Measurement of a laser pulse repetition frequency using upconversion
AssigneeSRI International
InventorsPeter A. Levine, Rui Zhu, Namwoong Paik, John D. Bazzano
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A silicon-based image sensor can have i) a pixel array with one or more pixels and ii) an upconversion layer of crystals on at least one of a front side and a backside of the silicon-based image sensor. A pulse repetition frequency decoder cooperates with the upconversion layer of crystals to decode a pulse repetition frequency of a laser flash captured by one or more of the pixels of the silicon-based image sensor. The pulse repetition frequency decoder can use a known frame rate of the silicon-based image sensor and a decay time of an upconverting emission from the upconversion layer of crystals to decode the pulse repetition frequency of the laser flash.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a silicon-based image sensor that has i) a pixel array with one or more pixels and ii) an upconversion layer of crystals on at least one of a front side and a backside of the silicon-based image sensor, and
- a pulse repetition frequency decoder configured to cooperate with the upconversion layer of crystals to decode a pulse repetition frequency of a laser flash captured by one or more of the pixels of the silicon-based image sensor, wherein the pulse repetition frequency decoder is configured to use a known frame rate of the silicon-based image sensor and a decay time of an upconverting emission from the upconversion layer of crystals to decode the pulse repetition frequency of the laser flash.
A method for imaging, comprising:
- providing a silicon-based image sensor that has i) a pixel array with one or more pixels and ii) an upconversion layer of crystals on at least one of a front side and a backside of the silicon-based image sensor;
- providing a pulse repetition frequency decoder to cooperate with the upconversion layer of crystals to decode a pulse repetition frequency of a laser flash captured by one or more of the pixels of the silicon-based image sensor;
- and
- providing the pulse repetition frequency decoder to use a known frame rate of the silicon-based image sensor and a decay time of an upconverting emission from the upconversion layer of crystals to decode the pulse repetition frequency of the laser flash.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.