Imaging systems with stacked image sensors
View Patent ↗An imaging system may include a first image sensor die stacked on top of a second image sensor die. A pixel array may include first pixels having photodiodes in the first image sensor die and second pixels having photodiodes in the second image sensor die. The first pixels may be optimized to detect a first type of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., visible light), whereas the second pixels may be optimized to detect a second type of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared light). Light guide channels may be formed in the first image sensor die to help guide incident light to the photodiodes in the second image sensor substrate. The first and second image sensor dies may be bonded at a wafer level. A first image sensor wafer may be a backside illumination image sensor wafer and a second image sensor wafer may be a front or backside illumination image sensor wafer.
1. An imaging system, comprising:
a first image sensor having a first plurality of photodiodes, wherein the first plurality of photodiodes are formed in a first semiconductor layer, wherein the first image sensor comprises visible imaging pixels and upper infrared imaging pixels, and wherein each of the visible imaging pixels and the upper infrared imaging pixels includes one of the photodiodes in the first plurality of photodiodes;
a second image sensor having a second plurality of photodiodes, wherein the second plurality of photodiodes are formed in a second semiconductor layer, wherein the first image sensor is stacked on top of and bonded to the second image sensor, wherein the second image sensor comprises lower infrared imaging pixels, wherein each of the lower infrared imaging pixels includes one of the photodiodes in the second plurality of photodiodes, and wherein the upper infrared imaging pixels directly overlap the lower infrared imaging pixels;
a microlens array formed over the first and second pluralities of photodiodes; and
an array of filter elements interposed between the microlens array and the first semiconductor layer, wherein the array of filter elements comprises color filter elements formed over at least some of the first plurality of photodiodes and infrared filter elements formed over the second plurality of photodiodes, wherein the color filter elements transmit visible light, and wherein the infrared filter elements transmit infrared light.
2. The imaging system defined in claim 1 wherein the upper infrared imaging pixels include respective wide band infrared filters and wherein the lower infrared imaging pixels include respective narrow band infrared filters.
3. An imaging system, comprising:
a pixel array having infrared imaging pixels and visible imaging pixels, wherein the visible imaging pixels each include a photodiode formed in a first semiconductor substrate, wherein the infrared imaging pixels each include a photodiode formed in a second semiconductor substrate, and wherein the first semiconductor substrate overlaps and is mounted to the second semiconductor substrate;
an oxide layer interposed between the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate;
a conductive signal path that passes through the oxide layer and at least one of the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate, wherein the conductive signal path is electrically coupled between the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate; and
a plurality of reflectors in the first semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the reflectors is located under a respective one of the visible imaging pixels, wherein the visible imaging pixels include red, green, and blue imaging pixels and wherein the reflectors are located only under the red and green imaging pixels.
4. The imaging system defined in claim 3 wherein the infrared imaging pixels comprise infrared filter elements that block visible light and wherein the visible imaging pixels comprise color filter elements that pass visible light.
5. The imaging system defined in claim 3 wherein at least some of the infrared imaging pixels are interspersed among the visible imaging pixels.
6. The imaging system defined in claim 3 wherein the blue imaging pixels directly overlap the infrared imaging pixels.