Multispectral Light Sensor

Abstract

[Configuration] The present disclosure relates to an optical device comprising: a photodiode array including a plurality of first photodiodes, each of the first photodiodes including an n+ region and an n-well region; a guide array disposed on the photodiode array, the guide array including a plurality of guide members separated from each other by a layer of light-shielding material, the guide members aligned with the n+ regions of the first photodiodes such that each guide member is disposed on a different n+ region, the layer of light-shielding material aligned with the n-well regions of the first photodiodes; and a filter array disposed on the guide array, the filter array including a plurality of bandpass filters, each bandpass filter aligned with a different one of a plurality of guide members, each bandpass filter having a different passband. [Selection diagram] Figure 20B

Description

Related Applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 941,855, filed March 30, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Technical field]

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to light sensing devices, and more particularly to multispectral light sensors. [Background technology]

[0003] Measuring color is an important part of evaluating the operation of various electronic devices, such as printing and display devices. In addition, measuring color is an important part of evaluating the performance of various light sources, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), fluorescent lights, halogen lights, infrared (IR) light sources, and ultraviolet (UV) light sources. Color meters commonly used in the field can be costly. These costs can start from hundreds of dollars and range to thousands of dollars, and in some cases can be prohibitively expensive. Thus, there is a need to design new color meters that can be manufactured more efficiently and at reduced cost. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure addresses this need. According to an aspect of the disclosure, an optoelectronic device includes a photodiode array including a plurality of first photodiodes, each of the first photodiodes including an n+ region and an n-well region, a guide array disposed on the photodiode array, the guide array including a plurality of guide members separated from one another by a layer of light-shielding material, the guide members aligned with the n+ regions of the first photodiodes such that each guide member is disposed over a different n+ region, the layer of light-shielding material aligned with the n-well regions of the first photodiodes, and a filter array disposed on the guide array, the filter array including a plurality of bandpass filters, each bandpass filter aligned with a different one of a plurality of guide members, each bandpass filter having a different passband.

[0005] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an optoelectronic device includes a photodiode array including a plurality of first photodiodes; a guide array disposed on the photodiode array, the guide array including a plurality of guide members separated from one another by a layer of light blocking material, each guide member aligned with a different one of the plurality of first photodiodes; and a filter array disposed on the guide array, the filter array including a plurality of bandpass filters, each bandpass filter aligned with a different one of the plurality of guide members, each bandpass filter having a different passband.

[0006] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing an optoelectronic device includes forming a first layer of light-transmissive material over a photodiode array including a plurality of photodiodes each having an n-well region, forming a plurality of first trenches in the first layer of light-transmissive material, forming a layer of light-shielding material in the plurality of first trenches, forming a first metal layer over the first layer of light-transmissive material and the layer of light-shielding material, forming a second layer of light-transmissive material over the first metal layer, forming a plurality of second trenches of different depths in the second layer of light-transmissive material, forming a second metal layer in each of the plurality of second trenches, and filling each of the second trenches with a light-transmissive material after forming the second metal layer in each of the second trenches. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] The drawings described below are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The same or similar reference characters and numbers shown in the drawings refer to the same parts in various embodiments.

[0008] [Figure 1A] 1 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating an example of a detector array including IR-pass and IR-cut filters according to an embodiment of the disclosure. [Figure 1B] 2 is a cross-sectional side view of an example bandpass filter that is part of the detector array of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 1C] FIG. 1B is a top view of the detector array of FIG. 1A with the IR-pass and IR-cut filters removed, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1B is a plot showing the passbands of multiple bandpass filters that are part of the detector array of FIG. 1A. [Figure 3A] 1 is a plot showing the spectral content of a test light, according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] 3B is a plot showing the response of the detector array of FIG. 1A to the test light of FIG. 3A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4]FIG. 1B illustrates an example of an optoelectronic device including the detector array of FIG. 1A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] 5 illustrates an example of operations performed by a processor of the optoelectronic device of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 illustrates another example of a detector array according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 illustrates yet another example detector array in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 1 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a process for manufacturing a detector array, according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 9A] 9 is a top view of an example of a photodiode array formed as a result of performing the first step in the process of FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9B is a first cross-sectional side view of the photodiode array of FIG. 9A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9C] FIG. 9B is a second cross-sectional side view of the photodiode array of FIG. 9A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10A] 9 is a top view of an example of an assembly including a first light transmitting layer formed as a result of performing the second step in the process of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 10A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11A] FIG. 10B is a top view of an example assembly including a plurality of first trenches formed in the first light-transmitting layer of FIG. 10A as a result of performing the third step in the process of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11B] FIG. 11B is a first cross-sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 11A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11C] FIG. 11B is a second cross-sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 11A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12A] 11B is a top view of an assembly including a light blocking layer formed in the multiple trenches of FIG. 11A as a result of performing the fourth step in the process of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12B] FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 12A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13A] 12B is a top view of an assembly including a layer of optically transmissive material formed on the assembly of FIG. 12A as a result of performing a fifth step in the process of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13B] FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 13A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14A] 13B is a top view of an assembly including multiple trenches formed in the assembly of FIG. 13A as a result of performing a sixth step in the process of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14B] FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 14A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15A] 14B is a top view of an assembly including a first metal layer formed on the assembly of FIG. 14A as a result of performing a seventh step in the process of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15B] FIG. 15B is a cross-sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 15A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 16A] 15B is a top view of an assembly including a second light-transmitting layer formed on the assembly of FIG. 15A as a result of performing an eighth step in the process of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 16B] FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 16A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17A] 16B is a top view of an assembly including multiple trenches formed in the assembly of FIG. 16A as a result of performing a ninth step in the process of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17B] FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 17A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18A] 17B is a top view of an assembly including a second metal layer formed on the assembly of FIG. 17A as a result of performing the tenth step in the process of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18B] FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 18A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19A] FIG. 10 is a top view of an assembly formed as a result of performing the eleventh step in the process of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19B] FIG. 19B is a cross-sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 19A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 20A] FIG. 10 is a top view of a completed detector array resulting from performing the twelfth step in the process of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 20B] FIG. 20B is a cross-sectional side view of the detector array of FIG. 20A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] According to an aspect of the disclosure, a detector array for measuring a characteristic of light is provided. The detector array may include a photodiode array and a filter array disposed on the photodiode array. The photodiode array may include a plurality of photodiodes. The filter array may include a plurality of bandpass filters. Each bandpass filter may be located on a different photodiode. Furthermore, each bandpass filter may have a different passband than the other filters, so that the underlying photodiode may measure the light energy in the passband of the filter. When the signals generated by the photodiodes in the detector array are combined, an energy measurement of the entire spectrum of interest may be obtained. The spectrum of interest may encompass one or more of a visible light band, an IR band, and / or a UV band.

