Array camera architecture implementing quantum dot color filters

A lens stack array, comprising:

• lens elements formed on substrates separated by spacers, where the lens elements, substrates and spacers are configured to form a plurality of optical channels;
• wherein at least one optical channel includes:
• at least one aperture;
• at least one spectral filter, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light;
• at least one quantum dot color filter positioned to receive the specific spectral band of light passed by the at least one spectral filter located within the optical channel, where the at least one quantum dot color filter shifts each incoming photon passed by the at least one spectral filter to a specific narrow band of output wavelengths;
• wherein the at least one spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of ultraviolet light;
• and
• the at least one quantum dot color filter is positioned to receive the specific spectral band of ultraviolet light passed by the at least one spectral filter located within the optical channel, where the at least one quantum dot color filter is configured to emit a spectral band of visible light in response to incident ultraviolet light passed by the at least one spectral filter.

A lens stack array, comprising:

• lens elements formed on substrates separated by spacers, where the lens elements, substrates and spacers are configured to form a plurality of optical channels;
• wherein at least one optical channel includes:
• at least one aperture;
• at least one spectral filter, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light;
• at least one quantum dot color filter positioned to receive the specific spectral band of light passed by the at least one spectral filter located within the optical channel, where the at least one quantum dot color filter shifts each incoming photon passed by the at least one spectral filter to a specific narrow band of output wavelengths;
• wherein the at least one optical channel includes at least one lens element positioned above the at least one quantum dot color filter that is optimized for the specific spectral band of light passed by the at least one spectral filter;
• and
• wherein the at least one optical channel includes at least one lens element positioned below the at least one quantum dot color filter that is optimized for the narrow band of output wavelengths passed by the quantum dot color filter.

An array camera module comprising:

• an imager array including:
• a plurality of focal planes, where each focal plane comprises a plurality of rows of pixels that also form a plurality of columns of pixels and each focal plane is contained within a region of the imager array that does not contain pixels from another focal plane;
• control circuitry configured to control the capture of image information by the pixels within the focal planes;
• and
• sampling circuitry configured to convert pixel outputs into digital pixel data;
• and
• an optic array of lens stacks aligned with respect to the imager array so that an image is formed on each focal plane by a separate lens stack in said optic array of lens stacks, wherein at least one lens stack comprises:
• at least one lens element;
• at least one aperture;
• at least one spectral filter, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light;
• at least one quantum dot color filter positioned to receive the specific spectral band of light passed by the at least one spectral filter located within the optical channel, where the at least one quantum dot color filter shifts each incoming photon passed by the at least one spectral filter to a specific narrow band of output wavelengths;
• at least a first optical channel includes at least one spectral filter configured to pass a first spectral band of light;
• at least a second optical channel includes at least one spectral filter configured to pass a second spectral band of light;
• and
• at least one quantum dot color filter is located within each of the first and second optical channels and is positioned to receive a specific spectral band of light passed by the at least one spectral filter located within each optical channel, where the at least one quantum dot color filter in each optical channel is configured to emit a spectral band of light that is within the same spectral band in response to incident light passed by the different spectral filters in each optical channel.

An array camera module comprising:

• an imager array including:
• a plurality of focal planes, where each focal plane comprises a plurality of rows of pixels that also form a plurality of columns of pixels and each focal plane is contained within a region of the imager array that does not contain pixels from another focal plane;
• control circuitry configured to control the capture of image information by the pixels within the focal planes;
• sampling circuitry configured to convert pixel outputs into digital pixel data;
• and
• an optic array of lens stacks aligned with respect to the imager array so that an image is formed on each focal plane by a separate lens stack in said optic array of lens stacks, wherein at least one lens stack comprises:
• at least one lens element;
• at least one aperture;
• at least one spectral filter, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light;
• at least one quantum dot color filter positioned to receive the specific spectral band of light passed by the at least one spectral filter located within the optical channel, where the at least one quantum dot color filter shifts each incoming photon passed by the at least one spectral filter to a specific narrow band of output wavelengths;
• the at least one spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of ultraviolet light;
• and
• the at least one quantum dot color filter is positioned to receive the specific spectral band of ultraviolet light passed by the at least one spectral filter located within the optical channel, where the at least one quantum dot color filter is configured to emit a spectral band of visible light in response to incident ultraviolet light passed by the at least one spectral filter.

An array camera module comprising:

• an imager array including:
• a plurality of focal planes, where each focal plane comprises a plurality of rows of pixels that also form a plurality of columns of pixels and each focal plane is contained within a region of the imager array that does not contain pixels from another focal plane;
• control circuitry configured to control the capture of image information by the pixels within the focal planes;
• sampling circuitry configured to convert pixel outputs into digital pixel data;
• and
• an optic array of lens stacks aligned with respect to the imager array so that an image is formed on each focal plane by a separate lens stack in said optic array of lens stacks, wherein at least one lens stack comprises:
• at least one lens element;
• at least one aperture;
• at least one spectral filter, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light;
• at least one quantum dot color filter positioned to receive the specific spectral band of light passed by the at least one spectral filter located within the optical channel, where the at least one quantum dot color filter shifts each incoming photon passed by the at least one spectral filter to a specific narrow band of output wavelengths;
• wherein the at least one optical channel includes at least one lens element positioned above the at least one quantum dot color filter that is optimized for the specific spectral band of light passed by the at least one spectral filter;
• and
• wherein the at least one optical channel includes at least one lens element positioned below the at least one quantum dot color filter that is optimized for the narrow band of output wavelengths passed by the quantum dot color filter.