Texas Instruments Corporation

James Becker

Henry Litzmann Edwards

Dimitar Trifonov

Tony Ray Larson

Zhongyan Sheng

An optical sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a first conductive type. The optical sensor further includes a photodiode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and a metal layer. The photodiode includes a first semiconductor layer having the first conductive type and a second semiconductor layer, formed on the first semiconductor layer, including a plurality of cathodes having a second conductive type. The first semiconductor layer is configured to collect photocurrent upon reception of incident light. The cathodes are configured to be electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer is configured to, based on the collected photocurrent, to track the incident light. The metal layer further includes a pinhole configured to collimate the incident light, and the plurality of cathodes form a rotational symmetry of order n with respect to an axis of the pinhole.

Optical sensor with integrated pinhole

An optical sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a first conductive type. The optical sensor further includes a photodiode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and a metal layer. The photodiode includes a first semiconductor layer having the first conductive type and a second semiconductor layer, formed on the first semiconductor layer, including a plurality of cathodes having a second conductive type. The first semiconductor layer is configured to collect photocurrent upon reception of incident light. The cathodes are configured to be electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer is configured to, based on the collected photocurrent, to track the incident light. The metal layer further includes a pinhole configured to collimate the incident light, and the plurality of cathodes form a rotational symmetry of order n with respect to an axis of the pinhole

An apparatus includes a light source to generate source light through an optically transmissive medium to an object. A receiver includes a near zone light sensor and a far zone light sensor positioned on a substrate with the light source. The near zone light sensor is positioned on the substrate to, in response to the generated source light, receive reflected source light from the object and the optically transmissive medium. The far zone light sensor is positioned on the substrate to, in response to the source light, receive the reflected source light from the object and to receive a reduced quantity of the reflected source light from the optically transmissive medium compared to the near zone light sensor.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

James Becker