# US 12,007,584 B2 · Image sensor including color separating lens array and electronic apparatus including the image sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,584 B2 - Document ID: US12007584B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/514,780 - Filed: 2021-10-29 - Published: 2022-05-05 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-30 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hongkyu Park; Seokho Yun; Minwoo Lim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007584B2 ## CPC - G02B 3/0006: {Arrays (G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence)} - H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses} - G02B 1/115: Multilayers - H04N 23/60: Control of cameras or camera modules - H04N 25/11: Arrangement of colour filter arrays [CFA]; Filter mosaics - H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Provided is an image sensor including a color separating lens array. The image sensor includes: a sensor substrate including a first pixel configured to sense light of a first wavelength and a second pixel configured to sense light of a second wavelength; a transparent spacer layer on the sensor substrate; and a color separating lens array on the spacer layer, wherein the color separating lens array condenses the light of the first wavelength toward the first pixel, and includes a first lens layer on the spacer layer, a second lens layer on the first lens layer, and an etch prevention layer between the first lens layer and the second lens layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image sensor comprising: a sensor substrate including a first pixel, configured to sense light of a first wavelength, and a second pixel configured to sense light of a second wavelength; a spacer layer on the sensor substrate, the spacer layer being transparent; and a color separating lens array on the spacer layer, the color separating lens array being configured to condense the light of the first wavelength incident on the color separating lens array toward the first pixel, wherein the color separating lens array includes a first lens layer on the spacer layer, a second lens layer on the first lens layer, and a first etch prevention layer between the first lens layer and the second lens layer, wherein the first lens layer comprises a first pixel region corresponding to the first pixel and a second pixel region corresponding to the second pixel, each of the first pixel region and the second pixel region comprising a plurality of first nanoposts and a first dielectric material layer provided between the plurality of first nanoposts, and wherein the first etch prevention layer is provided on upper surfaces of the plurality of first nanoposts and an upper surface of the first dielectric material layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the first etch prevention layer has a thickness of about 3 nm to about 30 nm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the first etch prevention layer has a thickness of about 5 nm to about 15 nm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the first etch prevention layer includes HfO2. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising an anti-reflection layer on the color separating lens array. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image sensor of claim 5, wherein the anti-reflection layer includes a SiO2 layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The image sensor of claim 5, wherein the anti-reflection layer has a thickness of about 80 nm to about 120 nm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The image sensor of claim 5, wherein the anti-reflection layer includes a first anti-reflection layer and a second anti-reflection layer, the first anti-reflection layer including a first material, and the second anti-reflection layer including a second material that is different from the first material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image sensor of claim 8, wherein the first material includes SiO2 and the second material includes Si3N4. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image sensor of claim 8, wherein the second anti-reflection layer has a thickness of about 20 nm to about 60 nm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising a second etch prevention layer between the spacer layer and the color separating lens array, wherein the second etch prevention layer is provided on an upper surface of the spacer layer, and wherein bottom surfaces of the plurality of first nanoposts and a bottom surface of the first dielectric material layer are provided on the second etch prevention layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the second lens layer comprises a third pixel region corresponding to the first pixel and a fourth pixel region corresponding to the second pixel, each of the third pixel region and the fourth pixel region comprising a plurality of second nanoposts and a second dielectric material layer provided between the plurality of second nanoposts, and wherein bottom surfaces of the plurality of second nanoposts and a bottom surface of the second dielectric material are provided on the first etch prevention layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the color separating lens array is further configured to condense the light of the second wavelength toward the second pixel. ### Claim 14 An electronic apparatus comprising: an image sensor configured to convert an optical image into an electrical signal; and a processor configured to control operations of the image sensor and store and output a signal generated by the image sensor, wherein the image sensor comprises: a sensor substrate including a first pixel, configured to sense light of a first wavelength, and a second pixel configured to sense light of a second wavelength; a spacer layer on the sensor substrate, the spacer layer being transparent; and a color separating lens array on the spacer layer, the color separating lens array being configured to condense the light of the first wavelength incident on the color separating lens array toward the first pixel, and wherein the color separating lens array includes a first lens layer on the spacer layer, a second lens layer on the first lens layer, and a first etch prevention layer between the first lens layer and the second lens layer, wherein the first lens layer comprises a first pixel region corresponding to the first pixel and a second pixel region corresponding to the second pixel, each of the first pixel region and the second pixel region comprising a plurality of first nanoposts and a first dielectric material layer provided between the plurality of first nanoposts, and wherein the first etch prevention layer is provided on upper surfaces of the plurality of first nanoposts and an upper surface of the first dielectric material layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first etch prevention layer has a thickness of about 3 nm to about 30 nm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first etch prevention layer has a thickness of about 5 nm to about 15 nm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first etch prevention layer includes HfO2. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The electronic apparatus of claim 14, further comprising an anti-reflection layer on the color separating lens array. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electronic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the anti-reflection layer includes a SiO2 layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The electronic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the anti-reflection layer has a thickness of about 80 nm to about 120 nm. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The electronic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the anti-reflection layer includes a first anti-reflection layer and a second anti-reflection layer, the first anti-reflection layer including a first material, and the second anti-reflection layer including a second material that is different from the first material. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The electronic apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first material includes SiO2 and the second material includes Si3N4. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The electronic apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second anti-reflection layer has a thickness of about 20 nm to about 60 nm. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The electronic apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a second etch prevention layer between the spacer layer and the color separating lens array, wherein the second etch prevention layer is provided on an upper surface of the spacer layer, and wherein bottom surfaces of the plurality of first nanoposts and a bottom surface of the first dielectric material layer are provided on the second etch prevention layer. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second lens layer comprises a third pixel region corresponding to the first pixel and a fourth pixel region corresponding to the second pixel, each of the third pixel region and the fourth pixel region comprising a plurality of second nanoposts and a second dielectric material layer provided between the plurality of second nanoposts, and wherein bottom surfaces of the plurality of second nanoposts and a bottom surface of the second dielectric material are provided on the first etch prevention layer. ### Claim 26 (depends on 14) The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the color separating lens array is further configured to condense the light of the second wavelength toward the second pixel.