Among other things, an imaging device has a photosensitive array of pixels, and a surface associated with the array is configured to receive a specimen with at least a part of the specimen at a distance from the surface equivalent to less than about half of an average width of the pixels.

A light detection device includes: a back-illuminated light receiving element; a circuit element; a connection member; an underfill; and a light shielding mask. The light shielding mask includes a frame having an opening and a light shielding layer formed on an inner surface of the opening. A first opening edge on the side of the circuit element in the opening is located at the outside of an outer edge of the light receiving element. A second opening edge opposite to the circuit element in the opening is located at the inside of the outer edge of the light receiving element. The opening is narrowed from the first opening edge toward the second opening edge. A width of the frame increases from the first opening edge toward the second opening edge. The underfill reaches a gap between the light receiving element and the light shielding layer.

An image sensor includes; a sensor array generating a pixel signal, a ramp signal generator generating a ramp signal having a decreasing slope during a ramp signal enable period between a first time at which a counter enable signal is activated and a third time at which the ramp signal ends falling, a comparator comparing the pixel signal with the ramp signal to trigger an output signal, and counters, where at least one of the counters performs counting during an entire counter enable period extending between the first time and a second time at which the comparator triggers the output signal, but not all of the counters perform counting during at least one section of the counter enable period.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to depth sensing using a device. An example device includes a light projector configured to project light in a first and a second distribution. The first and the second distribution include a flood projection when the device operates in a first mode and a pattern projection when the device operates in a second mode, respectively. The example device includes a receiver configured to detect reflections of light projected by the light projector. The example device includes a processor connected to a memory storing instructions. The processor is configured to determine first depth information based on reflections detected by the receiver when the device operates in the first mode, determine second depth information based on reflections detected by the receiver when the device operates in the second mode, and resolve multipath interference (MPI) using the first depth information and the second depth information.

An imaging device with low power consumption is provided. The pixel of the imaging device includes first and second photoelectric conversion elements, and first to fifth transistors. A cathode of the first photoelectric conversion element is electrically connected to the first transistor. An anode of a second photoelectric conversion element is electrically connected to the second transistor. Imaging data of a reference frame is obtained using the first photoelectric conversion element, and then imaging data of a difference detection frame is obtained using the second photoelectric conversion element. After the imaging data of the difference detection frame is obtained, a first potential that is a potential of a signal output from the pixel and a second potential that is a reference potential are compared. Whether or not there is a difference between the imaging data of the reference frame and the imaging data of the difference detection frame is determined using the first potential and the second potential.

Image-capturing device includes: an image sensor that includes a first pixel and a second pixel, each having a filter unit that can be switched to a light-shielding state in which light is blocked or to a transmissive state in which light is transmitted, a photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion of light transmitted through the filter unit and an output unit that outputs a signal based upon electric charge generated at the photoelectric conversion unit, and; a correction unit that corrects a signal output from the output unit of the first pixel while the filter unit of the first pixel is in a transmissive state, based upon a signal output from the output unit of the first pixel with the filter unit of the first pixel set in a light-shielding state and with the filter unit of the second pixel set in a transmissive state.

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.

An imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit in which a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode are stacked. A semiconductor material layer including an inorganic oxide semiconductor material having an amorphous structure at least in a portion is formed between the first electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer, and the formation energy of an inorganic oxide semiconductor material that has the same composition as the inorganic oxide semiconductor material having an amorphous structure and has a crystalline structure has a positive value.

An optical structure is provided. The optical structure includes an optical element and a plurality of protrusions. The optical element has a planarized top surface. The plurality of protrusions are disposed on the planarized top surface, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions independently has a size in the subwavelength dimensions.

A method of fabricating a target shallow trench isolation (STI) structure between devices in a wafer-level image sensor having a large number of pixels includes etching a trench, the trench having a greater depth and width than a target STI structure and epitaxially growing the substrate material in the trench for a length of time necessary to provide the target depth and width of the isolation structure. An STI structure formed in a semiconductor substrate includes a trench etched in the substrate having a depth and width greater than that of the STI structure, and semiconductor material epitaxially grown in the trench to provide a critical dimension and target depth of the STI structure. An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a photodiode region, a pixel transistor region and an STI structure between the photodiode region and the pixel transistor region.