Imec

Imec Leuven

Imec Vzw

Klaas Tack

Andy Lambrechts

Bert Geelen

Luc Haspeslagh

Murali Jayapala

Pilar Gonzalez

A spectral camera for producing a spectral output is disclosed. The spectral camera has an objective lens for producing an image, a mosaic of filters for passing different bands of the optical spectrum, and a sensor array arranged to detect pixels of the image at the different bands passed by the filters, wherein for each of the pixels, the sensor array has a cluster of sensor elements for detecting the different bands, and the mosaic has a corresponding cluster of filters of different bands, integrated on the sensor element so that the image can be detected simultaneously at the different bands. Further, the filters are first order Fabry-Perot filters, which can give any desired passband to give high spectral definition. Cross talk can be reduced since there is no longer a parasitic cavity.

Spectral camera with mosaic of filters for each image pixel

A spectral camera for producing a spectral output is disclosed. The spectral camera has an objective lens for producing an image, an array of mirrors, an array of filters for passing a different passband of the optical spectrum for different ones of the optical channels arranged so as to project multiple of the optical channels onto different parts of the same focal plane, and a sensor array at the focal plane to detect the filtered image copies simultaneously. By using mirrors, there may be less optical degradation and the trade off of cost with optical quality can be better. By projecting the optical channels onto different parts of the same focal plane a single sensor or coplanar multiple sensors can to be used to detect the different optical channels simultaneously which promotes simpler alignment and manufacturing.

Spectral camera with mirrors for projecting multiple adjacent image copies onto sensor array

A spectral camera for producing a spectral output is disclosed. The spectral camera has an objective lens for producing an image, an optical duplicator, an array of filters, and a sensor array arranged to detect the filtered image copies simultaneously on different parts of the sensor array. Further, a field stop defines an outline of the image copies projected on the sensor array. The filters are integrated on the sensor array, which has a planar structure without perpendicular physical barriers for preventing cross talk between each of the adjacent optical channels. The field stop enables adjacent image copies to fit together without gaps for such barriers. The integrated filters mean there is no parasitic cavity causing crosstalk between the adjacent image copies. This means there is no longer a need for barriers between adjacent projected image copies, and thus sensor area can be better utilized.

Spectral camera with integrated filters and multiple adjacent image copies projected onto sensor array

A solid-state spectral imaging device is described. The device includes an image sensor and a plurality of optical filters directly processed on top of the image sensor. Each optical filter includes a first mirror and a second mirror defining an optical filter cavity having a fixed height. Each optical filter also includes a first electrode and a second electrode having a fixed position located opposite to each other and positioned to measure the height of the optical filter cavity. Further, a method to calibrate spectral data of light and a computer program for calibrating light is described.

Spectral imaging device and method to calibrate the same

A spectral camera having an objective lens, an array of lenses for producing optical copies of segments of the image, an array of filters for the different optical channels and having an interleaved spatial pattern, and a sensor array to detect the copies of the image segments is disclosed. Further, detected segment copies of spatially adjacent optical channels have different passbands and represent overlapping segments of the image, and detected segment copies of the same passband on spatially non-adjacent optical channels represent adjacent segments of the image which fit together. Having segments of the image copied can help enable better optical quality for a given cost. Having an interleaved pattern of the filter bands with overlapping segments enables each point of the image to be sensed at different bands to obtain the spectral output for many bands simultaneously to provide better temporal resolution.

Spectral camera with overlapping segments of image copies interleaved onto sensor array

An integrated circuit for an imaging system is disclosed. In one aspect, an integrated circuit has an array of optical sensors, an array of optical filters integrated with the sensors and configured to pass a band of wavelengths onto one or more of the sensors, and read out circuitry to read out pixel values from the sensors to represent an image. Different ones of the optical filters are configured to have a different thickness, to pass different bands of wavelengths by means of interference, and to allow detection of a spectrum of wavelengths. The read out circuitry can enable multiple pixels under one optical filter to be read out in parallel. The thicknesses may vary non monotonically across the array. The read out, or later image processing, may involve selection or interpolation between wavelengths, to carry out spectral sampling or shifting, to compensate for thickness errors.

Growing community of inventors

Buggenhout, Belgium

Klaas Tack