Abstract: A color filter array includes a plurality of color filters having different center frequencies and each formed of static metal structures and an insulator, a first common electrode formed across the plurality of color filters, a second common electrode opposed to the first common electrode, separated from the static metal structures of the plurality of color filters by the insulator, and formed across the plurality of color filters, and a voltage applying unit configured to apply a voltage between the first common electrode and the second common electrode and change charge density on the surfaces of the static metal structures to thereby simultaneously change the center frequencies of the plurality of color filters.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device is provided in which ranging signals can be acquired while acquiring imaging signals having different sensitivities from each other, and also preventing ranging precision from deteriorating. A pixel includes a first photoelectric conversion region and a second photoelectric conversion region that have different sensitivities from each other and are arrayed in parallel in a first direction, and a first barrier region that is sandwiched between the first photoelectric conversion region and the second photoelectric conversion region. The first photoelectric conversion region includes a first photoelectric conversion portion and a second photoelectric conversion portion arrayed in parallel in a second direction that intersects the first direction, and a second barrier region sandwiched between the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes pixels each including first and second photoelectric conversion portions provided in a substrate, the second photoelectric conversion portion having lower sensitivity than the first photoelectric conversion portion; a barrier region provided between the first and second photoelectric conversion portions; a waveguide provided on a light-entrance side of the substrate and including a core and a cladding; and a protective layer provided between the waveguide and the substrate. Seen in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, a center of an exit face of the core is on a first-photoelectric-conversion-portion side with respect to a center of the barrier region in each pixel in a central part of a pixel area. A standard deviation of a refractive-index distribution of the protective layer in a region directly below the exit face of the core is 0.1 or smaller in an in-plane direction of the substrate.

Abstract: A ranging pixel located in a peripheral region of a solid-state image sensor includes a microlens having a center axis that is shifted relative to a center axis of the ranging pixel, a first photoelectric conversion unit, and a second photoelectric conversion unit. The first photoelectric conversion unit is disposed on a side of the center axis of the ranging pixel that is in a direction opposite to a direction (projection shift direction) obtained by projecting a shift direction of the microlens onto a straight line connecting a center of the first photoelectric conversion unit and a center of the second photoelectric conversion unit, and the second photoelectric conversion unit is disposed on another side of the center axis of the ranging pixel that is in a direction identical to the projection shift direction of the microlens. In addition, the area of the first photoelectric conversion unit is greater than the area of the second photoelectric conversion unit.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes pixels each including first and second photoelectric conversion portions provided in a substrate, the second photoelectric conversion portion having lower sensitivity than the first photoelectric conversion portion; a barrier region provided between the first and second photoelectric conversion portions; a waveguide provided on a light-entrance side of the substrate and including a core and a cladding; and a protective layer provided between the waveguide and the substrate. Seen in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, a center of an exit face of the core is on a first-photoelectric-conversion-portion side with respect to a center of the barrier region in each pixel in a central part of a pixel area. A standard deviation of a refractive-index distribution of the protective layer in a region directly below the exit face of the core is 0.1 or smaller in an in-plane direction of the substrate.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor provided with a plurality of pixels which photo-electrically convert an object image formed by an imaging optical system, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of pixels are ranging pixels in which a first photoelectric conversion unit, a barrier region and a second photoelectric conversion unit are provided in alignment in a first direction in this sequence; in the peripheral regions where are distanced from a straight line perpendicular to the first direction and passing through the center of the solid-state image sensor, for more than half of the ranging pixels, the barrier region is situated eccentrically in a direction parallel to the first direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state image sensor in which degradation in image quality can be reduced. The solid-state image sensor includes an optical isolation layer between a pupil dividing unit and a plurality of photoelectric conversion units. The optical isolation layer includes a plurality of high-refractive-index areas and a low-refractive-index area having a lower refractive index than that of the high-refractive-index areas. The high-refractive-index areas are disposed above the photoelectric conversion units, and the low-refractive-index area is disposed between the high-refractive-index areas. The refractive index changes stepwise at the boundaries between the high-refractive-index areas and the low-refractive-index area. The refractive index difference of the stepwise changing portion is 0.15 or more. A value obtained by multiplying the physical thickness of the optical isolation layer by the refractive index of the high-refractive-index areas is 2.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging sensor provided with a plurality of pixels which convert an object image formed by an imaging optical system into an electrical signal, at least a part of the pixels being ranging pixels in which a first and a second photoelectric conversion unit are provided in alignment in a first direction, and in more than half of the ranging pixels in one of peripheral region of the solid-state sensor, the capacitance of the first photoelectric conversion unit being greater than the capacitance of the second photoelectric conversion unit; and in more than half of the ranging pixels in the other of peripheral region of the solid-state sensor, the capacitance of the second photoelectric conversion unit being greater than the capacitance of the first photoelectric conversion unit.

Abstract: The invention provides a solid-state image sensor including a pixel having a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions and at least one waveguide arranged closer to a side of light incidence than the photoelectric conversion portions, wherein the waveguide has a core member and a cladding member formed of a medium having a refractive index lower than that of the core member, and wherein a layer formed of a medium having a refractive index lower than that of the core member of the waveguide is provided between the photoelectric conversion portions and the waveguide.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging sensor provided with a plurality of pixels which convert an object image formed by an imaging optical system into an electrical signal, at least a part of the pixels being ranging pixels in which a first and a second photoelectric conversion unit are provided in alignment in a first direction, and in more than half of the ranging pixels in one of peripheral region of the solid-state sensor, the capacitance of the first photoelectric conversion unit being greater than the capacitance of the second photoelectric conversion unit; and in more than half of the ranging pixels in the other of peripheral region of the solid-state sensor, the capacitance of the second photoelectric conversion unit being greater than the capacitance of the first photoelectric conversion unit.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging sensor provided with a plurality of pixels which convert an object image formed by an imaging optical system into an electrical signal, at least a part of the pixels being ranging pixels in which a first and a second photoelectric conversion unit are provided in alignment in a first direction, and in more than half of the ranging pixels in one of peripheral region of the solid-state sensor, the capacitance of the first photoelectric conversion unit being greater than the capacitance of the second photoelectric conversion unit; and in more than half of the ranging pixels in the other of peripheral region of the solid-state sensor, the capacitance of the second photoelectric conversion unit being greater than the capacitance of the first photoelectric conversion unit.

