A solid-state image sensor includes a first semiconductor, and a second semiconductor having a composition different from that of the first composition and electrically connected to the first semiconductor. The first semiconductor includes a photodiode that converts light incident on the photodiode into charge carriers, first carrier storages that store the charge carriers, and a transfer gate that controls transfer the charge carriers to a selected one of the first carrier storages. The second semiconductor includes second carrier storages and a potential detection node. The second carrier storages each store charge carriers based on the charge carriers stored in a corresponding one of the first carrier storages. The potential detection node detects the electric potential of each of the second carrier storages. The solid-state image sensor further includes a reset transistor that resets the electric potential of each of the first carrier storages to a predetermined electric potential.

An infrared photodiode includes a first electrode including a reflective layer, a second electrode facing the first electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. The photoelectric conversion layer includes an infrared absorbing material. A maximum absorption wavelength of the infrared absorbing material in a solution state is greater than about 700 nm and less than or equal to about 950 nm. The infrared photodiode is configured to exhibit an external quantum efficiency (EQE) spectrum in a wavelength region of greater than or equal to about 1000 nm.

A photoelectric conversion device includes a semiconductor layer formed of silicon, a plurality of pixels formed in the semiconductor layer, and a pixel separation portion is formed to separate each of the plurality of pixels, wherein the pixel separation portion includes a metal filling portion and a dielectric film provided on a side portion of the metal filling portion, a material of the metal filling portion is copper, a material of the dielectric film is a silicon oxide, and a thickness of the dielectric film is not less than 50 nm and not more than 270 nm.

An imaging device may include single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). To improve the sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio of the SPADs, light scattering structures may be formed in the semiconductor substrate to increase the path length of incident light through the semiconductor substrate. To mitigate crosstalk, an isolation structure may be formed in a ring around the SPAD. The isolation structure may be a hybrid isolation structure with both a metal filler that absorbs light and a low-index filler that reflects light. The isolation structure may be formed as a single trench or may include a backside deep trench isolation portion and a front side deep trench isolation portion. The isolation structure may also include a color filtering material.

A solid-state imaging element that includes a semiconductor layer, a floating diffusion region (FD), a penetrating pixel separation region, and a non-penetrating pixel separation region. In the semiconductor layer, a visible-light pixel (PDc) that receives visible light and an infrared-light pixel (PDw) that receives infrared light are two-dimensionally arranged. The floating diffusion region is provided in the semiconductor layer and is shared by adjacent visible-light and infrared-light pixels. The penetrating pixel separation region is provided in a region excluding a region corresponding to the floating diffusion region in an inter-pixel region of the visible-light pixel and the infrared-light pixel, and penetrates the semiconductor layer in a depth direction. The non-penetrating pixel separation region is provided in the region corresponding to the floating diffusion region in the inter-pixel region, and reaches a midway part in the depth direction from the light receiving surface of the semiconductor layer.

The invention disclose a pixel in an image sensor capable of detecting infrared light and associated fabrication method. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate has a first photodiode and a second photodiode adjacent to the first photodiode. A planarized dielectric layer having a recessed region is disposed on a first side of the semiconductor substrate. A first color filter disposed on the planarized dielectric layer aligned with the first photodiode and configured to transmit light of a first wavelength range. A second color filter disposed in the recessed region and on the planarized dielectric layer. The second color filter is aligned with the second photodiode, and configured to transmit light of a second wavelength range that is different from the first wavelength range. A first depth-wise thickness of the first color filter is less than a second depth-wise thickness of the second color filter.

A photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel, the pixel including an avalanche photodiode, and a signal processing circuit including a counter configured to generate a count value based on a photon incident on the avalanche photodiode during a count period, the signal processing circuit being configured to output the count value for each count period repeatedly. The pixel transitions from a first state to a second state in which a length of the count period is shorter than that in the first state in accordance with a result of determination based on the count value and a predetermined threshold value.

An apparatus for light detection includes a light, or photon, detector assembly and a dielectric resonator layer coupled to the detector assembly. The dielectric resonator layer is configured to receive transmission of incident light that is directed into the detector assembly by the dielectric resonator layer. The dielectric resonator layer resonates with a range of wavelengths of the incident light.

A process for fabricating a detecting device includes producing a getter pad based on amorphous carbon resting on a mineral sacrificial layer that covers a thermal detector and producing a thin encapsulating layer that rests on the mineral sacrificial layer and that covers an upper face and sidewalls of the getter pad. The mineral sacrificial layer is removed via a first chemical etch, and a protective segment of the getter pad is removed via a second chemical etch.

To provide an imaging device that makes it possible to further increase imaging performance. This imaging device includes, in an effective pixel region extending along a first surface, a condensing optical system that condenses incident light, a photoelectric conversion unit configured to generate electric charge through photoelectric conversion; an electric charge holding unit configured to hold the electric charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit; and a first light shielding film that is provided between the photoelectric conversion unit and the electric charge holding unit in a thickness direction orthogonal to the first surface. The electric charge corresponds to an amount of the incident light passing through the condensing optical system. The first light shielding film blocks the incident light. Here, the condensing optical system condenses the incident light at a position in the effective pixel region. The position overlaps with the first light shielding film in the thickness direction