Abstract: Image processing apparatus and image processing method are provided. The image processing apparatus may include an image sensor having a plurality of photodetectors and include a 3D image calculating module. The image sensor may be configured to generate a first set of input information at a first time/first location and a second set of input information at a second time/second location, where the first set of input information may be associated with a first weighting value, and the second set of input information may be associated with a second weighting value. The 3D image calculating module may be configured to generate output information based on the first and the second sets of input information and the first and the second weighting values, wherein at least one of the plurality of photodetectors includes germanium.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for eye gesture recognition. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining an electrical signal that represents a measurement, by a photodetector, of an optical signal reflected from an eye and determining a depth map of the eye based on phase differences between the electrical signal generated by the photodetector and a reference signal. Further, the method includes determining gaze information that represents a gaze of the eye based on the depth map and providing output data representing the gaze information.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an image sensor array having a first group of photodiodes for detecting light at visible wavelengths a second group of photodiodes for detecting light at infrared or near-infrared wavelengths, the method including growing a germanium-silicon layer on a semiconductor donor wafer; defining pixels of the image sensor array on the germanium-silicon layer; defining a first interconnect layer on the germanium-silicon layer, wherein the interconnect layer includes a plurality of interconnects coupled to the first group of photodiodes and the second group of photodiodes; defining integrated circuitry for controlling the pixels of the image sensor array on a semiconductor carrier wafer; defining a second interconnect layer on the semiconductor carrier wafer, wherein the second interconnect layer includes a plurality of interconnects coupled to the integrated circuitry; and bonding the first interconnect layer with the second interconnect layer.

Abstract: A circuit that includes: a photodiode configured to absorb photons and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons; a first MOSFET transistor that includes: a first channel terminal coupled to a first terminal of the photodiode and configured to collect a portion of the photo-carriers generated by the photodiode; a second channel terminal; and a gate terminal coupled to a first control voltage source; a first readout circuit configured to output a first readout voltage; a second readout circuit configured to output a second readout voltage; and a current-steering circuit configured to steer the photo-carriers generated by the photodiode to one or both of the first readout circuit and the second readout circuit.

Abstract: Methods and devices for a display apparatus. In one aspect, a display apparatus includes a display device including a transparent layer, a display integrated circuit layer including one or more display control circuits, and a shielding layer between the transparent layer and the display integrated circuit layer, a near-infrared (NIR) light source and a visible light source, and a detector device including a detector integrated circuit layer including one or more detector control circuits, where a surface of the detector device contacts a surface of the display device, and a photodetector electrically coupled to at least one detector control circuit and including a detection region positioned to receive NIR light propagating from a front side of the display device to a back side of the display device along a path, where the shielding layer includes a filter region positioned in the path.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for eye gesture recognition. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining an electrical signal that represents a measurement, by a photodetector, of an optical signal reflected from an eye and determining a depth map of the eye based on phase differences between the electrical signal generated by the photodetector and a reference signal. Further, the method includes determining gaze information that represents a gaze of the eye based on the depth map and providing output data representing the gaze information.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an image sensor array having a first group of photodiodes for detecting light at visible wavelengths a second group of photodiodes for detecting light at infrared or near-infrared wavelengths, the method including growing a germanium-silicon layer on a semiconductor donor wafer; defining pixels of the image sensor array on the germanium-silicon layer; defining a first interconnect layer on the germanium-silicon layer, wherein the interconnect layer includes a plurality of interconnects coupled to the first group of photodiodes and the second group of photodiodes; defining integrated circuitry for controlling the pixels of the image sensor array on a semiconductor carrier wafer; defining a second interconnect layer on the semiconductor carrier wafer, wherein the second interconnect layer includes a plurality of interconnects coupled to the integrated circuitry; and bonding the first interconnect layer with the second interconnect layer.

Abstract: A photodetecting device is provided. The photodetecting device includes a silicon substrate, a germanium absorption region, and a plurality of microstructures. The silicon substrate includes a first surface and a second surface. The germanium absorption region is formed proximal to the first surface of the silicon substrate, and the germanium absorption region is configured to absorb photons and to generate photo-carriers. The plurality of microstructures are formed over the second surface of the silicon substrate, and the plurality of microstructures are configured to direct an optical signal towards the germanium absorption region. A system including an optical transmitter and an optical receiver is also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optical communication are provided. For instance, a method for optical communication can include receiving, by a first coupling module, a power-on signal from a first electronic device coupled to the first coupling module. The method can also include relaying, by the first coupling module, a first optical signal to a second coupling module coupled to a second electronic device. The method can also include relaying, by the second coupling module, in response to receipt of the first optical signal, a second optical signal to the first coupling module. The method can also include activating, by the first coupling module, in response to receipt of the second optical signal, a data transfer circuit for relaying data via an optical communication interface between the first coupling module and the second coupling module.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes: a substrate having a first material; an absorption region having a second material different from the first material, the absorption region configured to absorb photons and to generate photo-carriers including electrons and holes in response to the absorbed photons; a first well region surrounding the absorption region and arranged between the absorption region and the substrate, the first well region being doped with a first polarity; and one or more switches each controlled by a respective control signal, the one or more switches each configured to collect at least a portion of the photo-carriers based on the respective control signal and to provide the portion of the photo-carriers to a respective readout circuit.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes a plurality of detectors arranged in an array. Each detector of the plurality of detectors includes one or more absorption regions configured to receive an optical signal and generate charge carriers in response to receiving the optical signal; one or more readout regions configured to collect a portion of the charge carriers for output; and one or more control regions coupled to one or more control signals, the one or more control regions configured to control, in response to the one or more control signals, a flow of charge carriers from the one or more absorption regions to the one or more readout regions. The optical sensor includes driver circuitry configured to provide the control signals to enable or disable a subset of the plurality of detectors based on an operating mode of multiple operating modes.

