Meta-Surface Image Sensor Pixels for Color Filtering and Aberration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing meta-surfaces in image sensors do not achieve satisfactory performance levels, necessitating improvements to maintain high yield and image quality.
Innovation Solution
The use of meta-surface layers as a color filter layer, replacing conventional color filters, with optimized meta-pillar arrangements and materials to route and focus specific wavelengths, enhancing light-collecting efficiency and reducing image distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional color filter layers are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the light-collecting efficiency is insufficient and image distortion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and optical parameters of the color filter by using meta-surface structures with sub-wavelength meta-pillars instead of conventional dye-based or interference filter structures. This allows precise control over light filtering properties while maintaining a compact form factor, thereby improving image quality without proportionally increasing structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite structures combining meta-surface layers with specific refractive index materials to create color filter functionality. The meta-surface layer integrates multiple functional properties (color filtering, light routing, aberration correction) into a single composite structure, improving performance while managing complexity through functional integration
2Reliability
If additional color filter layers are added to improve performance, then light filtering efficiency improves, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The meta-surface color filter layer is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: wavelength-selective filtering, light routing to specific pixel types, and aberration correction. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate additional filter layers, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving superior light filtering efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of multiple conventional filter layers into a single meta-surface layer. By integrating color separation, light routing, and aberration correction into one layer, the design reduces the total number of manufacturing steps while improving overall filtering performance
3Reliability
If meta-surface layers with optimized meta-pillar arrangements are used, then light-collecting efficiency and aberration correction improve, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The meta-surface layer employs locally optimized meta-pillar arrangements where the geometry, size, and spacing of meta-pillars are specifically tailored to each region's optical requirements. This local optimization achieves high light-collecting efficiency and aberration correction while allowing tolerance to manufacturing variations through distributed design
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
The meta-surface layers improve image sensor performance and quality by providing efficient light filtering and aberration correction, eliminating the need for additional color filter layers.
Implementation Method 1
These meta-surfaces are capable of manipulating the properties of electromagnetic waves (e.g. the incident wave)
Data Source
AI summary
An image sensor includes a first pixel, a second pixel, a third pixel, and a fourth pixel. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth pixels includes a sensor layer, a first meta-surface layer with a first meta-pillar and disposed over the sensor layer, and a second meta-surface layer with a second meta-pillar and disposed over the first meta-surface layer. The first pixel and the third pixel are diagonally arranged, and the second pixel and the fourth pixel are diagonally arranged.