# US 2014/0191356 A1 · Solid-state imaging apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191356 A1 - Document ID: US20140191356A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/208,378 - Filed: 2014-03-13 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-20 - Assignees: Panasonic Corporation - Applicants: Panasonic Corporation - Inventors: Shinzou KOUYAMA; Kazutoshi ONOZAWA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191356A1 ## CPC - H10F 39/8023: {Disposition of the elements in pixels, e.g. smaller elements in the centre of the imager compared to larger elements at the periphery} - G03B 35/08: by simultaneous recording - H04N 13/218: using spatial multiplexing - H04N 25/70: SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith - H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses} - H10F 39/8067: {Reflectors} - H04N 13/229: using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses - H04N 13/232: using fly-eye lenses, e.g. arrangements of circular lenses - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A solid-state imaging apparatus is disclosed in which, in a first unit cell, light is collected to maximize an amount of light received when the light is incident at a first angle-of-incidence, and in a second unit cell adjacent to the first unit cell, light is collected to maximize an amount of light received when the light is incident at a second angle-of-incidence, the amount of light received when the light is incident at a third angle-of-incidence on the first unit cell is equal to the amount of light received when the light is incident at the third angle-of-incidence on the second unit cell, the first angle-of-incidence is greater than the third angle-of-incidence by a predetermined amount, and the second angle-of-incidence is smaller than the third angle-of-incidence by the predetermined amount. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging region; and a plurality of unit cells arranged two-dimensionally in the imaging region, the plurality of unit cells including a first unit cell and a second unit cell, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells has a light-receiving element and a light-collecting element, the first unit cell includes a first light-receiving element and a first light-collecting element, the first light-collecting element collects a first incident light to maximize an amount of a first light incident on the first light-receiving element when the first incident light is incident at a first angle-of-incidence, the second unit cell adjacent to the first unit cell includes a second light-receiving element and a second light-collecting element, the second light-collecting element collects a second incident light to maximize an amount of a second light incident on the second light-receiving element when the second incident light is incident at a second angle-of-incidence, an amount of the first light incident on the first light-receiving element when the first incident light is incident at a third angle-of-incidence on the first unit cell is equal to an amount of the second light incident on the second light-receiving element when the second incident light is incident at the third angle-of-incidence on the second unit cell, the first angle-of-incidence is greater than the third angle-of-incidence by a predetermined amount, and the second angle-of-incidence is smaller than the third angle-of-incidence by the predetermined amount. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit cells include a third unit cell adjacent to the first unit cell and a fourth unit cell adjacent to the second unit cell, the third unit cell includes a third light-receiving element and a third light-collecting element, the fourth unit cell includes a fourth light-receiving element and a fourth light-collecting element, the third light-collecting element collects a third incident light to maximize an amount of a third light incident on the third light-receiving element when the third incident light is incident at the first angle-of-incidence, the fourth light-collecting element collects a fourth incident light to maximize an amount of a fourth light incident on the fourth light-receiving element when the fourth incident light is incident at the second angle-of-incidence, an amount of the third light incident on the third light-receiving element when the third incident light is incident at the third angle-of-incidence on the third unit cell is equal to an amount of the second light incident on the second light-receiving element when the second incident light is incident at the third angle-of-incidence on the second unit cell, an amount of the fourth light incident on the fourth light-receiving element when the fourth incident light is incident at the third angle-of-incidence on the fourth unit cell is equal to an amount of the first light incident on the first light-receiving element when the first incident light is incident at the third angle-of-incidence on the first unit cell, and the imaging region is divided into a first region and a second region at a boundary between a plurality of the first unit cells and a plurality of the second unit cells, the first region being a first side of the imaging region in which a plurality of the third unit cells are arranged, the second region being a second side of the imaging region in which a plurality of the fourth unit cells are arranged. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the first unit cells and a plurality of the second unit cells are disposed alternately in a column direction and a row direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a row including the first unit cell and a row including the second unit cell are disposed alternately in a column direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first light-collecting element and the second light-collecting element are disposed as one unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of the unit cells includes an inner-layer light-collecting element disposed below the light-collecting element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of the first light-collecting elements disposed in a same column and a plurality of the second light-collecting elements disposed in a same column are disposed as one unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of the unit cells includes an inner-layer light-collecting element disposed below the light-collecting element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light-collecting element is divided into line widths substantially a same as or shorter than a wavelength of the incident light, and has an effective refractive index distribution controlled according to a combination of a plurality of light-transmissive films in a concentric structure about a center axis that is an axis which extends in a direction perpendicular to a light-receiving surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light-collecting element has an effective refractive index distribution that is substantially equal to that of a triangular prism.