[0010] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an optoelectronic device is provided that includes a detector array and a signal processor configured to process signals generated by photodiodes in the detector array. In some implementations, the signal processor may include an input / output interface configured to serially output signals by the photodiodes in the photodiode array. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the signal processor may include a processor configured to perform one or more arithmetic and logical operations based on signals generated by the photodiodes in the photodiode array and output the operation results via the I / O interface. For example, the processor may be configured to calculate a color of light incident on the optoelectronic device and output an identification of the color via the I / O interface.

[0011] According to aspects of the present disclosure, the detector array may include various adaptations for reducing crosstalk between photodiodes in the photodiode array. In some implementations, the detector array may include a guide array disposed between the photodiode array and the filter array. The guide array may include a plurality of guide members. Each guide member may be formed of a light-transmissive material. Each guide member may be disposed between a different photodiode / filter pair such that light filtered through a pair of filters is guided by the guide member to the photodiode of the same pair.

[0012] According to aspects of the present disclosure, the guide members in the guide array may be separated from one another by a layer of light blocking material. The layer of light blocking material may be formed in spaces between the guide members in the guide array. This reduces the amount of light that can travel between adjacent guide members. The layer of light blocking material may be formed of at least one of a light reflecting material and a light absorbing material. In some implementations, the layer of light blocking material may include three metal layers stacked together.

[0013] According to aspects of the present disclosure, a photodiode array may be configured to reduce crosstalk between photodiodes in the photodiode array. For example, in some cases, the photodiodes may each be a CMOS photodiode including an n+ / p-epi region and one or more n-well regions. The n-well regions may be diffused / implanted to a depth greater than the depth at which photons having a predetermined wavelength can penetrate the photodiode array. The predetermined wavelength may include any suitable wavelength, such as, for example, a wavelength in the ultraviolet (UV) band, a wavelength in the IR band, a wavelength in the visible light band, etc. Because the n-wells are biased to a bandgap-generated DC voltage, the n-well regions may reduce the amount of light traveling between adjacent p+ / n+ regions, thereby reducing the amount of crosstalk between photodiodes in the photodiode array.

[0014] According to aspects of the present disclosure, the light-shielding layer of the guide array can be at least partially aligned with the n-well regions of the photodiodes in the photodiode array. For example, the light-shielding layer of the guide array can be located directly above the n-well regions to create a continuous structure that prevents light from diverting laterally. This structure reduces the amount of crosstalk that occurs between photodiodes in the photodiode array because all (or a majority of) the light that enters the optoelectronic device through a given filter reaches only (or primarily) a given photodiode located below the given filter without affecting the photodiodes located adjacent to the given photodiode. In some aspects, aligning the light-shielding layer of the guide array with the n-well regions of the photodiode array can significantly improve the accuracy of the resulting detector array.

[0015] In this specification, the terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various elements, but these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another element. For example, a first element can be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element can be referred to as a first element without departing from the scope of the present invention. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any combination of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0016] When an element, such as a layer, region, or substrate, is described as being on or extending onto another element, it may be said to be directly on or extending directly onto the other element, or there may be intervening elements present. In contrast, when an element is described as being directly on or extending directly onto another element, there are no intervening elements present. Also, when an element is described as being connected or coupled to another element, it may be said to be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be intervening elements present. In contrast, when an element is described as being directly connected or coupled to another element, there are no intervening elements present. These terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the elements in addition to any orientation depicted in the figures.

[0017] Relative terms such as "bottom" or "top", "high" or "low", "horizontal" or "vertical" may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element, layer or region to another element, layer or region as shown. These terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to any orientations shown in the figures.

[0018] 1A is a diagram illustrating an example of a detector array 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The detector array 100 may include a section 110a configured to detect spectral characteristics of UV light, a section 110b configured to detect spectral characteristics of visible light, and a section 110c configured to detect spectral characteristics of IR light. More specifically, the detector array 100 may include a photodiode array 110, a guide array 120 disposed on the photodiode array, and a filter array 130 disposed on the guide array 120. Additionally, as shown, the detector array 100 may include an IR cut filter 140, and an IR pass filter 150 disposed on the filter array 130.

[0019] The photodiode array 110 may include a plurality of photodiodes 112a-i formed on a p-substrate 140. The photodiodes 112a-c may be P+ / n-well photodiodes and may be used to detect light emission power in the UV band. The photodiodes 112a-c may each include a p+ region 114 surrounded by an n-well region 117a on the sides and bottom, and a p region 118 disposed below the n-well region 117a. The photodiodes 112d-i may include n+ / P- photodiodes and may be used to detect light emission power in the IR and visible bands. The photodiodes 112d-i may each include an n+ region 115 surrounded by an n-well region 117b on the sides (and optionally on the bottom) and a p- region 119 disposed below the n-well region 117b and the n+ region 115. In this example, n-well regions 117a and 117b are identical in composition, although alternative implementations are possible in which n-well regions 117a and 117b have different compositions. For ease of explanation, n-well regions 117a and 117b may be referred to collectively as "n-well region 117" where appropriate throughout this disclosure. Similarly, n-well region 117b of each of photodiodes 112d-i may be referred to collectively as an "n-well region," and may be part of a continuous n-well layer, as further illustrated in Figures 9A-B below.

[0020] In some implementations, n-well region 117b may have a secondary function of providing optical isolation between adjacent n+ regions 115 to prevent crosstalk between photodiodes 112d-i. More specifically, in some implementations, n+ region 115 may have a thickness t1 and n-well region 117b may have a thickness t2 that is greater than thickness t2. Thickness t2 may be greater than the depth to which one or more photons having a predetermined frequency can penetrate photodiode array 110. As an example, the predetermined frequency may be a frequency in the UV band, a frequency in the IR band, or a frequency in the visible light band.

