Apple Inc.

Commissariat a L'energie Atomique

Stmicroelectronics (crolles 2) Sas

Stmicroelectronics (grenoble 2) Sas

Stmicroelectronics (research & Development) Limited

Commissariat &#xc0; L'&#xc9;nergie Atomique Et Aux &#xc9;nergies Alternatives

Stmicroelectronics Gmbh

Stmicroelectronics R&d Limited

Commissariat a L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies

Stmciroelectronics R&d Limited

Arnaud Laflaquiere

Marc A Drader

Xiaofeng Fan

Gennadiy A Agranov

Cristiano L Niclass

Nobuhiro Karasawa

Shingo Mandai

Keith Lyon

Jeffrey M Raynor

François Roy

Yvon Cazaux

Weiping Li

Chin Han Lin

Fei Tan

Marie Guillon

Francois Roy

Pascal Mellot

Jiaju Ma

Philippe Pantigny

Marc Belleville

Jean-Luc Martin

Stewart Gresty Smith

Eric Mottin

Derek Tolmie

Pierre Castelein

An image sensor may include a plurality of pixels, each of which may include a photodiode having a charge accumulation region ('PD'), a floating diffusion region (“FD”), and a charge transfer region vertically between the PD and FD. The vertical charge transfer region may include a first charge modulation region (“P1”), a second charge modulation region (“P2”), and a third charge modulation region (“P3”). The image sensor may operate in a global shutter mode, in which the P2 may be used as an in-pixel charge memory region to temporarily store charge during transfer of the charge from PD to FD via P1, P2, and P3.

Global shutter pixel with vertically integrated multi-phase charge transfer

Disclosed herein are self-mixing interferometry (SMI) sensors, such as may include vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) diodes and resonance cavity photodetectors (RCPDs). Structures for the VCSEL diodes and RCPDs are disclosed. In some embodiments, a VCSEL diode and an RCPD are laterally adjacent and formed from a common set of semiconductor layers epitaxially formed on a common substrate. In some embodiments, a first and a second VCSEL diode are laterally adjacent and formed from a common set of semiconductor layers epitaxially formed on a common substrate, and an RCPD is formed on the second VCSEL diode. In some embodiments, a VCSEL diode may include two quantum well layers, with a tunnel junction layer between them. In some embodiments, an RCPD may be vertically integrated with a VCSEL diode.

Self-mixing interference device for sensing applications

An optoelectronic device includes a display, including a first substrate, which is transparent to optical radiation at a given wavelength, and a first array of display cells including pixel circuit elements disposed on the first substrate at a first pitch, with gaps of a predefined size between the pixel circuit elements. An emitter array includes a second substrate, parallel and in proximity to the first substrate, and a second array of emitters, which are disposed on the second substrate at a second pitch that is different from the first pitch, and which are configured to emit optical radiation at the given wavelength toward the first substrate. Control circuitry is configured to identify the emitters that are aligned with the gaps between the pixel circuit elements and to selectively drive the identified emitters to emit the optical radiation through the gaps.

Emitters behind display

An optoelectronic device includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second faces. A first array of emitters are formed on the first face of the semiconductor substrate and are configured to emit respective beams of radiation through the substrate. Electrical connections are coupled to actuate selectively first and second sets of the emitters in the first array. A second array of microlenses are formed on the second face of the semiconductor substrate in respective alignment with the emitters in at least one of the first and second sets and are configured to focus the beams emitted from the emitters in the at least one of the first and second sets so that the beams are transmitted from the second face with different, respective first and second focal properties.

Vertical emitters with integral microlenses

A back-illuminated single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) image sensor includes a sensor wafer stacked vertically over a circuit wafer. The sensor wafer includes one or more SPAD regions, with each SPAD region including an anode gradient layer, a cathode region positioned adjacent to a front surface of the SPAD region, and an anode avalanche layer positioned over the cathode region. Each SPAD region is connected to a voltage supply and an output circuit in the circuit wafer through inter-wafer connectors. Deep trench isolation elements are used to provide electrical and optical isolation between SPAD regions.

Back-illuminated single-photon avalanche diode

An optoelectronic device includes a semiconductor substrate and a monolithic array of light-emitting elements formed on the substrate. The light-emitting elements include a first plurality of first emitters, configured to emit respective first beams of light with a first angular divergence, at respective first positions in the array, and a second plurality of second emitters, configured to emit respective second beams of light with a second angular divergence that is at least 50% greater than the first angular divergence, at respective second positions in the array.

Combining light-emitting elements of differing divergence on the same substrate

Stacked backside illuminated SPAD array

An image sensor arranged inside and on top of a semi-conductor substrate having a front surface and a rear surface, the sensor including a plurality of pixels, each including: a photosensitive area, a reading area, and a storage area extending between the photosensitive area and the reading area; a vertical insulated electrode including an opening of transfer between the photosensitive area and the storage area; and at least one insulation element among the following: a) a layer of an insulating material extending under the surface of the photosensitive area and of the storage area and having its front surface in contact with the rear surface of the electrode; and b) an insulating wall extending vertically in the opening, or under the opening.

Image sensor with vertical electrodes

A sensor module has first and second sensor arrays formed on a substrate, with the first and second sensor arrays adapted to share common readout circuitry and shared read out for a pair of sensors on a single array.

Sensor module with dual optical sensors for a camera

A touch pad uses a plurality of optical mouse type sensors. The sensors are optimized for detection of motion along the predominant direction of a user's finger as the finger is moved around the touch pad. A first one of the sensors functions to optically sense motion in a first direction, while a second one of the sensors functions to optically sense motion in a second, different, direction. The first and second directions are oriented a closed, for example, circular, path.

Pointing devices

A random access memory circuit includes a plurality of pixels, each having a light sensitive area and a light blocking layer arranged over at least each of the light sensitive areas. In an alternative embodiment, the circuit includes a plurality of memory elements for storing data. Each memory element may comprise a bit node formed between a photodiode, having a light arranged over the photodiode, and a switching element, where data may be stored. The circuit may also include a plurality of reading and writing circuits for reading and writing data to and from the memory cells.

Random access memory circuit

A method is provided for reading a captured image, with the captured image comprising at least first and second parts and a border area positioned between the first and second parts. Converted pixels are obtained by applying digital-to-analog conversion to the pixels in the captured image, and the converted pixels corresponding to the border area of the captured image are stored in a buffer. A first set of processed pixels is obtained by applying image processing to the converted pixels corresponding to the first part of the image and to the converted pixels stored in the buffer, and a second set of processed pixels is obtained by applying image processing to the converted pixels corresponding to the second part of the image and to the converted pixels stored in the buffer. A processed image is provided by combining the first and second sets of processed pixels. Also provided is a processing device for reading a captured image.

Processing for captured images

Growing community of inventors

Grenoble, France

Arnaud Laflaquiere