In an illuminance sensor, a slow axis of a first quarter-wave plate has a relation of +45° or −45° in regard to a polarization direction of a first linear polarization plate; a relation of a slow axis of a first portion of a second quarter-wave plate in regard to a polarization direction of a second linear polarization plate is the same with relation of the slow axis of the first quarter-wave plate in regard to the polarization direction of the first linear polarization plate, that is, +45° or −45°; and a relation of a slow axis of a second portion of the second quarter plate in regard to the polarization direction of the second linear polarization plate is −45° or +45° that is opposite in sign to the relation of the slow axis of the first quarter-plate in regard to the polarization direction of the first linear polarization plate.

A photonic structure can include in one aspect one or more waveguides formed by patterning of waveguiding material adapted to propagate light energy. Such waveguiding material may include one or more of silicon (single-, poly-, or non-crystalline) and silicon nitride.

A photonic structure can include in one aspect one or more waveguides formed by patterning of waveguiding material adapted to propagate light energy. Such waveguiding material may include one or more of silicon (single-, poly-, or non-crystalline) and silicon nitride.

Light detecting structures comprising a Si base having a pyramidal shape with a wide incoming light-facing pyramid bottom and a narrower pyramid top and a Ge photodiode formed on the Si pyramid top, wherein the Ge photodiode is operable to detect light in the short wavelength infrared range, and methods for forming such structures. A light detecting structure as above may be repeated spatially and fabricated in the form of a focal plane array of Ge photodetectors on silicon.

A semiconductor light-receiving element includes a substrate; a light-receiving mesa portion, formed on top of the substrate, including a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, an absorption layer, and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type; a light-receiving portion electrode, formed above the light-receiving mesa portion, connected to the first semiconductor layer; a pad electrode formed on top of the substrate; and a bridge electrode, placed so that an insulating gap is interposed between the bridge electrode and the second semiconductor layer, configured to connect the light-receiving portion electrode and the pad electrode on top of the substrate, the bridge electrode being formed in a layer separate from layers of the light-receiving portion electrode and the pad electrode.

A biosensor is provided. The biosensor includes a plurality of sensor units. Each of the sensor units includes one or more photodiodes, a first aperture feature disposed above the photodiodes, an interlayer disposed on the first aperture feature, a second aperture feature disposed on the interlayer, and a waveguide disposed above the second aperture feature. The second aperture feature includes an upper grating element and the first aperture feature includes one or more lower grating elements, and a grating period of the upper grating element is less than or equal to a grating period of the one or more lower grating elements. A difference of the absolute values between a first polarizing angle of the upper and lower grating elements in one of the sensor units and a second polarizing angle of the upper and lower grating elements in adjacent one of the sensor units is 90°.

An image capture device includes a plurality of independently formed camera channels. Each of the plurality of independently formed camera channels includes a respective lens that receives incident light and transmits the incident light to a respective sensor without transmitting the incident light to respective sensor of other camera channels within the plurality of independently formed camera channels. Further, a processor that is communicatively coupled to the respective sensor of each of the plurality of independently formed camera channels. The processor is configured to control an integration time of the respective sensor of each of the plurality of independently formed camera channels individually with the receive respective images from the respective sensor of each of the plurality of independently formed camera channels, and form a combined image by combing each of the respective images.

An image capture device includes a plurality of independently formed camera channels. Each of the plurality of independently formed camera channels includes a respective lens that receives incident light and transmits the incident light to a respective sensor without transmitting the incident light to respective sensor of other camera channels within the plurality of independently formed camera channels. Further, a processor that is communicatively coupled to the respective sensor of each of the plurality of independently formed camera channels. The processor is configured to control an integration time of the respective sensor of each of the plurality of independently formed camera channels individually with the receive respective images from the respective sensor of each of the plurality of independently formed camera channels, and form a combined image by combing each of the respective images.

An optical sensor including a planar nano-photonic microlens array and an electronic apparatus including the same are provided. The optical sensor may include: a sensor substrate including a plurality of photosensitive cells for sensing light; a filter layer provided on the sensor substrate; and a planar nano-photonic microlens array provided on the filter layer, and including a plurality of planar nano-photonic microlenses, wherein the plurality of planar nano-photonic microlenses are two-dimensionally arranged in a first direction and a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, and each of the planar nano-photonic microlenses include nano-structures arranged such that the light transmitting through each of the planar nano-photonic microlenses has a phase profile in which a phase change curve is convex in the first direction and the second direction.

Structures for a photodetector and methods of fabricating a structure for a photodetector. The structure includes a first waveguide core having a first taper, a semiconductor layer having a sidewall adjacent to the first taper, and a second waveguide core having a second taper that is positioned to overlap with the first taper and a curved section. The second taper is longitudinally positioned between the sidewall of the semiconductor layer and the curved section. The curved section terminates the second waveguide core.