[0021] The guide array 120 may include multiple guide members 124a-i separated by a light-shielding layer 122. As shown, the guide members 124a-i may each be aligned with a different one of the photodiodes 112a-i. Additionally, the guide members 124a-i may each be formed of a dielectric light-transmitting material. The light-transmitting material may include SiN or SiO2 material and / or other suitable types of light-transmitting material. The light-shielding layer 122 may be formed of at least one of a light-reflecting material and / or a light-absorbing material. In some implementations, the light-shielding layer 122 may be configured to prevent (or reduce) crosstalk between the guide members 124a-i by preventing light from traveling from one of the guide members 124a-i to another. In some implementations, the light-shielding layer 122 may be formed of three metal layers 122a-c stacked together and separated by layers 122d-e, as shown. In some implementations, any of the metal layers 122a-c may be formed of the same material as the remaining layers. Additionally or alternatively, any of the metal layers 122a-c may be formed of a different material than the remaining layers. In some implementations, the metal layer 122a may be formed of aluminum or an aluminum-silicon alloy such as Al-Si-Cu. The metal layer 122b may be formed of an Al-Cu alloy sandwiched between titanium nitride barrier layers, and the metal layer 122c may be formed of copper. The layers 122d-e may be formed of the same material or different materials. In some implementations, the layer 122d may be formed of tungsten plugs with a TiN adhesion layer, and the layer 122e may be formed of copper. In some implementations, the light blocking layer 122 may be formed in parallel (and / or simultaneously) with the metallization of CMOS logic located on the same die as the detector array 100 (see, for example, the signal processor 405 of FIG. 4). In this case, the structural composition of the light blocking layer stack (e.g., light blocking layer 122) may be determined primarily based on the CMOS or BiCMOS back-end-of-line (BEOL) technology implementation used, including, by way of example, 3-metal layer or 4-metal layer BEOL technologies.In this example, the light blocking layer 122 has a multi-layer structure, although alternative implementations are possible in which the light blocking layer 122 includes only one layer.

[0022] In some implementations, the guide members 124a-i may each have a thickness in the range of 4.5 μm to 5.5 μm. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the light blocking layer 122 may have a thickness in the range of 6.5 μm to 7.7 μm. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the light blocking layer 122 may be thicker than any of the guide members 124a-i. For example, in this case, the guide members 124a-i may have a thickness in the range of 4.5 μm to 5.5 μm, and the light blocking layer 122 may have a thickness in the range of 6.5 μm to 7.7 μm. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the guide array 120 may have a thickness in the range of 7.5 μm to 8.5 μm.

[0023] The filter array 130 may include a plurality of bandpass filters 132a-i. The filters 132a-i may each be aligned with a different one of the guide members 124a-i. Furthermore, each bandpass filter may have a different passband. As shown in FIG. 2, the filter 132a may have a passband 210a (e.g., 300-330 nm), the filter 132b may have a passband 210b (e.g., 340-370 nm), the filter 132c may have a passband 210c (e.g., 370-400 nm), the filter 132d may have a passband 210d (e.g., 400-500 nm), and the filter 132e may have a passband 210f (e.g., 400-500 nm). 0e (e.g., 500 to 600 nm), filter 132f may have a pass band 210f (e.g., 600 to 700 nm), filter 132g may have a pass band 210g (e.g., 700 to 800 nm), filter 132h may have a pass band 210h (e.g., 800 to 900 nm), and filter 132i may have a pass band 210i (e.g., 900 to 1000 nm).

[0024] The filter array 130 may include multiple metal layers 134 and multiple metal layers 136. Each metal layer 134 may be aligned with a different one of the metal layers 136. Additionally or alternatively, each metal layer 134 may be spaced a different distance from the metal layer 136 with which it is aligned. In some implementations, a metal layer 136 may be considered to be aligned with a given metal layer 134 if at least a portion of the light passing through the metal layer 136 reaches the given metal layer 134. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, a metal layer 136 may be considered to be aligned with a given metal layer 134 if at least a portion of the metal layer 136 is located directly above the given metal layer 134.

[0025] In some implementations, the metal layers 134 and 136 may be suspended on a layer of optically transparent material 138, as shown. The metal layers 134 and 136 may be formed of any suitable type of material. In some implementations, either of the metal layers 134 and 136 may be formed of an alloy including aluminum and silver. The layer of optically transparent material may include other suitable types of optically transparent materials, such as SiN material and / or silicon dioxide SiO2. In some implementations, the metal layers 134 may each have a thickness in the range of 400A to 600A. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the metal layers 136 may each have a thickness in the range of 400A to 600A. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the entire filter array 130 may have a thickness in the range of 0.125 μm to 0.4 μm.

[0026] Each of the filters 132a-i in the filter array 130 may include a different one of the metal layers 136 and a different one of the metal layers 134 located below the metal layer 136. In some implementations, as described above, the distance between the metal layers 134 and 136 in any one of the filters 132a-i may be different from the distance between the metal layers 134 and 136 in the remaining filters 132a-i. More precisely, each of the filters 132a-i may include a Fabry-Perot cavity formed by the different metal layers 136 and 134 of that filter. In this example, the filters 132a-i are implemented using a Fabry-Perot cavity. However, alternative implementations using other types of filters are possible, such as a double stack of Fabry-Perot cavities with three metal layers and two optically transparent material layers forming a stack including Ag / SIN / Ag / SIN / Ag layers.

