Abstract: The invention relates to a detector device having pixels in a two-dimensional arrangement, the detector device comprising row pixels, a row readout wiring for each row of said row pixels and a column select wiring for each column of said row pixels, as well as column pixels, a column readout wiring for each column of said column pixels and a row select wiring for each row of said column pixels. Analog-to-digital converters adapted for row-parallel and column-parallel operation are connected to the readout wirings, and simultaneously one or more columns of row pixels for row parallel readout and one or more rows of column pixels for column parallel readout can be selected. The invention further relates to a positioning code and to a position detecting method.

Abstract: A receiving circuit includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal, an input circuit that includes a first node, a second node, a first inductor, a second inductor, a first variable resistive element, and a second variable resistive element. The first variable resistive element is electrically connected between the first node and the second input terminal, and the second variable resistive element is electrically connected between the second node and the first input terminal. The receiving circuit further includes a differential amplifier configured to generate a differential voltage signal in accordance with a differential current signal. The receiving circuit still further includes a control circuit configured to perform detection of an amplitude of the differential voltage signal and change a resistance value of the first variable resistive element and a resistance value of the second variable resistive element based on a result of the detection.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a quenching bias circuit device capable of operating without a time difference even in a variance in single photon avalanche diode (SPAD). The quenching bias circuit device includes: a light receiving element; a feedback current mirror circuit arranged between a supply voltage and the light receiving element and configured to induce a passive quenching operation so as to maintain a current flowing in the light receiving element to be constant; and a bias quenching circuit connected to a sensing node of the light receiving element and configured to perform an active quenching operation.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes an imaging element group in which imaging elements each having a photoelectric conversion portion 10 formed on or above a semiconductor substrate 70 and further having a wire grid polarizer 91 and an on-chip microlens 15 are arrayed in a two-dimensional matrix, and a first interlayer insulating layer 83 and a second interlayer insulating layer 84 provided on a light incident side of the photoelectric conversion portions 10. The wire grid polarizer 91 is provided between the first interlayer insulating layer 83 and the second interlayer insulating layer 84, and the on-chip microlens 15 is provided on the second interlayer insulating layer 84. The first interlayer insulating layer 83 and the second interlayer insulating layer 84 include an oxide material or a resin material, and the on-chip microlens includes SiN or SiON.

Abstract: An optical sensor, especially an artificial retina, that includes at least one photosensitive cell. Each cell includes a integration capacitor, a read circuit the operation of which depends on the charge of the integration capacitor, at least one MOS transistor operating subthreshold, and the drain-source current of which influences the charge on the integration capacitor, and at least one photodiode operating in photovoltaic mode and connected to the gate of this transistor, such that the drain-source current of the MOS transistor depends on the optical power received by the photodiode.

Abstract: An electronic device has a photosensitive element, a charge storage element, and a node. The photosensitive element generates a current in response to illumination thereon. The charge storage element is coupled to the photosensitive element and is used to store charge in response to the current generated by the photosensitive element. The signal reading circuit is coupled to the photosensitive element, and the node is coupled between the photosensitive element and the charge storage element. The charge storage element and the photosensitive element are coupled in series, and the node is coupled to an end of the signal reading circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a color image of a scene and a method for utilizing that apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of pixel sensors. Each pixel sensor includes a first photodetector includes first main photodiode and a first floating diffusion node. The first main photodiode is characterized by a first light conversion efficiency as a function of wavelength of a light signal incident thereon. The first floating diffusion node includes a parasitic photodiode characterized by a second light conversion efficiency as a function of the wavelength. The second light conversion efficiency is different from the first light conversion efficiency as a function of wavelength. A controller generates an intensity of light in each of a plurality of wavelength bands for the pixel sensor utilizing a measurement of the light signal by each of the first main photodiode and the first parasitic photodiode in that photodetector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit containing a transimpedance amplifier for converting two input currents into two output voltages, having a first amplifier part containing a first input, to which a first input voltage is applied, and into which a first input current flows, and having a second amplifier part containing a second input, to which a second input voltage is applied and into which a second input current flows, wherein the first amplifier part and the second amplifier part are connected to a common supply voltage, the first amplifier part and the second amplifier part are connected to a common current source, the input of the first amplifier part and the input of the second amplifier part have a differing direct voltage, and the first amplifier part and the second amplifier part are designed such that an output voltage of the first amplifier part is proportional to the input current of the first amplifier part and an output voltage of the second amplifier part is proportional to an input current of

Abstract: A method and system for detecting and ranging targets within a scene are provided. The method can include emitting an emission signal onto the scene and receiving a return signal including echoes produced by reflection of the emission signal from the targets. The method can also include digitizing the return signal into a digital signal waveform including N real-valued samples representing the return signal at N sequential sampling times. The method can further include creating, from the digital signal waveform, an N×N second-order signal matrix having a main diagonal whose nth element is expressed in terms of the square of the nth sample of the digital signal waveform. The method can also include deriving, based on the signal matrix, time-of-flight information associated with the echoes and indicative of range information associated with the targets. The method and system can be used, for example, in lidar-based remote sensing applications.

