the output signals of the row of the pixel array in response to the filtering mask.

Abstract: A high k passivation layer, an anti-reflective coating layer, and a buffer layer are disposed over semiconductor substrate including photodiodes formed therein. Trenches are etched into the semiconductor substrate through the buffer layer, anti-reflective coating layer, and the high k passivation layer in a grid-like pattern surrounding each of the photodiodes in the semiconductor substrate. Another high k passivation layer lines an interior of the trenches in the semiconductor substrate. An adhesive and barrier layer is deposited over the high k passivation layer that lines the interior of the trenches. A deep trench isolation (DTI) structure is formed with conductive material deposited into the trenches over the adhesive and barrier layer to fill the trenches. A grid structure is formed over the DTI structure and above a plane of the buffer layer. The grid structure is formed with the conductive material.

Abstract: An image sensor with embedded wells for accommodating light emitters includes a semiconductor substrate including an array of doped sensing regions respectively corresponding to an array of photosensitive pixels of the image sensor. The semiconductor substrate forms an array of wells. Each well is aligned with a respective doped sensing region to facilitate detection, by the photosensitive pixel that includes said respective doped sensing region, of light emitted to the photosensitive pixel by a light emitter disposed in the well. The image sensor further includes, between adjacent doped sensing regions, a light-blocking barrier to reduce propagation of light to the doped sensing-region of each photosensitive pixel from wells not aligned therewith.

Abstract: An image sensor has a plurality of pixels arranged in a row direction and in a column direction. Each pixel comprises a color filter that has a portion with a low transmissivity and a portion with a high transmissivity, and a photoelectric conversion element that includes a first photoelectric conversion cell which receives light transmitting through the portion with the low transmissivity of the color filter, and a second photoelectric conversion cell which receives light transmitting through the portion with the high transmissivity of the color filter. The plurality of pixels are arranged such that positions of the portions with the low transmissivity for pixels of one color are identical among the plurality of pixels, and the portions with the low transmissivity are positioned adjacent to each other between adjacent pixels of different colors in the row direction only.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a photodiode in semiconductor material to accumulate image charge in response to incident light. A tri-gate charge transfer block coupled includes a single shared channel region the semiconductor material. A transfer gate, shutter gate, and switch gate are disposed proximate to the single shared channel region. The transfer gate transfers image charge accumulated in the photodiode to the single shared channel region in response to a transfer signal. The shutter gate transfers the image charge in the single shared channel region to a floating diffusion in the semiconductor material in response to a shutter signal. The switch gate is configured to couple the single shared channel region to a charge storage structure in the semiconductor material in response to a switch signal.

Abstract: An optical fingerprint sensor (OFPS) for use with a liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel having a backlight module is positioned under the backlight module and captures an image of a fingerprint sensing area on the LCD panel through an aperture in both a reflector and a metal shield of the backlight module. The OFPS includes a sensor layer, a wafer-level optic layer bonded to the sensor layer and an infrared pass filter (IRPF) coating formed on a substantially flat top surface of the wafer-level optic layer. An OFPS may be formed with a flat top and may include a wafer-level optic layer having one or more lenses to direct light generated by a light source beneath the wafer-level optic layer. The wafer-level lenses may be bonded with the fingerprint scanner. The flat top of the OFPS may be made with an IRPF coating.

Abstract: A pixel cell includes a photodiode disposed proximate to a front side of a semiconductor layer to generate image charge in response to incident light directed through a backside of the semiconductor layer. A cell deep trench isolation (CDTI) structure is disposed along an optical path of the incident light to the photodiode and proximate to the backside of the semiconductor layer. The CDTI structure includes a plurality of portions arranged in the semiconductor layer. Each of the plurality of portions extends a respective depth from the backside towards the front side of the semiconductor layer. The respective depth of each of the plurality of portions is different than a respective depth of a neighboring one of the plurality of portions. Each of the plurality of portions is laterally separated and spaced apart from said neighboring one of the plurality of portions in the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An autofocusing method includes capturing an image of a scene with a camera that includes a pixel array; computing a horizontal-difference image, and a vertical-difference image; and combining the horizontal-difference image and the vertical-difference image to yield a combined image. The method also includes determining, from the combined image and the intensity image, an image distance with respect to a lens of the camera at which the camera forms an in-focus image. The pixel array includes horizontally-adjacent pixel pairs and vertically-adjacent pixel pairs each located beneath a respective microlens. The horizontal-difference image includes, for each horizontally-adjacent pixel pair, a derived pixel value that is an increasing function of a difference between pixel values generated by the horizontally-adjacent pixel pair.

Abstract: A pixel cell includes a plurality of subpixels to generate image charge in response to incident light. The subpixels include an inner subpixel laterally surrounded by outer subpixels. A first plurality of transfer gates disposed proximate to the inner subpixel and a first grouping of outer subpixels. A first floating diffusion is coupled to receive the image charge from the first grouping of outer subpixels through a first plurality of transfer gates. A second plurality of transfer gates disposed proximate to the inner subpixel and the second grouping of outer subpixels. A second floating diffusion disposed in the semiconductor material and coupled to receive the image charge from each one of the second grouping of outer subpixels through the second plurality of transfer gates. The image charge in the inner subpixel is received by the first, second, or both floating diffusions through respective transfer gates.