[0027] FIG. 1B illustrates in more detail the configuration of filter 132a according to one particular implementation. In some implementations, other than the distance between metal layers 134 and 136, the structure of filters 132b-i may be the same or similar to the structure of filter 132a. As will be explained further below, FIG. 1B clarifies the spatial relationship between each metal layer 134 (or at least one of metal layers 134) and light blocking layer 122. FIG. 1B illustrates a portion of guide member 124a and a portion of light blocking layer 122. As shown in FIG. 1B, light blocking layer 122 may be thicker than the thickness of guide member 124a such that top surface 123 of light blocking layer 122 is located above top surface 125 of guide member 124a. As shown, metal layer 136 may include a central portion 136a and end portions 136b that are angled relative to central portion 136a. Similarly, the metal layer 134 may include a central portion 134a and an end portion 134b that is inclined relative to the central portion 134a. In some implementations, the entire central portion 134a of the metal layer 134 may be located below the level of the upper surface 123 of the light-shielding layer 122. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, only a portion of the central portion 134a of the metal layer 134 may be located below the level of the upper surface 123 of the light-shielding layer. By locating at least a portion of the central portion 134a of the metal layer 134 below the level of the upper surface 123 of the light-shielding layer 132, the amount of crosstalk between the filter 132a and adjacent filters can be reduced, significantly improving the resolution of the filter array 130. In the example of FIG. 1B, the level of the upper surface 123 is as shown by the dashed line.

[0028] In this example, the metal layer 134 includes a horizontal central portion 134a and a slanted end portion 134b. However, an alternative implementation is possible in which the slanted end portion 134b is omitted. In this example, the metal layer 136 includes a horizontal central portion 136a and a slanted end portion 136b. However, an alternative implementation is possible in which the slanted end portion 136b is omitted. In this example, the metal layer 134 can be considered as different segments (or portions) of the same, discontinuous metal layer. In this regard, an alternative implementation is also possible in which the metal layer 134 is replaced by a single, continuous metal layer (see, for example, the metal layer 1510 shown in FIGS. 15A-B). Furthermore, in this example, the metal layer 136 can be considered as different segments (or portions) of the same, discontinuous metal layer. In this regard, an alternative implementation is also possible in which the metal layer 136 is replaced by a single, continuous metal layer (see, for example, the metal layer 1810 shown in FIGS. 15A-B).

[0029] Referring again to FIG. 1A, the IR cut filter 140 may be disposed above the filters 132d-f. In some implementations, the IR cut filter 140 may be configured to block light having a wavelength greater than 700 nm and transmit light having a wavelength less than 700 nm. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the IR cut filter 140 may have a thickness in a range of 4 μm to 5 μm. The IR pass filter 150 may be disposed above the filters 132g-i. In some implementations, the IR pass filter may be configured to block light having a wavelength less than 700 nm and transmit light having a wavelength greater than 700 nm. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the IR pass filter 150 may have a thickness in a range of 2 μm to 2.5 μm. Both the IR cut filter 140 and the IR pass filter 150 may be absorption filters based on organic dyes or pigments. Both the IR cut filter 140 and the IR pass filter 150 may be formed on the filter array 130 by spin coating and / or any other suitable process. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the IR cut filter 150 may be a metallic interference IR cut filter with a total thickness of 1 μm, including a dielectric material such as silver and Nb2O5 (niobium pentoxide). In some implementations, the Ag may be approximately 100 A thick, and the Nb2O5 may range from 500 A to 600 A thick. In some implementations, the IR cut filter 140 and the IR pass filter 150 may be replaced with a fully dielectric IR cut filter configured to block wavelengths below 400 nm and above 700 nm. The total thickness of such an all-dielectric IR cut filter may range from 4.5 um to 5.5 um.

[0030] FIG. 1C is a top view of detector array 100 with IR cut filter 140 and IR pass filter 150 removed. FIG. 1C illustrates that photodiodes 112a-i, guide members 124a-i, and filters 132a-i can be aligned to form a plurality of detector cells 160a-i. For example, filter 132a can be aligned with guide member 124a, which in turn can be aligned with photodiode 112a. As a result, filter 132a, guide member 124a, and photodiode 112a can be combined to form detector cell 160a. As another example, filter 132b can be aligned with guide member 124b, which in turn can be aligned with photodiode 112b. As a result, filter 132b, guide member 124b, and photodiode 112b can be combined to form detector cell 160b. As yet another example, the filter 132i may be aligned with the guide member 124i, and the guide member 124i may be aligned with the photodiode 112i, such that the filter 132i, the guide member 124i, and the photodiode 112i may be combined to form a detector cell 160i.

[0031] In some implementations, a guide member can be considered to be aligned with an underlying photodiode if at least a portion of the light passing through the guide member reaches the photodiode. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, a guide member can be considered to be aligned with an underlying photodiode if the guide member is positioned directly above the photodiode. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, a guide member can be considered to be aligned with an underlying photodiode if the guide member is positioned partially over the photodiode such that one portion of the guide member is located directly above the photodiode and another portion protrudes from the photodiode.

[0032] In some implementations, a filter can be considered to be aligned with an underlying guide member if at least a portion of the light passing through the filter reaches the guide member. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, a filter can be considered to be aligned with an underlying guide member if the filter is positioned directly above the guide member. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, a filter can be considered to be aligned with an underlying guide member if the filter is positioned partially above the guide member such that one portion of the filter is positioned directly above the guide member and another portion protrudes from the guide member.

[0033] According to aspects of the present disclosure, detector cells 160a-i may be optically isolated from one another to eliminate (or reduce) the amount of crosstalk between cells 160a-i, or photodiodes 112a-i in particular. In some implementations, optical isolation may be achieved by a light blocking layer 122, which may prevent (or reduce the amount of) light from traveling from one of guide members 124a-i to another, as described above. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, optical isolation may be achieved by an n-well region 117, which may be configured to prevent light reaching one photodiode from traveling across the photodiode to reach an adjacent photodiode, as described above.

[0034] In some implementations, the light blocking layer 122 is aligned with the guide layers 124a-i to form a continuous structure that prevents (or reduces) the amount of light that can travel from one of the detector cells 160a-i to another. For example, at least a portion of the light blocking layer 122 can be located directly over n-well region 117a and / or n-well region 117b. In some implementations, aligning the light blocking layer of the guide array with the n-well regions of the photodiode array can improve the accuracy of the detector array 100.

[0035] 3A-B illustrate the operation of detector array 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG 3A is a plot 310 showing the spectral content of a test light. FIG 3B is a plot 320 showing the response of detector array 100 to the test light. FIG 3A and B show that when detector array 100 is exposed to the test light, the signals generated by photodiodes 112a-i in detector array 100 can be used to reconstruct the spectral content of the test light over a range of interest.

