# US 2021/0242262 A1 · Flare-suppressing image sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242262 A1 - Document ID: US20210242262A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/777,090 - Filed: 2020-01-30 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-30 - Assignees: OmniVision Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: OmniVision Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Alireza BONAKDAR; Zhiqiang LIN; Chen-Wei LU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242262A1 ## CPC - H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses} - H10F 39/807: {Pixel isolation structures} - G02B 3/0037: {characterized by the distribution or form of lenses} - H10F 39/182: {Colour image sensors} - 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} - H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters} - H10F 39/8057: {Optical shielding} - G02B 3/0056: {arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses (G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085)} - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A flare-suppressing image sensor includes a first pixel formed in a substrate and a refractive element located above the first pixel. The refractive element has, with respect to a top surface of the substrate, a height profile having at least two one-dimensional local maxima in each of a first cross-sectional plane and a second cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the first cross-sectional plane. Each of the first and second cross-sectional planes is perpendicular to the top surface and intersects the first pixel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flare-suppressing image sensor comprising: a first pixel formed in a substrate; and a refractive element above the first pixel, having, with respect to a top surface of the substrate, a height profile having at least two one-dimensional local maxima in each of a first cross-sectional plane and a second cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the first cross-sectional plane, each of the first and second cross-sectional planes being perpendicular to the top surface and intersecting the first pixel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, the refractive element including an N-by-N array of microlenses, N being an integer greater than one, each of the plurality of microlenses having a respective optical axis that intersects the first pixel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image sensor of claim 2, each respective optical axis being perpendicular to the top surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The image sensor of claim 2, N being equal to two. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, the refractive element being rotationally symmetric about an axis perpendicular to the top surface, the height profile having exactly two local maxima in each of the first and second cross-sectional planes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image sensor of claim 5, the height profile including a local minimum equidistant from each of the local maxima. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, the substrate being a semiconductor substrate, the image sensor further comprising: a plurality of large pixels in the semiconductor substrate and forming a pixel array that has a pixel pitch Px and Py in respective orthogonal directions x and y each parallel to the top surface, the first pixel being one of the plurality of large pixels; and a first and a second small pixel having a center-to-center separation equal to √{square root over (Px2+Py2)} in a first direction and each having, in the first direction, a small-pixel width W less than both pixel pitch Px and Py, the first pixel being between the first and second small pixels. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image sensor of claim 7, an angle between the first direction and direction x equaling arctan(Py/Px). ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The image sensor of claim 7, further comprising a first microlens aligned to the first small pixel and a second microlens aligned to the second small pixel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image sensor of claim 9, further comprising: a first opaque annulus center-aligned with the first microlens and located between the first microlens and the top surface; and a first opaque element extending a distance L1 from the first opaque annulus in the first direction, L1 being less than ½(√{square root over (Px2+Py2)}−W) from a boundary between the first small pixel and the first pixel and toward the second small pixel, and having, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a first width less than or equal to small-pixel width W. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image sensor of claim 10, further comprising a spectral filter located between the first microlens and the top surface, aligned to the first small pixel, and surrounded by the first opaque annulus. The image sensor of claim 10, further comprising: a second opaque annulus center-aligned with the second microlens and located between the second microlens and the top surface; and a second opaque element extending a distance d2 from the first opaque annulus opposite the first direction, d2 being less than ½(√{square root over (Px2+Py2)}−W) from a boundary between the second small pixel and the first pixel and toward the first small pixel, and having, in the second direction, a second width less than or equal to small-pixel width W. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7, 12) The image sensor of claim 12, further comprising a second spectral filter located between the second microlens and the top surface, aligned to the second small pixel, and surrounded by the second opaque annulus. The image sensor of claim 7, further comprising: a third and a fourth small pixel having a center-to-center separation equal to √{square root over (Px2+Py2)} in the second direction and each having small-pixel width W in the first direction, the first pixel being between the third and fourth small pixels, the first and third small pixels having a center-to-center separation equal to Px, the second and fourth small pixels having a center-to-center separation equal to Py. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, the refractive element being formed of a glass having a transition temperature between 140° C. and 180° C.