Imec Vzw

Jiwon Lee

Pierre Boulenc

Kris Myny

Xavier Rottenberg

Jan Genoe

Murali Jayapala

Robert Gehlhaar

Florian De Roose

Orges Furxhi

Nikolaos Papadopoulos

Joo Hyoung Kim

Azhar Din

Mauricio Velazquez Lopez

In one aspect, an optical system is disclosed. In some embodiments, the optical system includes an optical waveguide, and at least two coupling means forming at least one confocal point being located within the optical waveguide, where a first coupling means of the at least two coupling means has a first focal length, and a second coupling means of the at least two coupling means has a second focal length. In some examples, the first coupling means is configured to couple and/or focus incident light to the optical waveguide, and the second coupling means is configured to emit and/or collimate light conveyed by the optical waveguide.

Optical system and corresponding optical method

An image sensor comprises at least two vertically stacked photo-sensitive devices wherein each respective photo-sensitive device comprises a stack of a top electrode, a first charge transport layer and an active layer. Each respective stack generates electrical charges in response to a corresponding predefined range of wavelengths of light incident on the image sensor. Each photo-sensitive device further comprises a second charge transport layer having a first portion, vertically aligned underneath the active layer, and a second portion, transfer region, protruding laterally to extend beyond the active layer. A dielectric layer separates the first portion from a bottom electrode providing a voltage for depleting the first portion, and the transfer region from a transfer gate providing a voltage for transferring the generated electrical charge to a floating electrical connection, shared by all stacked photo-sensitive devices. The floating electrical connection couples to a read-out-circuitry.

Image sensor comprising stacked photo-sensitive devices

A method for determining a distance to a target comprises: receiving a bitstream of binary digits corresponding to a time-varying signal based on light transmitted by a light source being reflected by the target, wherein each binary digit in the bitstream is defined based on the time-varying signal at a time instance represented by the binary digit being above or below a threshold; comparing the bitstream to a set of stored reference bitstreams, wherein the set comprises pairs comprising a first reference bitstream and a second reference bitstream representing a common distance to the target, wherein the first reference bitstream is phase-shifted in relation to the second reference bitstream; and determining the distance to the target based on selection of a pair of reference bitstreams based on said comparing.

Method and a device for determining a distance to a target

Example embodiments relate to imaging systems and methods for acquisition of multi-spectral images. One example imaging system includes a detector that includes an array of light sensitive elements arranged in rows and columns. Each light sensitive element is configured to generate a signal dependent on an intensity of light incident onto the light sensitive element. The imaging system also includes a plurality of wavelength separating units. Each wavelength separating unit is configured to spatially separate incident light within a wavelength range into a number of wavelength bands distributed along a line. The line is a straight line. Each wavelength band along the line is associated with a mutually unique light sensitive element. Further, the imaging system includes a processing unit configured to define a number of mutually unique clusters of light sensitive elements for summing signals from the light sensitive elements within the respective clusters.

Imaging system and method for acquisition of multi-spectral images

Example embodiments relate to image sensors for time delay and integration imaging and methods for imaging using an array of photo-sensitive elements. One example image sensor for time delay and integration imaging includes an array of photo-sensitive elements that includes a plurality of photo-sensitive elements arranged in rows and columns of the array. Each photo-sensitive element includes an active layer configured to generate charges in response to incident light on the active layer. Each photo-sensitive element also includes a charge transport layer. Further, each photo-sensitive element includes at least a first and a second gate, each separated by a dielectric material from the charge transport layer. The array of photo-sensitive elements is configured such that the second gate of a first photo-sensitive element and the first gate of a second photo-sensitive element in a direction along a column of the array are configured to control transfer of charges.

Image sensor for time delay and integration imaging and a method for imaging using an array of photo-sensitive elements

A photo-sensitive device comprises: an active layer configured to generate charges in response to incident light; a charge transport layer arranged below the active layer, wherein the charge transport layer comprises a first portion and a second portion being laterally displaced in relation to the first portion; a gate separated by a dielectric material from the charge transport layer, wherein said gate is arranged below the first portion and configured to control a potential thereof; and a transfer gate, which is separated by a dielectric material from a transfer portion of the charge transport layer between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the transfer gate is configured to control transfer of accumulated charges in the first portion to the second portion for read-out of detected light.

Growing community of inventors

Leuven, Belgium

Jiwon Lee