[0036] In plot 320, the magnitude of each signal generated by photodiodes 112a-i may be represented by a different one of bars 322a-i. More specifically, bar 322a may represent the magnitude of the signal (e.g., a voltage signal) generated by photodiode 112a, bar 322b may represent the magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112b, and bar 322c may represent the magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112c. Similarly, bar 322d may represent the magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112d, bar 322e may represent the magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112e, bar 322f may represent the magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112f, bar 322g may represent the magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112g, bar 322h may represent the magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112h, and bar 322i may represent the magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112i.

[0037] 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an optoelectronic device 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the optoelectronic device 400 includes a detector array 100 and a signal processor 405. The detector array 100 and the signal processor 405 may be integrated on the same die or may be formed on separate dies. The signal processor may include any suitable type of processing circuitry. In some implementations, the signal processor 405 may include one or more of a switch 410, an amplifier 420, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 430, a processor 440, and an input / output (I / O) interface 450.

[0038] The switch 410 may include any suitable type of electronic device configured to receive multiple signals from the photodiodes 112a-i and provide the signals one at a time to the amplifier 420. The amplifier 420 may include any suitable type of device configured to increase the power of the signals generated by the photodiodes 112a-i. The ADC 430 may include any suitable type of device configured to generate a digital representation of an analog signal input to the ADC 430. The ADC 430 may include a 16-bit ADC, a 32-bit ADC, a 64-bit ADC, etc. The processor 440 may include any suitable type of electronic circuitry capable of performing one or more arithmetic or logical operations based on values ​​generated by the ADC 430. The I / O interface 450 may include any suitable type of parallel or serial interface, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface or an I2C interface.

[0039] During operation, the photodiodes 112a-b can generate a number of signals representing the power of different portions of the spectrum of light incident on the detector array 100. The switch 410 can switch between the signals generated by the photodiodes 112a-i such that each of the signals is provided to an amplifier 420. The amplifier 420 can amplify each signal and provide it to an ADC 430. The ADC 430 can generate a digital representation of each signal and provide it to a processor 440. The processor 440 can detect a characteristic of the light, such as a correlated color temperature (CCT) or color, based on the digital representation of each signal generated by the photodiodes 112a-i. In this example, the optoelectronic device includes the processor 440, although alternative implementations omitting the processor 440 are possible. In this case, the digital representation of the signal generated by the photodiodes 112a-i may be output from an I / O interface for use by external processing circuitry.

[0040] In the example of FIG. 4, the amplifier 420 is a one-channel amplifier, but alternative implementations in which the amplifier comprises multiple channels are possible. Furthermore, if the amplifier 420 comprises multiple channels, the switch 410 may be configured to provide multiple signals to the amplifier 420 in parallel. For example, if the sensor array 100 includes 32 detector cells, the amplifier 420 may be an eight-channel amplifier, and the switch 410 may be configured to provide signals from eight different detector cells to the amplifier in parallel. As a result, the processor 440 (and / or the I / O interface 450) can receive all signals generated by the sensor array 100 in as few as four clock cycles.

[0041] 5 illustrates an example of a mathematical operation that processor 440 may be configured to perform according to an embodiment of the disclosure. In this example, processor 440 may be configured to generate a vector 510 that identifies the color of light applied to detector array 100 in CIE 1931 color space. Vector 510 may thus include tristimulus values ​​X, Y, and Z, which are an objective description of color sensations recorded by the human eye. In this example, processor 440 generates a representation of the light in CIE 1394 color space, although alternative implementations are possible that create other types of representations, such as a representation in RGB color space or a representation in YCrCb color space.

[0042] As shown, vector 510 may be calculated by multiplying vector 530 by coefficient matrix 520. Vector 530 may include values ​​Va-Vi that represent values ​​of signals generated by different photodiodes in detector array 100. For example, value Va may represent a magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112a, value Vb may represent a magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112b, value Vc may represent a magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112c, value Vd may represent a magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112d, value Ve may represent a magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112e, value Vf may represent a magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112f, value Vg may represent a magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112g, value Vh may represent a magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112h, and value Vi may represent a magnitude of the signal generated by photodiode 112i.

[0043] In some implementations, the coefficient matrix 520 may be a matrix pre-stored in a memory (not shown) of the processor 440. The coefficient matrix may be calculated by calibrating the optoelectronic device 400 with a known or standard reference light source. Calibration may be performed by exposing the optoelectronic device 400 to a calibration light of known color and solving the equations shown in FIG. 5 for the coefficient matrix 520.

[0044] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an optoelectronic device 600 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The optoelectronic device includes a detector array 610 and a signal processor 620. The detector array 610 may include detector cells 160a-i as shown. The detector array 610 may be the same as or similar to the detector array 100, except for the sensor cells 160a-i arranged in a grid. The signal processor 620 may be the same as or similar to the signal processor 405 described above with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an optoelectronic device 700 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The optoelectronic device 700 may be the same as or similar to the optoelectronic device 600, except for including an IR cut filter 740 and an IR pass filter 750 as shown. The IR cut filter 740 may be disposed on cells 160d, 160e, and 160f of the detector array 610, and may be the same as or similar to the IR cut filter 140. IR pass filters 750 may be disposed over cells 160g, 160h, and 160i of detector array 610 and may be the same as or similar to IR pass filters 150.

[0045] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a process 800 for manufacturing a detector array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] At step 805, a photodiode array 910 is formed. Examples of photodiode array 910 are shown in Figures 9A-C. As shown, the photodiode array may include photodiodes 912a-i formed on a p-substrate 940. In some implementations, photodiodes 912a-c may be the same as or similar to photodiodes 112a-c described above with reference to Figures 1A and B. Additionally or alternatively, photodiodes 912d-i may be the same as or similar to photodiodes 112d-i described above with reference to Figure 1.

