Fujitsu Corporation

Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited

Tadao Inoue

Tadashi Ikeuchi

Katsuyoshi Yamamoto

Toru Matsuyama

Norio Ueno

Toshiyuki Takauji

Makoto Miki

Hiroshi Kobayashi

Norio Murakami

Narumi Ohkawa

Hiroyuki Rokugawa

Masaaki Kawai

Hiroshi Daiku

Goji Nakagawa

Satoshi Ide

Toshitaka Mizuguchi

Koji Suzuki

The light receiving device includes a pixel array, such as a two-dimensional pixel array, of pixels each having a light-receiving element for receiving input signal light, an output selecting unit for selecting the outputs of pixels within the pixel array, a selected output adding unit for adding and outputting the selected outputs of the pixels, and an amplifying unit for amplifying the output of the selected output adding unit.

Light receiving device and light receiving method

A method for calculating a shift amount of a microlens from a position of a light receiving element arranged in a pixel of an image pickup element is provided. The microlens collects incident light from an image pickup lens. The method comprises: acquiring an incident angle characteristic value indicating a relation between an arranged position of the pixel and an incident angle of the incident light to the pixel; calculating a sampled shift amount of the microlens from the position of the light receiving element corresponding the incident angle characteristic value based on light collection efficiency of the incident light; approximating the sampled shift amount by a second or higher order function to calculate a shift amount characteristic function indicating a relation between the arranged position and the shift amount; and calculating the shift amount of the pixel using the shift amount characteristic function.

Method for calculating shift amount of image pickup element and image pickup element

First diffusion region constituting a photodiode in each pixel stores carriers generated according to incident light. Second diffusion region is formed at a surface of the first diffusion region to cover a peripheral part of the first diffusion region. In the peripheral part of the first diffusion region, crystal defects tend to occur by a process of forming an isolation region and a gate electrode, so that dark current noise tends to occur. The second diffusion region functioning as a protection layer prevents crystal defects in a manufacturing process. The second diffusion region isn't formed on a center of the surface of the first diffusion region where crystal defects don't tend to occur. In the first diffusion region where the second diffusion region isn't formed, the thickness of a depletion layer increases, which improves light detection sensitivity. This improves detection sensitivity of the photodiode without increasing the dark current noise.

Imaging device

A solid state image sensing device in which many pixels are disposed in a matrix on a two-dimensional plane comprises a plurality of light receiving devices disposed in such a way that a center interval may periodically change in a column direction and/or a row direction, and a plurality of micro-lenses, for collecting an incident light of each light receiving device, wherein a center interval periodically changes in accordance with the periodic change of the center interval of the light receiving device.

Solid state image sensing device

A solid-state imaging device has a substrate in which are formed a pixel array portion having a plurality of pixels, and a peripheral circuitry portion. The device is characterized in that a first multilevel metallization structure is formed over the peripheral circuitry portion, and a second multilevel metallization structure thinner than the first multilevel metallization structure is formed over the pixel array portion.

Solid-state imaging device

A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a pixel unit consisting of a plurality of pixels; a pixel control unit for controlling the plurality of pixels; a readout unit for reading a signal of each pixel output from the pixel unit; a shutter unit for establishing a state of a light incident to the pixel unit and that of shielding the pixel unit from the light; and a control unit. The control units includes an exposure mode changeover unit for changing over an exposure mode to either a first exposure mode performing a simultaneous exposure for all pixels or a second exposure mode performing an exposure for each of a predetermined unit of pixels. The control unit controls the pixel control unit, readout unit and shutter unit according to an exposure mode changed over by the exposure mode changeover unit.