Abstract: A photo-detecting apparatus is provided. The photo-detecting apparatus includes: a substrate made by a first material or a first material-composite; an absorption layer made by a second material or a second material-composite, the absorption layer being supported by the substrate and the absorption layer including: a first surface; a second surface arranged between the first surface and the substrate; and a channel region having a dopant profile with a peak dopant concentration equal to or more than 1×1015 cm?3, wherein a distance between the first surface and a location of the channel region having the peak dopant concentration is less than a distance between the second surface and the location of the channel region having the peak dopant concentration, and wherein the distance between the first surface and the location of the channel region having the peak dopant concentration is not less than 30 nm.

Abstract: A circuit, including: a photodetector including a first readout terminal and a second readout terminal different than the first readout terminal; a first readout circuit coupled with the first readout terminal and configured to output a first readout voltage; a second readout circuit coupled with the second readout terminal and configured to output a second readout voltage; and a common-mode analog-to-digital converter (ADC) including: a first input terminal coupled with a first voltage source; a second input terminal coupled with a common-mode generator, the common-mode generator configured to receive the first readout voltage and the second readout voltage, and to generate a common-mode voltage between the first and second readout voltages; and a first output terminal configured to output a first output signal corresponding to a magnitude of a current generated by the photodetector.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for multi-application optical sensing are provided. For example, an optical sensing apparatus can include a photodetector array, a first circuitry, and a second circuitry. The photodetector array includes a plurality of photodetectors, wherein a first subset of the plurality of photodetectors are configured as a first region for detecting a first optical signal, and a second subset of the plurality of photodetectors are configured as a second region for detecting a second optical signal. The first circuitry, coupled to the first region, is configured to perform a first function based on the first optical signal to output a first output result. The second circuitry, coupled to the second region, is configured to perform a second function based on the second optical signal to output a second output result.

Abstract: A photodetecting device is provided. The photodetecting device includes a first photodetecting component including a substrate having a first absorption region configured to absorb photons having a first peak wavelength and to generate first photo-carriers, and a second photodetecting component including a second absorption region configured to absorb photons having a second peak wavelength different from the first peak wavelength and to generate second photo-carriers. The first photodetecting component further includes two first readout circuits and two first control circuits for the first photo-carriers and electrically coupled to the first absorption region.

Abstract: Methods and devices for a display apparatus. In one aspect, a display apparatus includes a display device including a transparent layer, a display integrated circuit layer including one or more display control circuits, and a shielding layer between the transparent layer and the display integrated circuit layer, a near-infrared (NIR) light source and a visible light source, and a detector device including a detector integrated circuit layer including one or more detector control circuits, where a surface of the detector device contacts a surface of the display device, and a photodetector electrically coupled to at least one detector control circuit and including a detection region positioned to receive NIR light propagating from a front side of the display device to a back side of the display device along a path, where the shielding layer includes a filter region positioned in the path.

Abstract: A circuit, including: a photodetector including a first readout terminal and a second readout terminal different than the first readout terminal; a first readout circuit coupled with the first readout terminal and configured to output a first readout voltage; a second readout circuit coupled with the second readout terminal and configured to output a second readout voltage; and a common-mode analog-to-digital converter (ADC) including: a first input terminal coupled with a first voltage source; a second input terminal coupled with a common-mode generator, the common-mode generator configured to receive the first readout voltage and the second readout voltage, and to generate a common-mode voltage between the first and second readout voltages; and a first output terminal configured to output a first output signal corresponding to a magnitude of a current generated by the photodetector.

Abstract: A photo-detecting apparatus is provided. The photo-detecting apparatus includes: a substrate made by a first material or a first material-composite; an absorption layer made by a second material or a second material-composite, the absorption layer being supported by the substrate and the absorption layer including: a first surface; a second surface arranged between the first surface and the substrate; and a channel region having a dopant profile with a peak dopant concentration equal to or more than 1×1015 cm?3, wherein a distance between the first surface and a location of the channel region having the peak dopant concentration is less than a distance between the second surface and the location of the channel region having the peak dopant concentration, and wherein the distance between the first surface and the location of the channel region having the peak dopant concentration is not less than 30 nm.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for multi-application optical sensing are provided. For example, an optical sensing apparatus can include a photodetector array, a first circuitry, and a second circuitry. The photodetector array includes a plurality of photodetectors, wherein a first subset of the plurality of photodetectors are configured as a first region for detecting a first optical signal, and a second subset of the plurality of photodetectors are configured as a second region for detecting a second optical signal. The first circuitry, coupled to the first region, is configured to perform a first function based on the first optical signal to output a first output result. The second circuitry, coupled to the second region, is configured to perform a second function based on the second optical signal to output a second output result.

Abstract: Image processing apparatus and image processing method are provided. The image processing apparatus may include an image sensor having a plurality of photodetectors and include a 3D image calculating module. The image sensor may be configured to generate a first set of input information at a first time/first location and a second set of input information at a second time/second location, where the first set of input information may be associated with a first weighting value, and the second set of input information may be associated with a second weighting value. The 3D image calculating module may be configured to generate output information based on the first and the second sets of input information and the first and the second weighting values, wherein at least one of the plurality of photodetectors includes germanium.