Metasurface Image Sensor for Uniform Luminance and Color
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image sensors suffer from issues of low image quality, including uneven luminance and uneven colors due to variations in light intensity and spectral mismatch across the image plane, which cannot be adequately addressed by conventional back-end image signal processing algorithms.
Innovation Solution
The image sensor incorporates a metasurface layer with microstructure arrays of varying structures and an optical-to-electrical conversion layer, ensuring uniform light intensity and spectral consistency through a one-to-one correspondence with photosensitive areas, enhancing the working angle range and utilizing a color filter layer to correct spectral interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional image sensor uses a uniform structure for all photosensitive areas, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the image quality deteriorates due to uneven luminance and uneven colors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the microstructure arrays have different structures at different positions on the image sensor. Specifically, the first microstructure array and second microstructure array have different unit structure configurations (such as different hole patterns, ridge patterns, or pillar patterns) to locally adjust light transmission and spectral characteristics, thereby correcting uneven luminance and color across the image plane while maintaining a systematic manufacturing approach.
2Device complexity
If the image sensor uses a single microstructure array design, then the device structure is simple, but the working angle range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the microstructure array into multiple distinct arrays (first microstructure array and second microstructure array) with different structural configurations. Each segmented array is optimized for specific angular ranges, allowing the overall device to handle a broader spectrum of incident light angles. This segmentation enables the image sensor to maintain performance across varying viewing angles without requiring a completely complex redesign.
3Device complexity
If back-end image signal processing algorithms are used to correct uneven luminance and color, then no additional hardware is needed, but the processing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by correcting uneven luminance and color issues at the optical level before light reaches the photosensitive areas. The differently structured microstructure arrays pre-adjust the light transmission and spectral characteristics for each region, so that when light hits the photosensitive areas, the intensity and color distribution are already optimized. This eliminates or reduces the need for complex post-processing algorithms, saving time and computational resources.
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
This design achieves consistent light intensity and color balance across the image, improving overall image quality by eliminating uneven luminance and color issues, and reducing the need for extensive back-end processing.
Implementation Method 1
the structure units of the at least two microstructure arrays have different refractive indexes or transmittances for the incident light
Implementation Method 2
The metasurface layer has a first micro-nano structure layer, the first micro-nano structure layer includes a plurality of microstructure arrays
Implementation Method 3
the optical-to-electrical conversion layer is configured to convert light transmitted through the metasurface layer into an electrical signal
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application provide an image sensor, a camera module, an electronic device, and a display system. The image sensor includes a metasurface layer and an optical-to-electrical conversion layer that are disposed in a stacked manner. The optical-to-electrical conversion layer is configured to convert light transmitted through the metasurface layer into an electrical signal. The metasurface layer has a first micro-nano structure layer, the first micro-nano structure layer includes a plurality of microstructure arrays, each microstructure array includes a plurality of structure units arranged in an array, and structures of structure units of at least two microstructure arrays are different. The optical-to-electrical conversion layer has a plurality of photosensitive areas, and the plurality of photosensitive areas are in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of structure units at the metasurface layer. The image sensor, the camera module, the electronic device, and the display system provided in embodiments of this application can improve image quality.