公开(公告)号：US11362124B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-14

申请号：US16777193

申请日：2020-01-30

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Alireza Bonakdar ,  Zhiqiang Lin ,  Bill Phan ,  Badrinath Padmanabhan

IPC: H01L27/14 ,  H01L27/146

Abstract: An image sensor with quantum efficiency enhanced by inverted pyramids includes a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of microlenses. The semiconductor substrate includes an array of pixels. Each of the pixels is configured to convert light incident on the pixel to an electrical output signal, the semiconductor substrate having a top surface for receiving the light. The top surface forms a plurality of inverted pyramids in each pixel. The plurality of microlenses are disposed above the top surface and aligned to the plurality of inverted pyramids, respectively.

公开(公告)号：US20210352234A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-11

申请号：US16870687

申请日：2020-05-08

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Badrinath Padmanabhan ,  Boyd Fowler ,  Alireza Bonakdar ,  Richard Mann

IPC: H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H01L27/146

Abstract: In some embodiments, an imaging system is provided. The imaging system comprises an image sensor, a light source, control circuitry, and function logic. The image sensor comprises a pixel array that includes a plurality of polarization pixel cells and a plurality of time-of-flight pixel cells. The light source is configured to emit light pulses to an object. The control circuitry is coupled to the light source and the pixel array, and is configured to synchronize a timing of the emission of the light pulses with sensing of photons reflected from the object by the plurality of time-of-flight pixel cells to generate depth information. The function logic is configured to determine a set of ambiguous surface normals using signals generated by the plurality of polarization pixel cells, and to disambiguate the set of ambiguous surface normals using the depth information to generate a three-dimensional shape image.

公开(公告)号：US20210151482A1

公开(公告)日：2021-05-20

申请号：US16687660

申请日：2019-11-18

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Bill Phan ,  Yuanliang Liu ,  Duli Mao ,  Seong Yeol Mun ,  Alireza Bonakdar

IPC: H01L27/146

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate material. The substrate material includes a plurality of photodiodes disposed therein. The plurality of photodiodes includes a plurality of small photodiodes (SPDs) and a plurality of large photodiodes (LPDs) larger than the SPDs. An array of color filters is disposed over the substrate material. A buffer layer is disposed between the substrate material and the array of color filters. A metal pattern is disposed between the color filters in the array of color filters, and between the array of color filters and the buffer layer. An attenuation layer is disposed between the substrate material and the array of color filters. The attenuation layer is above and aligned with the plurality of SPDs and a portion of each of the plurality of LPDs. An edge of the attenuation layer is over one of the plurality of LPDs.

公开(公告)号：US11515437B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-29

申请号：US16703542

申请日：2019-12-04

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Alireza Bonakdar ,  Shinn-Jhy Lian

IPC: H01L31/0232 ,  H01L31/0216 ,  H01L31/02 ,  G02B5/30 ,  H01L27/146

Abstract: A light sensor includes a photodiode, interlayer dielectric layer and plurality of metal layers. A polarizer is disposed in the plurality of metal layers. The photodiode is coupled to generate charge in response to incident light directed through a first side of the semiconductor layer. The polarizer includes a first metal grid formed with a first metal layer and a second metal grid formed with a third metal layer. The second metal grid is stacked with the first metal grid such that the first and second metal grids are disposed above and aligned with the photodiode. The photodiode is optically coupled to receive incident light through the first and second metal grids of the polarizer and through the first side of the semiconductor layer.

公开(公告)号：US11480836B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-25

申请号：US16864890

申请日：2020-05-01

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Alireza Bonakdar ,  Libo Weng ,  Badrinath Padmanabhan

IPC: G02F1/1362 ,  G02F1/1335 ,  G02F1/1337 ,  G02F1/1343

Abstract: A liquid crystal on silicon device is described. The liquid crystal on silicon device includes a plurality of mirror electrodes, a transparent electrode, a liquid crystal material, and a plurality of microlenses. The plurality of mirror electrodes are arranged periodically to form an array of pixels, each pixel included in the array of pixels configurable to reflect incident light. The transparent electrode is optically aligned with the plurality of mirror electrodes. The liquid crystal material is disposed between the transparent electrode and the plurality of mirror electrodes. The plurality of microlenses are optically aligned with the plurality of mirror electrodes. Each microlens included in the plurality of microlenses is positioned to focus the incident light on a respective one of the plurality of mirror electrodes.

