Apple Inc.

Invisage Technologies, Inc.

Erin Hanelt

Hong-Wei Lee

Naveen Kolli

Sungkwon Hong

Various optical detector pixel embodiments are described. One optical detector pixel includes a photodiode having a first end opposite a second end, a set of lateral walls joining the first end and the second end, and a depth parallel to the set of lateral walls. A lens is positioned to direct light toward the first end of the photodiode. A set of one or more optical scattering structures laterally extends at least partially into an illumination area defined by the lens and has a set of sidewalls extending away from the first end. The set of sidewalls includes a pair of sidewalls forming an included angle. The included angle extends perpendicular to the depth of the photodiode. The pair of sidewalls abut a portion of the photodiode.

Quantum-efficiency enhanced optical detector pixel having one or more optical scattering structures

Imaging apparatus () includes a photosensitive medium () and an array of pixel circuits (), which are arranged in a regular grid on a semiconductor substrate () and define respective pixels () of the apparatus. Pixel electrodes () are connected respectively to the pixel circuits in the array and coupled to read out photocharge from respective areas of the photosensitive medium to the pixel circuits. The pixel electrodes in a peripheral region of the array are spatially offset, relative to the regular grid, in respective directions away from a center of the array.

Image sensors with enhanced wide-angle performance

An imaging apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate and a stack of layers of one or more dielectric materials and one or more conducting materials formed on the semiconductor substrate so as to define an array of pixel circuits including respective pixel electrodes at an upper layer of the stack of layers of one or more dielectric materials and one or more conducting materials and logic circuitry in an area adjacent to the array of pixel circuits. A light-absorbing layer is formed on the upper layer of the stack of layers of one or more dielectric materials and one or more conducting materials so as to overlie the area containing the logic circuitry and configured to absorb at least 90% of light that is incident on the light-absorbing layer. A layer of a photosensitive medium overlies the pixel electrodes.

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Oakland, CA, United States of America

Erin Hanelt