Abstract: A vegetation index calculation method is a method for calculating a vegetation index indicating a vegetation state in an earth's surface using an imaging unit and a flight vehicle, and the vegetation index calculation method includes an illumination spectrum acquisition step of acquiring a spectrum of illumination light with which the earth's surface is irradiated and a reflection spectrum acquisition step of acquiring a reflection spectrum of the earth's surface by the illumination light. The vegetation index calculation method also includes a calibration step of calibrating the reflection spectrum using the illumination spectrum and a step of calculating the vegetation index of the earth's surface based on a calibrated spectrum obtained through the calibration step.

Abstract: An electronic locker includes a plurality of cabinets, a measurement unit capable of measuring a dimension of an object, and a controller. The controller compares the dimension of the object measured by the measurement unit with a table of dimensions of the plurality of cabinets stored previously to select a cabinet suitable for the dimension of the object out of the plurality of cabinets.

Abstract: A vegetation index calculation method is a method for calculating a vegetation index indicating a vegetation state in an earth's surface using an imaging unit and a flight vehicle, and the vegetation index calculation method includes an illumination spectrum acquisition step of acquiring a spectrum of illumination light with which the earth's surface is irradiated and a reflection spectrum acquisition step of acquiring a reflection spectrum of the earth's surface by the illumination light. The vegetation index calculation method also includes a calibration step of calibrating the reflection spectrum using the illumination spectrum and a step of calculating the vegetation index of the earth's surface based on a calibrated spectrum obtained through the calibration step.

Abstract: An arrangement of loaded packages is estimated three-dimensionally. A loading position at which a target package is loaded next is determined based on the estimated arrangement. A position at which the target package is loaded is instructed by irradiation with an index light indicating the determined loading position. This method allows a package to be loaded in a limited space, for example, the package to be loaded optimally in a transport device or in a storehouse.

Abstract: An arrangement of loaded packages is estimated three-dimensionally. A loading position at which a target package is loaded next is determined based on the estimated arrangement. A position at which the target package is loaded is instructed by irradiation with an index light indicating the determined loading position. This method allows a package to be loaded in a limited space, for example, the package to be loaded optimally in a transport device or in a storehouse.

Abstract: An electronic locker includes a plurality of cabinets, a measurement unit capable of measuring a dimension of an object, and a controller. The controller compares the dimension of the object measured by the measurement unit with a table of dimensions of the plurality of cabinets stored previously to select a cabinet suitable for the dimension of the object out of the plurality of cabinets.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a plurality of pixel cells; and column signal lines. Each of the pixel cells includes: a photoelectric conversion film, a pixel electrode, a transparent electrode, an amplifier transistor, a reset transistor, and an address transistor. The solid-state imaging device further includes: a lower-refractive-index transparent layer formed above the transparent electrode; and higher-refractive-index transparent parts embedded in the lower-refractive-index transparent layer and each having a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the lower-refractive-index transparent layer. Each of the higher-refractive-index transparent parts separates light passing through the higher-refractive-index transparent part into zero-order diffracted light, first-order diffracted light, and negative-first-order diffracted light which exit the higher-refractive-index transparent part and travel toward the photoelectric conversion film.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor having a configuration which reduces increases in light-collection loss and light mixing due to an increase in the angle of light entering into a waveguide path during oblique incidence and which is effective for sensitivity improvement includes: an Si substrate; unit-pixels arranged on the Si substrate; a wiring layer formed on the unit-pixels; optical waveguide regions each formed on a photoelectric conversion region included in a corresponding one of the unit-pixels, and penetrating the wiring layer; and light-collecting elements each formed above a corresponding one of the optical waveguide regions, wherein each of the light-collecting elements is a gradient index microlens having an effective refractive index distribution.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical device and the like which can collect incident light at a high incident angle than an existing microlens, in order to realize a solid-state imaging apparatus and the like corresponding to an optical system (an optical system with a high incident angle ?) with a short focal length for a thin camera. Each unit pixel (2.8 ?m square in size) is made up of a distributed index lens 1, a color filter 2 for green G, Al wirings 3, a signal transmitting unit 4, planarizing films 5, a light-receiving device (Si photodiodes) 6, and a Si substrate 7. The distributed index lens 1 is made of high refractive index materials 33 [TiO2 (n=2.53)] and low refractive index materials 34 [air (n=1.0)] having concentric zones. Further, in a distributed refractive index lens, a width 35 of adjacent divided areas is 200 nm. Also, a film thickness t is 0.5 ?m.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device and the like are provided. The solid-state imaging device includes a light-collecting element capable of efficiently collecting incident light by improving reproducibility of refractive index distribution at the borders of pixels. Each of the pixels includes: a light-collecting element; a color filter; a light-blocking layer; a light-receiving element; a substrate; and a planarization film. The light-collecting element has a concentric structure and has a film thickness which forms a two-tiered structure. The concentric structure is curved out to define a concentric pattern and the surrounding medium is air. Further, an air gap is provided between adjacent light-collecting elements. The air gap extends to an upper surface of the light-blocking layer and has a gap width approximately equal to a wavelength of incident light.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor having a configuration which reduces increases in light-collection loss and light mixing due to an increase in the angle of light entering into a waveguide path during oblique incidence and which is effective for sensitivity improvement includes: an Si substrate; unit-pixels arranged on the Si substrate; a wiring layer formed on the unit-pixels; optical waveguide regions each formed on a photoelectric conversion region included in a corresponding one of the unit-pixels, and penetrating the wiring layer; and light-collecting elements each formed above a corresponding one of the optical waveguide regions, wherein each of the light-collecting elements is a gradient index microlens having an effective refractive index distribution.

