IP Library Patent Application 18031160
Patent Application
App. No. 18/031,160

IMAGE SENSOR AND IMAGING DEVICE

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
18/031,160
Abstract

An imaging element includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion element groups each including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and being arranged in a two-dimensional direction; a transparent layer which faces the plurality of photoelectric conversion element groups and which extends in the two-dimensional direction as a planar direction; and a plurality of structure groups arranged in a planar direction of the transparent layer so as to correspond to the plurality of photoelectric conversion element groups on the transparent layer or inside the transparent layer, wherein each of the plurality of structure groups includes a plurality of structures arranged in a same pattern and is arranged so as to disperse incident light toward each of the photoelectric conversion elements of a corresponding photoelectric conversion element group, and in a plan view, relative positions of the corresponding photoelectric conversion element group and a structure group differ according to two-dimensional positions.

Claims (29)

1 . An imaging element, comprising:

a plurality of photoelectric conversion element groups each including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and being arranged in a two-dimensional direction;

a transparent layer which faces the plurality of photoelectric conversion element groups and which extends in the two-dimensional direction as a planar direction; and

a plurality of structure groups arranged in a planar direction of the transparent layer so as to correspond to the plurality of photoelectric conversion element groups on the transparent layer or inside the transparent layer, wherein

each of the plurality of structure groups includes a plurality of structures arranged in a same pattern and is arranged so as to disperse incident light toward each of the photoelectric conversion elements of a corresponding photoelectric conversion element group, and

in a plan view, relative positions of the corresponding photoelectric conversion element group and a structure group differ according to two-dimensional positions.

2 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein

when the relative positions in a two-dimensional central portion are used as a benchmark, the relative positions deviate more toward a two-dimensional outer peripheral portion.

3 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of structures are columnar structures having a refractive index that is higher than a refractive index of portions between the plurality of structures,

in a plan view, at least some structures among the plurality of structures have widths that differ from each other, and

in a side view, the plurality of structures have a same height.

4 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of structures are columnar structures having a refractive index that is higher than a refractive index of portions between the plurality of structures, wherein

at least some structures among the plurality of structures have different refractive indices from each other, and

in a side view, the plurality of structures have a same height.

5 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , including:

a plurality of lenses each provided corresponding to each of the plurality of structure groups, wherein

in a plan view, relative positions of a corresponding structure group and the lens differ according to two-dimensional positions.

6 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , including:

a plurality of lenses each provided corresponding to each of the plurality of structure groups and having a shape according to the two-dimensional positions.

7 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , including:

a plurality of diffraction gratings which are periodically provided so as to cover at least a part of the plurality of photoelectric conversion element groups and which have an effective refractive index with a magnitude which differs from that of a refractive index of the plurality of photoelectric conversion element groups.

8 . The imaging element according to claim 7 , wherein

the plurality of diffraction gratings do not cover a specific photoelectric conversion element among a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements included in each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion element groups and causes the specific photoelectric conversion element to be exposed, and

the imaging element includes a film which is provided so as to cover the exposed photoelectric conversion element in a gapless manner and which has a refractive index with a magnitude which differs from that of a refractive index of the plurality of photoelectric conversion element groups.

9 . An imaging apparatus, comprising:

the imaging element according to claim 1 ; and

a signal processing unit, including one or more processors, configured to generate an image signal based on an electric signal obtained from the imaging element.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 14, 2025
From: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
To: NTT, INC.
Reel/Frame 072468/0951 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2023
From: MIYATA, MASASHI; NEMOTO, NARU; NAKAJIMA, MITSUMASA; HASHIMOTO, TOSHIKAZU
To: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063466/0400 →