Color Filter Image Sensor Layout for Single-Exposure HDR Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image sensing devices require separate exposures for capturing long-exposure and normal pixel signals, limiting their ability to achieve high dynamic range and efficient imaging in a single exposure.
Innovation Solution
An image sensing device design that incorporates sub-pixel blocks with long-exposure and normal pixels, where the semiconductor substrate thickness and photoelectric conversion element distances vary, allowing both types of signals to be acquired during a single exposure by differentially saturating photoelectric conversion elements based on color and wavelength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate exposures are used for long-exposure and normal pixel signals, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pixel array is divided into first pixel regions with photoelectric conversion elements at a first depth and second pixel regions with photoelectric conversion elements at a second depth. This segmentation allows different exposure characteristics to coexist in a single sensor, enabling simultaneous capture of long-exposure and normal-exposure signals without requiring separate exposures, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and productivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If photoelectric conversion elements are positioned at different depths, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces depth as an additional dimension for positioning photoelectric conversion elements within the semiconductor substrate. By arranging photoelectric conversion elements at multiple depth levels (first depth and second depth) along the vertical dimension, the sensor achieves varied exposure characteristics without increasing lateral complexity, thus improving adaptability while controlling device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the generation of both long-exposure and normal pixel signals during a single exposure, enhancing imaging capabilities and dynamic range without altering exposure time, thereby improving the efficiency and performance of image sensing devices.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements supported by the semiconductor substrate and structured to convert light into electrical signals
Data Source
AI summary
An image sensing device includes photoelectric conversion elements structured to convert light into electrical signals, and a color filter layer structured to filter incident light towards the photoelectric conversion elements depending on a wavelength range of the incident light corresponding to colors of the incident light to allow the filtered light to be detected by the photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to the colors of the incident light. The color filter layer includes a plurality of first color filters as part of the different filters and structured to allow light at a wavelength range corresponding to a first color and arranged adjacent to each other. A distance between at least one of the first color filters and a corresponding photoelectric conversion element formed below the at least one of the first color filters is different from a distance between the remaining first color filters and corresponding photoelectric conversion elements, respectively.