Pixel Light Shielding Layout for Color-Pure Imaging Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing color imaging element suffers from color mixture due to obliquely propagating light entering adjacent pixels, which is not effectively addressed by existing countermeasures.
Innovation Solution
An imaging device is designed with a photoelectric conversion region, a dispersion region that disperses light by wavelength, and a light shielding member along pixel boundaries to prevent light from entering adjacent pixels at angles different from the chief ray angle, using materials like conductive materials or those with lower refractive indices to reflect or absorb light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If spectroscopic elements are arranged on the light incidence face side to disperse light by wavelength, then light utilization efficiency is enhanced, but color mixture occurs due to oblique light entering adjacent pixels
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging device divides the pixel array into distinct regions separated by light shielding members. These shielding members segment the optical paths of dispersed light, ensuring that oblique light rays are blocked from entering adjacent pixels. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining wavelength-based light routing while preventing harmful cross-contamination between pixels.
Solution Approach 2:
Light shielding members are introduced as intermediary structures between the dispersion region and the photoelectric conversion region. These intermediaries selectively block oblique light rays that would otherwise cause color mixture, while allowing the beneficial wavelength-dependent light routing to continue. The shielding members act as mediators that preserve the advantages of light dispersion while eliminating its harmful effects.
2Measurement precision
If light shielding members are arranged along pixel boundaries to prevent color mixture, then image quality improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Light shielding members are strategically placed only at specific pixel boundaries where oblique dispersed light is most likely to cause color mixture. Rather than uniformly shielding all boundaries, the design applies local quality control by identifying and protecting only the critical regions. This approach maintains image quality while minimizing the overall complexity added to the device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The light shielding members are positioned to provide slightly more coverage than the minimum required, extending beyond the strict pixel boundaries in some regions. This partial excess ensures that oblique light rays at various angles are blocked, providing a margin of safety against color mixture. The excessive action is localized and does not significantly increase overall device complexity while effectively improving image quality.
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 configuration enhances light utilization efficiency and prevents color mixture by ensuring light is directed into the correct pixel, improving quantum efficiency and image quality.
Implementation Method 1
a dispersion region that is arranged on a side nearer to a light incidence face than the photoelectric conversion region and that causes incident light to be dispersed according to a wavelength
Implementation Method 2
a light shielding member arranged along a boundary of pixels which light dispersed in an angle different from a chief ray angle in the dispersion region enters. The light shielding member may cause light transmitted through a corresponding pixel to be reflected or absorbed.
Implementation Method 3
The light shielding member may cause light transmitted through a corresponding pixel to be reflected or absorbed.
Implementation Method 4
a photoelectric conversion region including a photoelectric conversion portion for each of pixels
Data Source
AI summary
[Object]To enhance the utilization efficiency of incident light and prevent color mixture.[Solving Means]An imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion region including a photoelectric conversion portion for each of pixels, a dispersion region that is arranged on a side nearer to a light incidence face than the photoelectric conversion region and that causes incident light to be dispersed according to a wavelength, and a light shielding member arranged along a boundary of pixels which light dispersed in an angle different from a chief ray angle in the dispersion region enters.