Image sensor for improved optical imaging

An imaging device that enables production of image data with spectral diversity allowing for creation of information-rich feature vectors, the imaging device comprising:

• a substrate having a baseline spectral responsivity function;
• and
• a cell fabricated on the substrate and including plural differently spectrally-filtered pixels each comprising a spectral filter configured to filter light to the pixel based on a respective spectral response function, wherein first and second pixels in said cell, respectively having first and second pixel spectral response functions, are characterized in that at least two of the following criteria are met:
• (a) a skirt steepness of the first pixel's spectral response function is 15% or more greater than a skirt steepness of the second pixel's spectral response function;
• (b) the first pixel spectral response function has a single notch of depth greater than 5%, and the second pixel spectral response function has two or more notches of depth greater than 5%;
• (c) wavelengths of notches in the first and second pixel spectral response functions differ by 5 nm or more;
• (d) a width of a deepest notch in the first pixel spectral response function is more than 10% different than a width of a deepest notch in the second pixel spectral response function;
• (e) a depth of a deepest notch in the first pixel spectral response function is more than 5% different than a depth of a deepest notch in the second pixel spectral response function;
• and
• (f) a normalized cross-correlation of the first and second pixel spectral response functions over a spectrum of 400-700 nm is less than 0.9.