公开(公告)号：US20220247992A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-04

申请号：US17164679

申请日：2021-02-01

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Wenshou Chen ,  Yiyi Ren ,  Guansong Liu ,  Badri Padmanabhan ,  Alireza Bonakdar ,  Richard Mann

IPC: H04N13/218 ,  H04N5/225 ,  G06T7/593

Abstract: In some embodiments, an image sensor is provided. The image sensor comprises a plurality of photodiodes arranged as a photodiode array. The photodiodes of the photodiode array are arranged into a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant. A first polarization filter and a first telecentric lens are aligned with the first quadrant. A second polarization filter and a second telecentric lens are aligned with the second quadrant. A third polarization filter and a third telecentric lens are aligned with the third quadrant. A fourth telecentric lens is aligned with the fourth quadrant.

公开(公告)号：US11329086B2

公开(公告)日：2022-05-10

申请号：US16729176

申请日：2019-12-27

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Yuanliang Liu ,  Bill Phan ,  Duli Mao ,  Alireza Bonakdar

IPC: H01L27/146

Abstract: Image sensors include a substrate material having a plurality of small photodiodes (SPDs) and a plurality of large photodiodes (LPDs) disposed therein. A plurality of pixel isolators is formed in the substrate material, each pixel isolator being disposed between one of the SPDs and one of the LPDs. A passivation layer is disposed on the substrate material and a buffer layer is disposed on the passivation layer. A plurality of first metal elements is disposed in the buffer layer, each first metal element being disposed over one of the pixel isolators, and a plurality of second metal elements is disposed over the plurality of first metal elements.

公开(公告)号：US11158661B2

公开(公告)日：2021-10-26

申请号：US16576603

申请日：2019-09-19

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Alireza Bonakdar ,  Zhiqiang Lin

IPC: H01L27/146

Abstract: An image sensor includes a two-dimensional photodiode-array formed in a semiconductor substrate, a first waveguide, and a first color filter. The first waveguide is aligned to a first photodiode of the photodiode-array, located above a top substrate surface of the semiconductor substrate. A first core of the first waveguide has a first core width that is less than a pitch of the photodiode-array in a first direction and a second direction corresponding to respective orthogonal dimensions of the photodiode-array. The first color filter is on a top waveguide surface of the first waveguide and has a first non-uniform thickness above the first core. The first waveguide is between the top substrate surface and the first color filter.

公开(公告)号：US20210200992A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-01

申请号：US16729001

申请日：2019-12-27

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Badrinath Padmanabhan ,  Yiyi Ren ,  Wenshou Chen ,  Richard Mann ,  Alireza Bonakdar

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  G06K9/62 ,  G06F21/32 ,  G06N20/00

Abstract: A system comprising a polarization CMOS image sensor, at least one processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform actions including receiving, from the polarization CMOS image sensor, polarization information and two-dimensional image information. The polarization information is processed using a machine learning model to generate an output that indicates whether the polarization information represents a valid biometric measurement of a physical feature of a subject.

公开(公告)号：US20210176447A1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-10

申请号：US17113011

申请日：2020-12-05

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Richard Mann ,  Badrinath Padmanabhan ,  Boyd Fowler ,  Alireza Bonakdar ,  Eiichi Funatsu

IPC: H04N13/218 ,  G06T7/593 ,  G06T7/571 ,  H04N13/257 ,  H04N5/232

Abstract: An optical system comprises an imaging lens for imaging an object to an image and a sensing pixel array for detecting lights from the object toward the image. The sensing pixel array comprises a first sensing pixel and a second sensing pixel, each sensing pixel comprising a microlens covering a one-dimensional series of photodiodes having n photodiodes. A photodiode at an end of the one-dimensional series of photodiodes of the first sensing pixel detects a first light from the object toward the image, and a photodiode at an opposite end of the one-dimensional series of photodiodes of the second sensing pixel detects a second light from the object toward the image, where the first light and the second light pass opposite parts of the imaging lens.