Imaging systems with image pixels having varying light collecting areas
View Patent ↗An image sensor may have an array of image sensor pixels having varying light collecting areas. The light collecting area of each image pixel may vary with respect to other image pixels due to varied microlens sizes and varied color filter element sizes throughout the array. The light collecting area may vary within unit pixel cells and the variability of the light collecting areas of pixels within each pixel cell may depend on the location of the pixel cell in the pixel array. Each unit pixel cell may include at least one clear pixel having a light collecting area that is smaller than the light collecting areas of other single color pixels in the unit pixel cell.
1. An image sensor, comprising:
an array of image pixels in which each image pixel in a first set of image pixels includes a microlens having a first common size and each image pixel in a second set of image pixels includes a microlens having a second common size that is different from the first common size, wherein each image pixel in the first and second sets of image pixels includes a color filter element having a common size.
2. The image sensor defined in claim 1 wherein the color filter element of at least one of the first set of image pixels comprises a clear color filter element.
3. The image sensor defined in claim 2 wherein the color filter element of at least one of the second set of image pixels comprises a red color filter element.
4. The image sensor defined in claim 3 wherein the first common size is smaller than the second common size.
5. The image sensor defined in claim 4 wherein the first common size is at least ten percent smaller in area than the second common size.
6. The image sensor defined in claim 4 wherein the color filter element of at least one additional one of the second set of image pixels comprises a blue color filter element.
7. The image sensor defined in claim 6 wherein the array of image pixels further includes a third set of image pixels each having a microlens having a third common size that is different from the first common size and the second common size.
8. The image sensor defined in claim 7 wherein each image pixel in the third set of image pixels includes a green color filter element.
9. The image sensor defined in claim 8 wherein the third common size is smaller than the second common size and larger than the first common size.
10. An image sensor, comprising:
an array of image pixels that includes at least one unit pixel cell having a first image pixel of a first color with a first microlens having a first microlens size and a second image pixel of a second color with a second microlens having a second microlens size, wherein the first image pixel includes a first color filter element of the first color having a first color filter size and wherein the second image pixel includes a second color filter element of the second color having a second color filter size, wherein the first microlens size and the second microlens size have a first microlens ratio, the array of image pixels further includes a first additional unit pixel cell having a first additional image pixel of the first color with a first additional microlens having a first additional microlens size and a second additional image pixel having the second color and a second additional microlens with a second additional microlens size, and the first additional microlens size and the second additional microlens size have a second microlens ratio that is different from the first microlens ratio; and
a color filter barrier structure interposed between the first and second color filter elements.
11. The image sensor defined in claim 10 wherein the at least one unit pixel cell includes a third image pixel of a third color with a third microlens having the first microlens size.
12. The image sensor defined in claim 11 wherein the third image pixel includes a third color filter element of the third color having the first color filter size.
13. The image sensor defined in claim 12 wherein the at least one unit pixel cell includes a fourth image pixel of a fourth color with a fourth microlens having a third microlens size.
14. The image sensor defined in claim 13 wherein the fourth image pixel includes a fourth color filter element of the fourth color having a third color filter size.
15. The image sensor defined in claim 12 wherein the at least one unit pixel cell includes a fourth image pixel of the second color with a fourth microlens having the second microlens size.
16. The image sensor defined in claim 15 wherein the fourth image pixel includes a fourth color filter element of the fourth color having the second color filter size.