Abstract: The present invention provides a contact-type solid-state imaging apparatus which realizes high resolution and high sensitivity, and also implements downsizing and lowering the cost of the contact-type solid-state imaging apparatus. Each pixel includes a protection glass plate, a light-collecting device, a light-receiving device, a semiconductor integrated circuit, a light emitting diode (LED) and a mounting package. The light-collecting apparatus has two kinds of distributed index lens (o lens and convex lens), and Sin (N=2) film, which is a two-stage concentric structure, is embedded in SiO2 (N=1.45) film.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes unit pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array. Each unit pixel includes a light-collector and light-receiver. The light-collector includes light-transmitting films that form a refractive index distribution and multiple zones, each of which has a width equal to or shorter than a wavelength of incident light. For each central unit pixel, a center axis of the light-receiver matches a central axis of the light-collector. For each peripheral unit pixel, a central axis of the light-collector is displaced from the central axis of the light-receiver toward the center of the imaging area. The line width of each light-transmitting film of a central unit pixel is different than the line width of each light-transmitting film of a peripheral unit pixel in a same relative position, and the sum of line widths of the central unit pixel differs from the sum of line widths of the peripheral unit pixel.

Abstract: The phase shift mask according to the present invention is a phase shift mask for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The phase shift mask includes a light-blocking portion, a light-transmitting portion, a phase shift portion, and an auxiliary pattern portion, the light-blocking portion, the light-transmitting portion, the phase shift portion, and the auxiliary pattern portion being concentrically arranged, wherein a width of the auxiliary pattern portion in a radius direction is less than a width of the light-transmitting portion and a width of the phase shift portion in a radius direction. Furthermore, it is possible that a phase of exposure light which passes through an auxiliary pattern portion is opposite to a phase of exposure light which passes through a light-transmitting portion or a phase shift portion, the light-transmitting portion or the phase shift portion being the closest to the auxiliary pattern portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a lens, in which the method includes exposing a photoresist to light using a phase shift mask. Here, the phase shift mask includes layout portions respectively corresponding to pixels and lens, in which each of the layout portions has: a light-blocking portion which has a shape of a substantially circle or a substantially concentric zone; a light-transmitting portion which has a shape of a substantially circle or a substantially concentric zone; a phase shift portion which has a shape of a substantially circle or a substantially concentric zone; and a light-blocking frame. Furthermore, the light-transmitting portion, the light-blocking portion and the phase shift portion are arranged alternately so as to form concentric circles, and the light-blocking frame corresponds to a whole or a part of a perimeter of the lens.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging element or the like capable of limiting an abrupt refractive index distribution and collecting incident light at high efficiency is provided. The solid-state imaging element (size: 5.6 ?m square) has a distributed index lens, a G color filter, Al wiring, a signal transmitting unit, a planarizing layer, a light receiving element (Si photodiode) and a Si substrate. A concentric structure of the distributed index lens is formed of SiO2 (n=1.43). This structure is a two-stage structure having film thicknesses of 1.2 and 0.8 ?m. The distributed index lens is constructed by cutting concentric circular recesses into SiO2 and has a planar region about the center. A medium surrounding the lens is air (n=1).

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state imaging apparatus and the like which is able to support an optical system whose incident angle is wide. Each pixel is 2.25 ?m square in size, and includes a distributed index lens (1), a color filter (for example, for green) (2), an Al interconnections (3), a signal transmitting unit (4), a planarized layer (5), a light-receiving device (Si photodiodes) (6), and an Si substrate (7). The two-stage concentric circle structure of the distributed index lens is formed by SiO2 (n=2) with the film thickness 1.2 ?m (“grey color”), the film thickness 0.8 ?m (“dots pattern”) and the film thickness of 0 ?m (“without pattern: white color”), and the medium surrounding the distributed index lens (1)is air (n=1).

Abstract: A high sensitive solid-state imaging apparatus which corresponds to an optical system has a short focal length (an optical system having a large incident angle ?). Each pixel (2.8 mm square in size) includes a distributed refractive index lens, a color filter for green, Al wirings, a signal transmitting unit, a planarized layer, a light-receiving element (Si photodiode), and an Si substrate. The concentric circle structure of the distributed index lens is made of four types of materials having different refractive indexes such as TiO2 (n=2.53), SiN (n=2.53), SiO2 (n=2.53), and air (n=1.0). In the concentric structure, a radial difference of outer peripheries of adjacent circular light-transmitting films is 100 nm. Furthermore, the film thickness is 0.4 ?m.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a plurality of unit pixels with associated microlenses arranged in a two-dimensional array. Each microlens includes a distributed index lens with a modulated effective refractive index distribution obtained by including a combination of a plurality of patterns having a concentric structure, the plurality of patterns being divided into line widths equal to or shorter than a wavelength of an incident light. At least one of the plurality of patterns includes a lower light-transmitting film having the concentric structure and a first line width and a first film thickness, and an upper light-transmitting film having the concentric structure configured on the lower light-transmitting film having a second line width and a second film thickness. The distributed index lens has a structure in which a refractive index material is dense at a center and becomes sparse gradually toward an outer side in the concentric structure.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor that has a high pixel count and includes a color filter having high color reproducibility is provided. The solid-state image sensor includes: light-collecting elements each of which is a medium containing dispersant particles; light-receiving elements each of which is provided for a corresponding one of the light-collecting elements, and which receives light collected by the corresponding one of the light-collecting elements and generates an electric signal; and electrical wiring for transferring the electric signal, wherein each of the light-collecting elements has one of plural light-dispersion functions that are different depending on the corresponding light-receiving elements.