California Institute of Technology

United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

International Brain Mapping and Intra-operative Surgical Planning Foundation

Shouleh Nikzad

Michael E Hoenk

Todd J Jones

Frank Greer

Bedabrata Pain

Thomas J Cunningham

Eric R Fossum

George A Soli

Matthew R Dickie

Robert A Beach

Bruce R Hancock

Michael H Hecht

Richard P Vasquez

Steve Perry Monacos

Chao Sun

Robert P Strittmatter

April D Jewell

Jordana Blacksberg

Lloyd Douglas Bell

Christopher James Wrigley

Kenneth W Newton

John J Hennessy

Babak Kateb

H Frank Greer

Donald R Croley

Gerald B Murphy

Chris Martin

A detector including a detector membrane comprising a semiconductor sensor and a readout circuit, the detector membrane having a thickness of 100 micrometers or less and a curved surface conformed to a curved focal plane of an optical system imaging electromagnetic radiation onto the curved surface; and a mount attached to a backside of the detector membrane. A maximum of the strain experienced by the detector membrane is reduced by distribution of the strain induced by formation of the curved surface across all of the curved surface of the detector membrane, thereby allowing an increased radius of curvature of the curved surface as compared to without the distribution.

Imaging in curved arrays: methods to produce free-formed curved detectors

A detector including a detector membrane comprising a semiconductor sensor and a readout circuit, the detector membrane having a thickness of 100 micrometers or less and a curved surface conformed to a curved focal plane of an optical system imaging electromagnetic radiation onto the curved surface; and a mount or substrate attached to a backside of the detector membrane. A maximum of the strain experienced by the detector membrane is reduced by distribution of the strain induced by formation of the curved surface across all of the curved surface of the detector membrane, thereby allowing a decreased radius of curvature (more severe curving) as compared to without the distribution.

High-quality surface coatings, and techniques combining the atomic precision of molecular beam epitaxy and atomic layer deposition, to fabricate such high-quality surface coatings are provided. The coatings made in accordance with the techniques set forth by the invention are shown to be capable of forming silicon CCD detectors that demonstrate world record detector quantum efficiency (&#x3e;50%) in the near and far ultraviolet (155 nm-300 nm). The surface engineering approaches used demonstrate the robustness of detector performance that is obtained by achieving atomic level precision at all steps in the coating fabrication process. As proof of concept, the characterization, materials, and exemplary devices produced are presented along with a comparison to other approaches.

Atomically precise surface engineering for producing imagers

A filter for electromagnetic radiation including one or more dielectric spacer regions and one or more reflective regions integrated on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate including a semiconductor photodetector, such that the filter transmits ultraviolet radiation to the semiconductor photodetector, the ultraviolet radiation having a range of wavelengths, and the filter suppresses transmission of electromagnetic radiation, having wavelengths outside the range of wavelengths, to the semiconductor photodetector.

Sensor integrated metal dielectric filters for solar-blind silicon ultraviolet detectors

A Multimodality Brain Mapping System (MBMS), comprising one or more scopes (e.g., microscopes or endoscopes) coupled to one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors obtain training data from one or more first images and/or first data, wherein one or more abnormal regions and one or more normal regions are identified; receive a second image captured by one or more of the scopes at a later time than the one or more first images and/or first data and/or captured using a different imaging technique; and generate, using machine learning trained using the training data, one or more viewable indicators identifying one or abnormalities in the second image, wherein the one or more viewable indicators are generated in real time as the second image is formed. One or more of the scopes display the one or more viewable indicators on the second image.

Multi modality brain mapping system (MBMS) using artificial intelligence and pattern recognition

A back-illuminated silicon photodetector has a layer of AlOdeposited on a region of a silicon oxide surface that is left uncovered, while deposition is inhibited in another region by a contact shadow mask. The AlOlayer is an antireflection coating. In addition, the AlOlayer can also provide a chemically resistant separation layer between the silicon oxide surface and additional antireflection coating layers. In one embodiment, the silicon photodetector has a delta-doped layer near (within a few nanometers of) the silicon oxide surface. The AlOlayer is expected to provide similar antireflection properties and chemical protection for doped layers fabricated using other methods, such as MBE, ion implantation and CVD deposition.

