Methods, systems, and apparatus, for a stray-light testing station. In one aspect, the stray-light testing station includes an illumination assembly including a spatially extended light source and one or more optical elements arranged to direct a beam of light from the spatially extended light source along an optical path to an optical receiver assembly including a lens receptacle configured to receive a lens module and position the lens module in the optical path downstream from the parabolic mirror so that the lens module focuses the beam of light from the spatially extended light source to an image plane, and a moveable frame supporting the optical receiver assembly including one or more adjustable alignment stages to position the optical receiver assembly relative to the illumination assembly such that the optical path of the illumination assembly is within a field of view of the optical receiver assembly.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, for a stray-light testing station. In one aspect, the stray-light testing station includes an illumination assembly including a spatially extended light source and one or more optical elements arranged to direct a beam of light from the spatially extended light source along an optical path to an optical receiver assembly including a lens receptacle configured to receive a lens module and position the lens module in the optical path downstream from the parabolic mirror so that the lens module focuses the beam of light from the spatially extended light source to an image plane, and a moveable frame supporting the optical receiver assembly including one or more adjustable alignment stages to position the optical receiver assembly relative to the illumination assembly such that the optical path of the illumination assembly is within a field of view of the optical receiver assembly.

The present invention is directed to electrical circuits and methods. According to a specific embodiment, the present invention provides a voltage compensation mechanism for one or more single-phone avalanche diodes (SPADs). A reference voltage is generated based at least on an operating voltage of the SPADs. The reference voltage is coupled to a charge pump that generates a compensation voltage for the diodes. There are other embodiments as well.

The present invention is directed to electrical circuits and methods. According to a specific embodiment, the present invention provides a voltage compensation mechanism for one or more single-phone avalanche diodes (SPADs). A reference voltage is generated based at least on an operating voltage of the SPADs. The reference voltage is coupled to a charge pump that generates a compensation voltage for the diodes. There are other embodiments as well.

An infrared detector includes: a first light receiving layer having a first cutoff wavelength; a second light receiving layer having a second cutoff wavelength longer than the first cutoff wavelength; an intermediate filter layer having a third cutoff wavelength that is the same as or longer than the first cutoff wavelength and the same as or shorter than the second cutoff wavelength, the intermediate filter layer being disposed between the first light receiving layer and the second light receiving layer; a first barrier layer disposed between the first light receiving layer and the intermediate filter layer; and a second barrier layer disposed between the second light receiving layer and the intermediate filter layer.

A photoelectric conversion device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an avalanche photodiode, a pulse generation unit that converts an output from the avalanche photodiode into a pulse signal, a pulse count unit that counts the pulse signal and outputs a pulse count value, a time count unit that outputs a time count value indicating a time from the start of operation of the pulse generation unit, an output unit that, when the pulse count value does not exceed a threshold value, outputs the pulse count value, and when the pulse count value exceeds the threshold value, ends counting in the pulse count unit and outputs the time count value at the time of the pulse count value exceeding the threshold value, and a threshold calculation unit that calculates the threshold value using the time count value.

A photoelectric conversion device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an avalanche photodiode, a pulse generation unit that converts an output from the avalanche photodiode into a pulse signal, a pulse count unit that counts the pulse signal and outputs a pulse count value, a time count unit that outputs a time count value indicating a time from the start of operation of the pulse generation unit, an output unit that, when the pulse count value does not exceed a threshold value, outputs the pulse count value, and when the pulse count value exceeds the threshold value, ends counting in the pulse count unit and outputs the time count value at the time of the pulse count value exceeding the threshold value, and a threshold calculation unit that calculates the threshold value using the time count value.

An image sensor including: a substrate which has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array, wherein each of the pixels includes a photodiode; a multi-wiring layer arranged on the first surface of the substrate; a color filter layer arranged on the second surface of the substrate and including color filters that respectively correspond to the pixels; and a lens layer arranged on the color filter layer and including a double-sided spherical lens, wherein the double-sided spherical lens includes at least two material layers having different refractive indexes.

An image sensor including: a substrate which has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array, wherein each of the pixels includes a photodiode; a multi-wiring layer arranged on the first surface of the substrate; a color filter layer arranged on the second surface of the substrate and including color filters that respectively correspond to the pixels; and a lens layer arranged on the color filter layer and including a double-sided spherical lens, wherein the double-sided spherical lens includes at least two material layers having different refractive indexes.

An optical light sensing device includes a detector operable to detect a light wave. The optical light sensing device also includes an integration circuit that includes an operational amplifier that is operable to reduce or cancel dark currents generated at the detector.