IP Library Granted Patent US 9,885,604
Granted Patent B2
US 9,885,604 · App. 14/383,421 · Granted Feb 6, 2018

Optical sensor and electronic apparatus

Inventors: Akira Uematsu (Suwa, JP); Yoshiyuki Terashima (Matsumoto, JP); Yoichi Sato (Suwa-gun, JP); Atsushi Matsuo (Tachikawa, JP)
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
G01J1/06A61B5/02427G01B11/26G01J1/0204G01J1/0437G01J1/0488G01J1/42G01J3/0229G01J3/0256G01J3/0262G01J3/0289G01J3/26G01J3/36G01J3/51G01J3/513A61B5/1455A61B5/14532H01L27/14625
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,885,604
App. No.
14/383,421
Granted
Feb 6, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

To provide an optical sensor, an electronic apparatus, etc. that suppress reduction of spectroscopic characteristics. The optical sensor includes a light receiving element, an optical filter 140 that transmits a light having a specific wavelength of incident lights with respect to a light receiving region of the light receiving element, and an angle limiting filter 120 that limits an incident angle of the incident light transmitted through the optical filter 140.

Claims (19)

1. An optical sensor comprising:

a light receiving element;

an optical filter that transmits a light having a specific wavelength of incident lights with respect to a light receiving region of the light receiving element; and

an angle limiting filter that limits an incident angle of the incident lights transmitted through the optical filter, wherein the angle limiting filter comprises a plurality of light block material columns that extend through an entire thickness of the angle limiting filter,

wherein, a limitation angle of the angle limiting filter is θA, a height from an upper surface of the angle limiting filter to an upper surface of the optical filter is RTP, and a distance from an end of the optical filter to an end of an aperture of an outermost light blocking material column of the plurality of light blocking material columns of the angle limiting filter in a plan view with respect to the upper surface of the angle limiting filter is an overlap distance OV, and wherein the angle limiting filter is configured to satisfy tan −1 (OV/RTP)>θA so that light passing through a side wall surface of the optical filter, between the upper surface of the optical filter and a lower surface of the optical filter, does not enter the light receiving element.

2. The optical sensor according to claim 1 , wherein a width of the aperture of the angle limiting filter is d and a height of the angle limiting filter is RA, the limitation angle is θA=tan −1 (d/RA).

3. The optical sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a protective film disposed between the angle limiting filter and the optical filter,

wherein,

a height of the protective film is RP and a height of the optical filter is RT, the height from the upper surface of the angle limiting filter to the upper surface of the optical filter is RTP=RP+RT.

4. The optical sensor according to claim 1 , wherein a wavelength of the incident light is λ, the height of the angle limiting filter is RA, and the width of the aperture of the angle limiting filter is d, d 2 /(λ×RA)≧2 is satisfied.

5. The optical sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the limitation angle satisfies θA=tan −1 (d/RA)<60°.

6. The optical sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor is a spectroscopic sensor for spectroscopically separating the incident light.

7. The optical sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor is an illuminance sensor for measuring illuminance of the incident light.

8. The optical sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor is an elevation sensor for measuring an elevation angle of a light source.

9. An electronic apparatus comprising the optical sensor according to claim 1 .

10. The optical sensor of claim 1 , wherein the optical filter comprises a short-pass filter (SPF).

11. The optical sensor of claim 1 , wherein the optical filter comprises a long-pass filter (LPF).

12. The optical sensor of claim 1 , wherein the optical filter comprises a short-pass filter and a long-pass filter.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 5, 2014
From: UEMATSU, AKIRA; TERASHIMA, YOSHIYUKI; SATO, YOICHI; MATSUO, ATSUSHI
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033682/0048 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2012-049983 · Mar 7, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150036133A1 · Feb 5, 2015