[0047] The photodiodes 912a-c may be p+ / n-well diodes and may be used to detect light emission power in the UV band. The photodiodes 912a-c may each include a p+ region 914 surrounded by an n-well region 917a on the sides and bottom, and a p region 918 disposed below the n-well region 917a. The p+ region 914 may be the same as or similar to the p+ region 114, the n-well region 917a may be the same as or similar to the n-well region 117a, and the p region 918 may be the same as or similar to the p region 118. The photodiodes 912d-i may include n+ / P-epi photodiodes and may be used to detect light in the IR and visible bands. The photodiodes 912d-i may each include an n+ region 915 surrounded by an n-well region 917b on the sides, and a p region 919 disposed below the n-well region 917b and the n+ region 915. N+ region 915 may be the same as or similar to n+ region 115, n-well region 917b may be the same as or similar to n-well region 117b, and p-region 919 may be the same as or similar to p-region 119.

[0048] In step 810, a layer of dielectric optically transparent material 1010 is formed on the photodiode array 910. Examples of the optically transparent layer 1010 are shown in FIGS. 10A and B. As shown, the layer of optically transparent material may be formed of any suitable type of material, such as silicon dioxide, including borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG), phosphosilicate glass (PSG), undoped silica glass (USG), and fluorosilicate glass (FSG) materials, and the like. In some implementations, the layer of optically transparent material 1010 may be formed by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and / or any other suitable type of process. In some implementations, the layer of optically transparent material 1010 may be separated from the photodiode array 910 by a passivation layer (not shown). The passivation layer may be formed of silicon dioxide SiO2 and silicon nitride Si3N4. In some implementations, the layer of optically transparent 1010 material may have a thickness in the range of 5 μm to 7.5 μm.

[0049] In step 815, a plurality of trenches 1110 are formed in the layer of optically transparent material 1010 to define a plurality of guide members 1012. The guide members 1012 may be the same as or similar to the guide members 124a-i. Examples of trenches 1110 are shown in FIGS. 11A-C. As shown, in some implementations, the trenches 1110 may be formed over at least a portion of the n-well region 917b. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the trenches 1110 may be formed over a portion of the n-well region 917a located between adjacent p+ regions 914. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the trenches 1110 may be formed over a portion of the n-well region 917b located between adjacent p+ regions 915. The trenches 1110 may be formed by a CMOS or BICMOS back-end-of-line process and / or any other suitable type of process. The trenches 1110 may have a depth less than, greater than, or equal to a thickness of the optically transparent layer 1010.

[0050] In step 820, a light blocking layer 1210 is formed in the trench 1110 to complete the guide array 1120. Examples of the light blocking layer 1210 and the guide array 1220 are shown in Figures 12A and B. The guide array 1220 may include guide members 1012 and a light blocking layer 1210 as shown. The guide array 1220 may be the same as or similar to the guide array 120 described above with reference to Figures 1A and B. The light blocking layer 1210 may be the same as or similar to the light blocking layer 122 described above with reference to Figures 1A-C. In some implementations, the light blocking layer 1210 may have a thickness in the range of 4.5 μm to 5.5 μm for a three-metal layer process. In some implementations, the light blocking layer 1210 may be thicker than the layer of optically transparent material 1010 such that the top surface of the light blocking layer 1210 is located above the top surface of the layer of optically transparent material 1310.

[0051] In step 825, a layer of dielectric transparent material 1310 is formed on the photodiode array. Examples of the layer of transparent material 1310 are shown in Figures 13A and B. The layer of transparent material 1310 may be formed using any suitable type of material, such as Si3N4 material, Al2O3, HfO2, SiO2, TiO2, Nb2O5, etc. In some implementations, the layer 1310 may be formed using low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD).

[0052] In step 830, a plurality of trenches 1410 are formed in the layer of light-transmissive material 1310. Examples of trenches 1410 are shown in FIGS. 14A and B. As shown, in some implementations, the trenches 1410 may have substantially the same depth, and the trenches 1410 may each be formed above a different one of the photodiodes 912a-i. In some implementations, as shown, the trenches 1410 may each extend below the level of the top surface of the light-shielding layer 1210. The height of the top surface of the light-shielding layer 1210 is shown by the dashed lines in FIGS. 14A and B. In some implementations, the trenches 1410 may be formed by low-temperature plasma etching or an atomic layer (precision) etching (ALE) system and / or any other suitable type of process.

[0053] In step 835, a metal layer 1510 is formed on the layer of light-transmitting material 1310. Examples of the metal layer 1510 are shown in FIGS. 15A and B. The metal layer 1510 may be formed of any suitable material, such as silver, aluminum, gold, or copper. In some implementations, the metal layer may be formed using an alloy including aluminum (Al) and silver (Ag). The metal layer 1510 may be formed by any suitable type of process, such as, for example, thermal evaporation, electron gun deposition with ion-assisted deposition, and sputter deposition. In some implementations, the portion of the metal layer 1510 formed at the bottom of the trench 1410 may be at least partially below the level of the top surface of the light-shielding layer 1210. The height of the top surface of the light-shielding layer 1210 is shown by the dashed line in FIGS. 15A and B.

[0054] In step 840, a layer of dielectric transparent material 1610 is formed on the metal layer 1510. Examples of the layer of transparent material 1610 are shown in FIGS. 16A and B. The layer of transparent material 1610 may be formed using any suitable type of material, such as Si3N4 material, Al2O3, HfO2, SiO2, TiO2, Nb2O5, etc. In some implementations, low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) may be used to form the layer 1610. In some implementations, the layer of transparent material 1610 may have a thickness in the range of 1200A to 2500A.

[0055] In step 845, a plurality of trenches 1710 are formed in the layer of optically transparent material 1610. Examples of trenches 1710 are shown in FIGS. 17A and B. In some implementations, at least one of the trenches 1710 may have a different depth than at least one other trench 1710. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, each trench 1710 may have a different depth than the remaining trenches 170. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the trenches 1710 may each be formed over a different one of the photodiodes 912a-i in the photodiode array 910, as shown. In some implementations, the trenches 1710 may be formed by low temperature plasma etching or an atomic layer precision etching (ALE) system and / or other suitable types of processes.

[0056] In step 850, a metal layer 1810 is formed over the light transmitting layer 1610 and the trench 1710 as shown. An example of the metal layer 1810 is shown in FIGS. 18A and B. In some implementations, the metal layer 1810 may be formed of an alloy including aluminum (Al) and silver (Ag). In some implementations, the metal layer 1810 may be formed using silver, aluminum, gold, copper, and / or any other suitable type of material. The metal layer 1510 may be formed by any suitable type of process, such as, for example, thermal evaporation, electron gun deposition with ion-assisted deposition, and sputter deposition. In some implementations, the layer 1810 may have a thickness in the range of 400 A to 600 A depending on the bandwidth requirements of the bandpass filter design.