Solid-state image pickup apparatus including a global shutter function and control method therefor

An imaging element includes a pixel group that has pixels arranged two dimensionally therein, each including a photoelectric converting unit. The pixel arrangement of the pixel group is m rows by n columns. In the pixel group, a pixel area of an arbitrary two rows by two columns respectively includes a red pixel, a green pixel, a blue pixel and a non-color pixel. A red color signal for a given red pixel is a signal value obtained from the pixel. A green signal for the red pixel is obtained by averaging the signal values of two green pixels adjacently on the right and the left of the pixel. A blue signal for the red pixel is obtained by averaging the signal values of four blue pixels adjacently on the upper-right, the upper-left, the lower-right, and the lower-left of the pixel.

Imaging apparatus, imaging element, and image processing method

A CMOS image sensor with an effectively increased aperture ratio and moreover with improved optical sensitivity, and a method of manufacture of such a CMOS image sensor is provided a first aspect of the invention is an image sensor, has a pixel regionin which are formed a plurality of pixels each having at least a photodiode, a reset transistor, and a source-follower transistor; and a peripheral circuit regionin which are formed peripheral circuits which process read-out signals read out from the pixel region, a well region PWin the pixel region PWis formed to be more shallow than a well region in the peripheral circuit region. Also, reset transistors or source-follower transistors are formed in the shallow well region PWof the pixel region, and a photodiode region PHDis embedded below the transistor well region PW

Image sensor with embedded photodiode region and manufacturing method for same

An image sensor in which a plurality of pixels having at least a photodiode, a reset transistor, and source follower transistor are formed, wherein each pixel comprises an electrical-charge transfer gate transistor between the photodiode and reset transistor, and a floating diffusion region constituting a node connecting the reset transistor and transfer gate transistor is connected to the gate of the source follower transistor. Further, a photodiode region is embedded below a well region in which the reset transistor and source follower transistor of each pixel are formed. In addition, the photo diode region is not formed below at least a partial region of the floating diffusion region.

Image sensor with embedded photodiode region and fabrication method thereof

Using a switching signal from a coarse/fine switching and operation mode switching circuit, the width of change of a counter control value during power up is increased, and the width of change is reduced once a steady state is reached. In the steady state, the frequency of updating is limited by a control signal from an update permit control circuit. In the steady state, the frequency band of a current source in an LD driving circuit is reduced in width.

Light output control circuit

Light output control device

A planar optical waveguide device including a substrate having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; a lower cladding layer formed on the substrate, the lower cladding layer having a second coefficient of thermal expansion smaller than the first coefficient of thermal expansion; a core formed on the lower cladding layer; an upper cladding layer formed on the lower cladding layer so as to cover the core, the upper cladding layer having the second coefficient of thermal expansion; and a plurality of grooves formed in the upper and lower cladding layers on the opposite sides of the core so as to extend along the core. The planar optical waveguide device further includes a contraction material filling each groove and fixed to the upper and lower cladding layers. The contraction material may be provided by a thermosetting resin.

Planar optical waveguide device

A light output control circuit to update light output synchronously with input data in burst signal transmission system is disclosed. The circuit has a function of issuing light deterioration warning unerringly, which includes: a monitoring portion to detect light output emitted from a light emission element driven in accordance with transmission data; a level comparator to compare a monitoring signal outputted from the monitoring portion with a reference signal; a data detection portion to detect the existence of the transmission data; and an output controller to determine whether a light output deterioration warning is to be issued using an output signal of the data detection portion and an output signal of the level comparator.

Light output control circuit with a warning function of deteriorated light output

An optical transmitter circuit including a light receiving element, such as a photodiode, which monitors the optical output of a light emitting element such as a semiconductor laser. A current-voltage converting circuit supplies a drive current from a drive circuit to the light emitting element and converts the output voltage of the light receiving element into voltage. An APC amplifier compares the converted output signals and a reference signal, and a hold circuit holds the output signal of the APC amplifier and uses the output signal as a current control signal of the drive circuit. A &ldquo;1&rdquo; continuous signal detecting circuit detects the continuation of &ldquo;1&rdquo; in a specified number of bits in the input data (DATA) and updates the hold value in the hold circuit.

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Kawasaki, Japan

Tadao Inoue