Photonic crystal-based lens elements for use in an image sensor
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorChandra Mouli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention, in various exemplary embodiments, incorporates a photonic crystal lens element into an image sensor. The photonic crystal lens element comprises a substrate and a plurality of pillars forming a photonic crystal structure over the substrate. The pillars are spaced apart from each other. Each pillar has a height and a horizontal cross sectional shape. A material with a different dielectric constant than the pillars is provided within the spacing between the pillars. The photonic crystal element can be a lens configured to focus electromagnetic radiation onto an underlying pixel cell.
Claims22
1-23. (canceled)
A processor system comprising:
- (i) a processor;
- and
- (ii) an image sensor coupled to the processor, the image sensor comprising:
- a substrate,
- an array of pixel cells at a surface of the substrate, each pixel cell comprising a photo-conversion device, and
- at least one photonic crystal lens element over at least one of the pixel cells configured to focus light onto at least one photo-conversion device.
28-78. (canceled)
A camera system comprising:
- (i) a camera system processor;
- and
- (ii) an image sensor coupled to the camera system processor, the image sensor comprising:
- a substrate,
- an array of pixel cells at a surface of a substrate, each pixel cell comprising a photo-conversion device, and
- at least one lens element having a photonic crystal structure over at least one of the photo-conversion devices for focusing light onto the at least one photo-conversion device.
A camera system comprising:
- (i) a camera system processor;
- and
- (ii) an image sensor coupled to the camera system processor, the image sensor comprising:
- a substrate,
- an array of pixel cells at a surface of a substrate, each pixel cell comprising a photo-conversion device, and
- at least one lens element over at least one of the photo-conversion devices, the lens element comprising a photonic crystal structure configured such that the lens element has a negative index of refraction, a top surface and a bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces being approximately parallel with respect to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.