[0057] In step 855, a layer of optically transparent material 1905 is formed on the metal layer 1810 to complete the filter array 1910. An example of the filter array 1910 is shown in FIGS. 19A and B. In some implementations, the layer of optically transparent material 1905 may be formed using any suitable type of material, such as Si3N4 material, Al2O3, HfO2, SiO2, TiO2, Nb2O5, etc. In some implementations, low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) may be used to form the layer 1905. Other than using successive metal layers to form the different Fabry-Perot cavities, the filter array 1910 may be the same as or similar to the filter array 130 described above with reference to FIGS. 1A and B.

[0058] 19A and B illustrate an example of a detector array 1920 that may be created as a result of performing steps 805-855 of process 800. As shown, detector array 1920 may include a number of detector cells 160a-i. As the numbers indicate, the detector cells in detector array 1920 may be similar to the detector cells in detector array 100 and detector array 610 described above with reference to FIGS. 1A and B and 6. As mentioned above, in some implementations, detector cells 160a-c may be configured to measure emitted light energy in the UV band, cells 160d-f may be configured to measure emitted light energy in the visible light band, and cells 160g-i may be configured to measure light energy in the IR band.

[0059] In step 860, an IR cut filter 2010 is formed on detector cells 160d-f of detector array 1720, and an IR pass filter 2020 is formed on detector cells 160g-i of detector array 1920, thereby completing optoelectronic device 2030. In some implementations, IR cut filter 2010 may be the same as or similar to IR cut filter 140. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, IR cut filter 2010 may be the same as or similar to IR pass filter 150. Examples of filters 2010 and 2020 are shown in Figures 20A and B.

[0060] 1-20B are provided for illustrative purposes only. At least some of the elements described above with reference to these figures may be arranged or combined in a different order or omitted entirely. The presentation of examples described herein and phrases such as "such as," "for example," "including," "in some embodiments," "in some implementations," and the like should not be construed as limiting the disclosed subject matter to specific examples. For example, in some implementations, the term "light-transmitting material" may refer to any material having a light transmittance of 80% to more than 95%. As an example, in some implementations, the term "light-blocking material" may refer to any material having a light transmittance of 2% to less than 0.1%. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the thickness values ​​of the various elements of the disclosed devices are provided for illustrative purposes only, and that the disclosure is not limited to these values. It is to be further understood that the materials and processes used to form the various components of the disclosed devices are provided for illustrative purposes only, and that the disclosure is not limited to these materials and / or processes.

[0061] Although the invention according to the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, given the present disclosure, modifications of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventive concepts described herein. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the present invention be limited to the specific embodiments shown and described. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 100:Array 100, 610, 1720, 1920: Detector array 100: Sensor array 110, 910: Photodiode array 110a-c: Section 110b: A section configured to detect the spectral characteristics of visible light 110c: A section configured to detect spectral characteristics of IR light 110: Photodiode array 112a-i, 912a-i: photodiodes 114, 914, 915: p+ region 115:n+ area 117, 117a, 117b, 917, 917b: n-well region 118, 119, 918, 919:p region 118, 914: p+ region 119, 919:p region 120, 1120, 1220: Guide Array 122: Light blocking layer 122, 1210: layer 122d~e, 134, 136, 1510, 1810: Metal layer 123, 125:Top surface 124a-i: Guide member 130, 1910: Filter array 132: Bandpass filter 132a~i: Filter 134a, 136a: central part 134b, 136b: terminal part 136a: Horizontal central part 136b: Sloped end part 138: Translucent material 140, 740, 2010: IR cut filter 140, 940:p substrate 150, 2020: IR pass filter 160, 160a-i: detector cells 160a-i: sensor cell 2O3:Al 2O5: Silver and Nb 210a~i: Passband 310, 320: Plot 322a~i: Bar 400, 600: Optoelectronic devices 405, 620: Signal processor 410: Switch 420: Amplifier 430: Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) 440: Processor 450: Input / Output (I / O) Interface CIE1931 510, 530: Vector 520: Coefficient matrix 700: Optoelectronic devices 740: IR cut filter 750:IR pass filter 800: Process 805, 810, 815, 820, 830, 835, 840, 845, 850, 855, 860: Step 915:p+ area 1010: Dielectric translucent material 1010: Light transmission layer 1010, 1310: Translucent material 170, 1110, 1410, 1710: Trench 1510, 1810: Metal layer 1610: Dielectric translucent material 1610, 1905: Translucent materials 1610: Light transmission layer 2020: IR pass filter 2010, 2020: Filter 2030: Optoelectronic devices

Claims

1. a photodiode array including a plurality of first photodiodes, each of the first photodiodes having an n+ region and an n-well region, each of the n-well regions having a top surface; a guide array disposed on the photodiode array, the guide array having a plurality of guide members separated from one another by layers of light blocking material, the plurality of guide members being disposed over the n+ regions of the plurality of first photodiodes such that each guide member is disposed over a different n+ region, each layer of the light blocking material being disposed on the top surface of each n-well region of the plurality of first photodiodes, the guide array covering substantially the entire top surface of the n-well region; a filter array disposed on the guide array, the filter array having a plurality of bandpass filters, each bandpass filter aligned with a different one of a plurality of guide members, each bandpass filter having a different passband; Equipped with the layer of light-shielding material has a first thickness greater than a second thickness of a given one of the guide members, and each top surface of the guide members is parallel to the top surface of the n-well region, and each top surface is flush with and lower than each top end of the layer of light-shielding material; An optoelectronic device characterized in that the filter array includes at least one bandpass filter, each bandpass filter having a first metal portion, each first metal portion being positioned to cover a respective one of the guide members in the guide array, and at least a portion of each of the first metal portions being positioned higher than the height of the top end of the light-shielding material, and further, at least a portion of each of the first metal portions being positioned lower than the height of the top end of the layer of the light-shielding material.

2. The optoelectronic device of claim 1 , wherein the layer of light blocking material comprises at least one of a light reflecting material and a light absorbing material.