Abstract: Provided is an exposing device capable of enhancing usage efficiency of light and preventing degradation of imaging property due to a misalignment with a photosensitive drum. The exposing device includes: a laser array including multiple lasers arranged in a predetermined direction; and an optical system guiding light emitted from the each of the multiple lasers to a photosensitive member and focusing the light on the photosensitive member, in which the optical system includes multiple phase modulation elements to decrease an added phase lag in proportion to distance from a center axis that is defined by a principal light beam emitted from the each of the multiple lasers.

Abstract: A ranging pixel located in a peripheral region of a solid-state image sensor includes a microlens having a center axis that is shifted relative to a center axis of the ranging pixel, a first photoelectric conversion unit, and a second photoelectric conversion unit. The first photoelectric conversion unit is disposed on a side of the center axis of the ranging pixel that is in a direction opposite to a direction (projection shift direction) obtained by projecting a shift direction of the microlens onto a straight line connecting a center of the first photoelectric conversion unit and a center of the second photoelectric conversion unit, and the second photoelectric conversion unit is disposed on another side of the center axis of the ranging pixel that is in a direction identical to the projection shift direction of the microlens. In addition, the area of the first photoelectric conversion unit is greater than the area of the second photoelectric conversion unit.

Abstract: A ranging pixel located in a peripheral region of a solid-state image sensor includes a microlens having a center axis that is shifted relative to a center axis of the ranging pixel, a first waveguide, and a second waveguide. The first waveguide is disposed on a side of the center axis of the ranging pixel that is in a direction opposite to a direction (projection shift direction) obtained by projecting a shift direction of the microlens onto a straight line connecting a center of the first waveguide and a center of the second waveguide, and the second waveguide is disposed on another side of the center axis of the ranging pixel that is in a direction identical to the projection shift direction of the microlens. In addition, at least one of the difference between the refractive indices of the core and the clad and the cross-sectional area of the core is greater in the first waveguide than in the second waveguide.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a distance calculation unit configured to calculate distance information on the basis of a first image and a second image; and a blur addition unit configured to add a blur to original images based on the first image and the second image, using the distance information calculated by the distance calculation unit and to move a focus plane by a predetermined refocus distance. The blur addition unit adds the blur to a first original image when the refocus distance is equal to or less than a threshold and adds the blur to a second original image, which is an image having an effective F-number greater than an effective F-number of the first original image, when the refocus distance is greater than the threshold.

Abstract: A solid state image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, each having a photoelectric conversion section formed in the inside of a substrate and a light-receiving section formed on the side of a light-receiving surface of the substrate. At least a part of the plurality of pixels is ranging pixels. The light-receiving section of each of the ranging pixels is equipped with a guided mode resonant filter adapted to reflect incident light getting into the inside of the light-receiving section at a specific incident angle. The normal line of the guided mode resonant filter is inclined relative to the principal ray of the flux of light entering the guided mode resonant filter.

Abstract: A color filter array includes a plurality of color filters having different center frequencies and each formed of static metal structures and an insulator, a first common electrode formed across the plurality of color filters, a second common electrode opposed to the first common electrode, separated from the static metal structures of the plurality of color filters by the insulator, and formed across the plurality of color filters, and a voltage applying unit configured to apply a voltage between the first common electrode and the second common electrode and change charge density on the surfaces of the static metal structures to thereby simultaneously change the center frequencies of the plurality of color filters.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging sensor provided with a plurality of pixels which convert an object image formed by an imaging optical system into an electrical signal, at least a part of the pixels being ranging pixels in which a first and a second photoelectric conversion unit are provided in alignment in a first direction, and in more than half of the ranging pixels in one of peripheral region of the solid-state sensor, the capacitance of the first photoelectric conversion unit being greater than the capacitance of the second photoelectric conversion unit; and in more than half of the ranging pixels in the other of peripheral region of the solid-state sensor, the capacitance of the second photoelectric conversion unit being greater than the capacitance of the first photoelectric conversion unit.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor provided with a plurality of pixels which photo-electrically convert an object image formed by an imaging optical system, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of pixels are ranging pixels in which a first photoelectric conversion unit, a barrier region and a second photoelectric conversion unit are provided in alignment in a first direction in this sequence; in the peripheral regions where are distanced from a straight line perpendicular to the first direction and passing through the center of the solid-state image sensor, for more than half of the ranging pixels, the barrier region is situated eccentrically in a direction parallel to the first direction.

Abstract: Provided is an exposing device capable of enhancing usage efficiency of light and preventing degradation of imaging property due to a misalignment with a photosensitive drum. The exposing device includes: a laser array including multiple lasers arranged in a predetermined direction; and an optical system guiding light emitted from the each of the multiple lasers to a photosensitive member and focusing the light on the photosensitive member, in which the optical system includes multiple phase modulation elements to decrease a phase lag added in proportion to distance from a center axis that is defined by a principal light beam emitted from the each of the multiple lasers.