Abstract: A light detection element includes a semiconductor substrate, a light absorbing layer of a first conductivity type formed on the semiconductor substrate, a cap layer of a first conductivity type formed on the light absorbing layer, and a semiconductor region of a second conductivity type formed within the cap layer and forming a pn junction with the cap layer. A depletion layer formed around the semiconductor region does not reach the light absorbing layer in a case where a reverse bias is not applied to the pn junction, and exceeds a position amounting to 50% of a thickness of the light absorbing layer from the cap layer side in a case where a reverse bias of 20 V is applied to the pn junction.

Abstract: A camera module includes a circuit board, an image sensor, a filter removable switch, a camera lens, and a thermally conductive structure. The circuit board has a surface. The image sensor is disposed on the surface. The filter removable switch is located over the surface. The camera lens is on the light-sensing path of the image sensor. The thermally conductive structure is contacted between the circuit board and the filter removable switch and has a channel. The image sensor is located in the channel.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for measuring quantum efficiency of a detector using a single pulse laser. Quantum efficiency of the measurement target detector may be measured from 420 nm to 1600 nm having uncertainty of 2% to 4% (K=2) by comparing the reference detector and the measurement target detector significantly different in sensitivity using a single laser pulse as a spectral light source. Also, it is possible to directly compare the two detectors with a significant difference in sensitivity through a very simple setup that causes a portion of a laser pulse output from a light source part to be absorbed by the reference detector and the laser pulse reflected from the reference detector to be irradiated to the measurement target detector.

Abstract: A flame detection system includes: an optical sensor that detects light generated from a light source; an applied voltage generating circuit that periodically applies a drive pulse voltage to the optical sensor, discharge determining portion that detects a discharge from the optical sensor, a discharge probability calculating portion that calculates a discharge probability based on a number of times of application of the drive pulse voltage and a number of times of discharge detected in the a first state in which the optical sensor is shielded from light and a second state in which the optical sensor can receive light, a sensitivity parameter storing portion storing known sensitivity parameters of the optical sensor; and a received light quantity calculating portion that calculates the received light quantity by the optical sensor in the second state based on the sensitivity parameters and the discharge probabilities calculated in the first and second states.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a detector array are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first element and a second element. The detector comprises a switching element configured to connect the first element and the second element. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy.

Abstract: A method and system for determining a photon statistics of a light source using an unbalanced beam-splitter is disclosed. The method includes collecting data for photon counts for a first output path and a second output path by a first detector and a second detector, respectively, for a first time period, a first power level, and a first characteristic and collecting data for photon counts for the first output path and the second output path by the first detector and the second detector, respectively, for a second time period, a second power level, and a second characteristic; and processing outputs of the first and the second detector to determine the photon statistics.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a photodetector and a memristor coupled to the photodetector. The photodetector is configured to receive and convert optical signals to electrical signals to program the memristor to an on or off state. The apparatus further includes a ring resonator coupled to the memristor and configured to modulate light based on the on or off state of the memristor.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photodiode, a counter, a control circuit. The photodiode is configured to cause avalanche multiplication. The counter is configured to generate a count signal as a result of counting a pulse generated by the avalanche multiplication during a predetermined period. The control circuit is configured to perform control to bring the photodiode into a waiting state in which the avalanche multiplication is possible and a stop state in which the avalanche multiplication is stopped, based on the count signal during a predetermined period.

Abstract: The apparatus (1) for agricultural crop analysis, comprises: a light source (2) for sending light radiation towards a crop; a plurality of sensors (21) for acquiring light radiation reflected by the crop and a plurality of filtering elements (22) adapted to enable complete passage only of light having frequencies within a predetermined passband. The filtering elements (22) have passbands that differ from each other and each filtering element (22) is functionally coupled with a respective sensor (21) in such a manner that the latter receives only light radiation that has traversed the former.

Abstract: An optical sensor for appropriately updating a crosstalk value is provided with: a photon-counting type of first light-receiving unit for receiving target object reflected light and cover panel reflected light; and a determination circuit that determines whether or not the target object reflected light is received by the first light-receiving unit, on the basis of a first received light pulse signal that is based on at least one of the target object reflected light and the cover panel reflected light, and a reference pulse signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photosensor device, which can cancel a dark current in 1-2 milliseconds. This photosensor device utilizes a small capacitor to quickly accumulate and transform the dark current to a dark-current voltage. Based on the dark-current voltage and an environment temperature, a calibration voltage can be obtained. By cancelling the calibration voltage from the sensed voltage to get a light voltage, which can be amplified to a lux signal. The process is very quick and sensitive, so the photosensor device can be used in an environment under a low luminance.