3. The optoelectronic device of claim 1 , wherein each of the guide members comprises an optically transparent material.

4. the photodiode array includes a plurality of second photodiodes different from the plurality of first photodiodes; the first photodiodes are each disposed under a bandpass filter configured to transmit light in a visible light band; 10. The optoelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the second photodiodes are each disposed beneath a bandpass filter configured to transmit light in the ultraviolet band.

5. an infrared pass (IR pass) filter disposed on the at least one bandpass filter having a passband within an infrared (IR) band; an infrared (IR) cut filter disposed on the at least one bandpass filter having a passband outside the IR band; The optoelectronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

6. 2. The optoelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the layer of first metal portions of the filter array comprises a continuous or segmented first metal layer formed on the guide array, and further comprises a continuous or segmented second metal layer formed on the first metal layer, the second metal layer being configured into a plurality of portions such that each of the plurality of portions of the second metal layer is spaced a different distance from the first metal layer.

7. An input / output (I / O) interface; receiving a plurality of signals each generated by a different one of the first photodiodes; generating a color identification of the light incident on the photodiode array based on the plurality of signals; a processor configured to output an identification of a color of the light via the input / output (I / O) interface; The optoelectronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

8. a photodiode array having a plurality of first photodiodes, each of the first photodiodes having an n-well region, each of the n-well regions having a top surface; a guide array disposed on the photodiode array, the guide array having a plurality of guide members separated from one another by layers of light blocking material, each guide member disposed over a different one of the plurality of first photodiodes, and each layer of light blocking material disposed on the top surface of an n-well region of each of the plurality of first photodiodes, each layer of light blocking material having a width corresponding to a width of each of the n-well regions of the plurality of first photodiodes; a filter array disposed on the guide array, the filter array having a plurality of bandpass filters, each bandpass filter disposed on a different one of a plurality of guide members, each bandpass filter having a different passband; the layer of light-shielding material has a first thickness greater than a second thickness of a given one of the guide members, and each top surface of the guide members is parallel to the top surface of the n-well region, and each top surface is flush with and lower than each top end of the layer of light-shielding material; An optoelectronic device characterized in that the filter array includes at least one bandpass filter, each bandpass filter having a first metal portion, each first metal portion being positioned to cover a respective one of the guide members in the guide array, and at least a portion of each of the first metal portions being positioned higher than the height of the top end of the light-shielding material, and further, at least a portion of each of the first metal portions being positioned lower than the height of the top end of the layer of the light-shielding material.

9. The optoelectronic device of claim 8 , wherein the layer of light blocking material comprises at least one of a light reflecting material and a light absorbing material.

10. The optoelectronic device of claim 8 , wherein each of the guide members is formed from an optically transparent material.

11. the photodiode array includes a plurality of second photodiodes different from the plurality of first photodiodes; each of the first photodiodes is disposed under a bandpass filter configured to transmit light in a visible light band; 9. The optoelectronic device of claim 8, wherein each of the second photodiodes is disposed below a bandpass filter configured to transmit light in the ultraviolet band.

12. an infrared pass (IR pass) filter disposed on the at least one bandpass filter having a passband within an infrared (IR) band; an infrared (IR) cut filter disposed on the at least one bandpass filter having a passband outside the IR band; The optoelectronic device of claim 8 further comprising:

13. 9. The optoelectronic device of claim 8, wherein the layer of first metal portions of the filter array comprises a continuous or segmented first metal layer formed on the guide array, and further comprises a continuous or segmented second metal layer formed on the first metal layer, the second metal layer being configured into a plurality of portions such that each of the plurality of portions of the second metal layer is spaced a different distance from the first metal layer.

14. An input / output (I / O) interface; receiving a plurality of signals each generated by a different one of the first photodiodes; generating a color identification of the light incident on the photodiode array based on the plurality of signals; a processor configured to output an identification of a color of the light via the input / output (I / O) interface; The optoelectronic device of claim 8 further comprising:

15. A method for manufacturing an optoelectronic device, comprising: forming a first layer of optically transparent material over a photodiode array comprising a plurality of photodiodes each having an n-well region having a top surface; forming a plurality of first trenches in the first layer of optically transparent material; a layer of light blocking material in the plurality of first trenches, forming a layer of light blocking material in each of the plurality of first trenches covering substantially the entire top surface of each n-well region; forming a first metal layer over the first layer of light transmissive material and the layer of light blocking material; forming a second layer of optically transparent material over the first metal layer; forming a plurality of second trenches having different depths in the second layer of optically transparent material; forming a second metal layer in each of the plurality of second trenches; and filling each of the second trenches with an optically transparent material; and, forming the photodiode array including a plurality of first photodiodes, each of the first photodiodes having an n+ region and an n-well region, each n-well region having a top surface; a guide array disposed on the photodiode array, the guide array having a plurality of guide members separated from one another by layers of light blocking material, the plurality of guide members being disposed over the n+ regions of the plurality of first photodiodes such that each guide member is disposed over a different n+ region, each layer of the light blocking material being disposed on the top surface of a respective n-well region of the plurality of first photodiodes, the guide array covering substantially all of the top surfaces of the n-well regions; disposing a filter array on the guide array, the filter array having a plurality of bandpass filters, each bandpass filter aligned with a different one of a plurality of guide members, each bandpass filter having a different passband; having the layer of light-shielding material has a first thickness greater than a second thickness of a given one of the guide members, and each top surface of the guide members is parallel to the top surface of the n-well region, and each top surface is flush with and lower than each top end of the layer of light-shielding material; a first metal layer disposed over each of the guide members in the guide array; and at least a portion of each of the first metal layers disposed above a top edge of the light-shielding material; and a second metal layer disposed below a top edge of the light-shielding material.

16. forming a processing circuit for processing one or more signals generated by the photodiode array; 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is formed on the same die as a photodiode array, and the layer of light blocking material is formed simultaneously with back-end-of-line (BEOL) metallization performed on the processing circuitry.

17. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry comprises at least one of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry or bipolar complementary metal oxide semiconductor (BiCMOS) circuitry.

18. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry comprises at least one of a switch, an analog-to-digital converter, an amplifier, a processor, and an input / output interface.

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