Two-dimensional solid-state image capture device with polarization member and color filter for sub-pixel regions and polarization-light data processing method therefor

A polarization-light data processing method for a two-dimensional solid-state image capture device including pixel areas arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, each pixel area being constituted by multiple sub-pixel regions, each sub-pixel region having a photoelectric conversion element;

• wherein a polarization member is disposed at a light incident side of one of the sub-pixel regions constituting each pixel area, wherein no polarization member is disposed at a light incident side of a plurality of the other sub-pixel regions constituting each pixel area, and wherein each of the other sub-pixel regions is associatted with a color filter;
• the polarization member has strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers and slit areas, provided between the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers, to transmit light having a polarization component in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers extend and to suppress transmission of light having a polarization component in a direction parallel to the direction in which the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers extend;
• and a pixel-area group is constituted by Q0 pixel areas (where Q0≧3) and satisfies θq=θ1+(180/Q)×(q−1) (degree), where Q indicates a positive integer (where 3≦Q≦Q0), θ1indicates an angle defined by a predetermined direction and a direction in which the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers extend in the polarization member in the sub-pixel region included in the q-th pixel area (where q=1), and θq indicates an angle defined by a predetermined direction and a direction in which the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers extend in the polarization member in the sub-pixel region included in the q-th pixel area (where 2≦q≦Q) selected from the Q−1 pixel areas selected from the pixels areas other than the first pixel area, the polarization-light data processing method comprising the steps of:
• using, as a maximum polarization intensity IPL-max of light that is incident on the pixel area, a maximum value Imax of a light intensity Iq of light that is incident on the sub-pixel region that has the polarization member and that is included in the q-th pixel area (where q=1, 2, . . . , Q);
• using, as a polarization direction θPL-max in which the maximum polarization intensity IPL-max of light that is incident on the pixel area is obtained, an angle θq of the pixel area where the maximum value Imax is obtained;
• and
• using a minimum value Imin of the light intensity Iq as a minimum polarization intensity IPL-min of light that is incident on the pixel area.

A polarization-light data processing method for a two-dimensional solid-state image capture device, comprising:

• providing a plurality of pixel areas, wherein the pixel areas are arranged to form a two-dimensional matrix, each pixel area including:
• a plurality of sub-pixel regions, each sub-pixel region having a photoelectric conversion element;
• a polarization member disposed at a light incident side of one of the sub-pixel regions in the pixel area, wherein the polarization member has strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers and slit areas, provided between the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers, to transmit light having a polarization component in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers extend and to suppress transmission of light having a polarization component in a direction parallel to the direction in which the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers extend;
• a color filter disposed at a light incident side of a plurality of the sub-pixel regions in the pixel area, wherein the plurality of the sub-pixel regions in the pixel are that have a color filter disposed on a light incident side thereof do not have a polarization member disposed at a light incident side thereof,
• wherein each pixel-area is constituted by Q0 pixel areas (where Q0≧3) and satisfies θq=θ1+(180/Q)×(q−1) (degree), where Q indicates a positive integer (where 3≦Q≦Q0), θ1 indicates an angle defined by a predetermined direction and a direction in which the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers extend in the polarization member in the sub-pixel region included in the q-th pixel area (where q=1), and θq indicates an angle defined by a predetermined direction and a direction in which the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers extend in the polarization member in the sub-pixel region included in the q-th pixel area (where 2≦q≦Q) selected from the Q−1pixel areas selected from the pixels areas other than the first pixel area, the polarization-light data processing method comprising the steps of:
• determining, as an angle θmax at which a maximum value in a sine function obtained based on a light intensity Iq is obtained, a polarization direction θPL-max in which a maximum polarization intensity IPL-max of light that is incident on the pixel area is obtained, wherein the light intensity Iq indicates a light intensity of light that is incident on the sub-pixel region that has the polarization member and that is included in the q-th pixel area (where q=1, 2, . . . , Q);
• and
• using the determined maximum value and a minimum value in the sine function as the maximum polarization intensity IPL-max and a minimum polarization intensity IPL-min n of light that is incident on the pixel area.