Abstract: A projector assembly includes three coaxially aligned lenses and an aperture stop. The three coaxially aligned lenses include a first lens and, in order of increasing distance therefrom and on a same side thereof, a second lens and a positive meniscus lens. The first lens is a positive lens. The second lens is a negative lens. The second lens is located between the aperture stop and the positive meniscus lens. The projector assembly is one-sided telecentric at a plane proximate the positive meniscus lens.

Abstract: An active-pixel device assembly with stray-light reduction includes an active-pixel device including a semiconductor substrate and an array of active pixels, a light-transmissive substrate disposed on a light-receiving side of the active-pixel device, and a rough opaque coating disposed on a first surface of the light-transmissive substrate and forming an aperture aligned with the array of active pixels, wherein the rough opaque coating is rough so as to suppress reflection of light incident thereon from at least one side. A method for manufacturing a stray-light-reducing coating for an active-pixel device assembly includes depositing an opaque coating on a light-transmissive substrate such that the opaque coating forms a light-transmissive aperture, and roughening the opaque coating to form a rough opaque coating, said roughening including treating the opaque coating with an alkaline solution.

Abstract: An image sensor module comprises an image sensor having a light sensing area, a cover glass for covering the light sensing area, a dam between the image sensor and the cover glass, which surrounds the light sensing area, and has an outer wall and an inner wall, where a cross-section of the inner wall parallel to the surface of the light sensing area of the image sensor forms a sawtooth pattern and/or, where a cross-section of the inner wall orthogonal to the surface of the light sensing area of the image sensor forms an inclined surface.

Abstract: A light sensor includes a photodiode, interlayer dielectric layer and plurality of metal layers. A polarizer is disposed in the plurality of metal layers. The photodiode is coupled to generate charge in response to incident light directed through a first side of the semiconductor layer. The polarizer includes a first metal grid formed with a first metal layer and a second metal grid formed with a third metal layer. The second metal grid is stacked with the first metal grid such that the first and second metal grids are disposed above and aligned with the photodiode. The photodiode is optically coupled to receive incident light through the first and second metal grids of the polarizer and through the first side of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An event driven pixel includes a photodiode configured to photogenerate charge in response to incident light received from an external scene. A photocurrent to voltage converter is coupled to the photodiode to convert photocurrent generated by the photodiode to a voltage. A filter amplifier is coupled to the photocurrent to voltage converter to generate a filtered and amplified signal in response to the voltage received from the photocurrent to voltage converter. A threshold comparison stage is coupled to the filter amplifier to compare the filtered and amplified signal received from the filter amplifier with thresholds to asynchronously detect events in the external scene in response to the incident light. A digital time stamp generator is coupled to asynchronously generate a digital time stamp in response to the events asynchronously detected in the external scene by the threshold comparison stage.

Abstract: An optical fingerprint sensor with spoof detection using polarization includes a plurality of lenses; an image sensor including a pixel array that includes a plurality of first photodiodes; a line between a center of a light-sensitive surface of each first photodiode and an optical center of each lens forms an optical axis of a plurality of optical axes; at least one apertured baffle-layer positioned between the image sensor and the plurality of lenses and each having a respective plurality of aperture stops, each aperture stop being center-aligned with the optical axis; a plurality of second photodiodes intercalated with the plurality of first photodiodes, wherein each second photodiode is configured to detect light having passed through lens and at least one aperture stop not aligned along optical axis; and at least one polarizing element positioned to polarize electromagnetic energy impinging the plurality of second photodiodes.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a pixel array including pixel circuits arranged into rows and columns. Each bitline of a plurality of bitlines is coupled to a respective column of pixel circuits of the pixel array. The plurality of bitlines is grouped into pairs of bitlines. A plurality of binning circuits is coupled to the plurality of bitlines. Each binning circuit is coupled to a respective pair of bitlines and is responsive to a multi-mode select signal. Each binning circuit is configured to output a binned signal responsive to the first and second bitlines of the respective bitline pair in a first mode. Each binning circuit is configured to output a first signal from a first bitline of the respective bitline pair in a second mode. Each binning circuit is configured to output a second signal from the second bitline of the respective bitline pair in a third mode.

Abstract: A liquid crystal on silicon device is described. The liquid crystal on silicon device includes a plurality of mirror electrodes, a transparent electrode, a liquid crystal material, and a plurality of microlenses. The plurality of mirror electrodes are arranged periodically to form an array of pixels, each pixel included in the array of pixels configurable to reflect incident light. The transparent electrode is optically aligned with the plurality of mirror electrodes. The liquid crystal material is disposed between the transparent electrode and the plurality of mirror electrodes. The plurality of microlenses are optically aligned with the plurality of mirror electrodes. Each microlens included in the plurality of microlenses is positioned to focus the incident light on a respective one of the plurality of mirror electrodes.