Atomic layer deposition of high performance anti reflection coatings on delta-doped CCDs

A method and device for imaging or detecting electromagnetic radiation is provided. A device structure includes a first chip interconnected with a second chip. The first chip includes a detector array, wherein the detector array comprises a plurality of light sensors and one or more transistors. The second chip includes a Read Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC) that reads out, via the transistors, a signal produced by the light sensors. A number of interconnects between the ROIC and the detector array can be less than one per light sensor or pixel.

Sparsely-bonded CMOS hybrid imager

Embodiments of the invention provide for fabricating a filter, for electromagnetic radiation, in at least three ways, including (1) fabricating integrated thin film filters directly on a detector; (2) fabricating a free standing thin film filter that may be used with a detector; and (3) treating an existing filter to improve the filter's properties.

Methods to fabricate and improve stand-alone and integrated filters

A back-illuminated silicon photodetector has a layer of AlOdeposited on a silicon oxide surface that receives electromagnetic radiation to be detected. The AlOlayer has an antireflection coating deposited thereon. The AlOlayer provides a chemically resistant separation layer between the silicon oxide surface and the antireflection coating. The AlOlayer is thin enough that it is optically innocuous. Under deep ultraviolet radiation, the silicon oxide layer and the antireflection coating do not interact chemically. In one embodiment, the silicon photodetector has a delta-doped layer near (within a few nanometers of) the silicon oxide surface. The AlOlayer is expected to provide similar protection for doped layers fabricated using other methods, such as MBE, ion implantation and CVD deposition.

Atomic layer deposition of chemical passivation layers and high performance anti-reflection coatings on back-illuminated detectors

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed that create a synthetic fovea in order to identify and highlight interesting portions of an image for further processing and rapid response. Synthetic foveal imaging implements a parallel processing architecture that uses reprogrammable logic to implement embedded, distributed, real-time foveal image processing from different sensor types while simultaneously allowing for lossless storage and retrieval of raw image data. Real-time, distributed, adaptive processing of multi-tap image sensors with coordinated processing hardware used for each output tap is enabled. In mosaic focal planes, a parallel-processing network can be implemented that treats the mosaic focal plane as a single ensemble rather than a set of isolated sensors. Various applications are enabled for imaging and robotic vision where processing and responding to enormous amounts of data quickly and efficiently is important.

Synthetic foveal imaging technology

Highly efficient, low energy, low light level imagers and photodetectors are provided. In particular, a novel class of Della-Doped Electron Bombarded Array (DDEBA) photodetectors that will reduce the size, mass, power, complexity, and cost of conventional imaging systems while improving performance by using a thinned imager that is capable of detecting low-energy electrons, has high gain, and is of low noise.

Low voltage low light imager and photodetector

A process for removing indium oxide from indium bumps in a flip-chip structure to reduce contact resistance, by a multi-step plasma treatment. A first plasma treatment of the indium bumps with an argon, methane and hydrogen plasma reduces indium oxide, and a second plasma treatment with an argon and hydrogen plasma removes residual organics. The multi-step plasma process for removing indium oxide from the indium bumps is more effective in reducing the oxide, and yet does not require the use of halogens, does not change the bump morphology, does not attack the bond pad material or under-bump metallization layers, and creates no new mechanisms for open circuits.

Method to improve indium bump bonding via indium oxide removal using a multi-step plasma process

A method is provided for growing a back surface contact on an imaging detector used in conjunction with back illumination. In operation, an imaging detector is provided. Additionally, a back surface contact (e.g. a delta-doped layer, etc.) is grown on the imaging detector utilizing a process that is performed at a temperature less than 450 degrees Celsius.

Method for growing a back surface contact on an imaging detector used in conjunction with back illumination

The present invention relates to curved focal plane arrays. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for making solid-state curved focal plane arrays from standard and high-purity devices that may be matched to a given optical system. There are two ways to make a curved focal plane arrays starting with the fully fabricated device. One way, is to thin the device and conform it to a curvature. A second way, is to back-illuminate a thick device without making a thinned membrane. The thick device is a special class of devices; for example devices fabricated with high purity silicon. One surface of the device (the non VLSI fabricated surface, also referred to as the back surface) can be polished to form a curved surface.

Growing community of inventors

Valencia, CA, United States of America

Shouleh Nikzad