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

An example imaging sensor comprises a bulk silicon substrate and a pixel array. The pixel array comprises an active pixel region including an active pixel subarray, an optical black pixel region including an optical black pixel subarray, and an optical black dummy pixel region including an optical black dummy pixel subarray, the optical black dummy pixel region positioned between the active pixel region and the optical black pixel region. A near-infrared absorber is positioned between the active pixel region and the optical black pixel region, the near-infrared absorber comprising a material having a higher near-infrared absorption coefficient than that of silicon.

Provided are a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) pixel structure and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, provided are a SPAD pixel structure and a method of manufacturing the same, including an additional PN junction in a vertical or horizontal direction to increase photon detection efficiency and thus improve the sensitivity in an imaging device.

Disclosed are an object of the present disclosure is to provide a solid-state imaging apparatus, a method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging apparatus, and an electronic device, which are capable of realizing superior low illuminance PDAF performance and superior light shielding performance at the same time, and which are capable of realizing higher-accuracy image quality. The pixel portion 20 is divided into a central region RCTR and a peripheral region RPRP, and in all of the pixel units PUP in the peripheral region RPRP, the number NP of same-color pixels PX which a microlens MCL is responsible for making light incident thereon is 2. The number NP is less than the number NC of same-color pixels PX in which a microlens MCL is responsible for making light incident thereon in the pixel unit PUC in the central region RCTR, which is 4. Moreover, the microlens MCL adopted in the central region RCTR and the microlens MCL adopted in the peripheral region RPRP have the same shape.

An energy harvesting imaging sensor includes an array of pixel structures each formed from a semiconductor having a photodiode overlying a photovoltaic diode. The photodiode and photovoltaic diode are implemented as a vertically stacked P+/N.sub.WELL/P.sub.SUB junction. This structure enables simultaneous imaging and energy harvesting by generating charge in the photodiode that is indicative of light impinging on the photodiode and simultaneously generating charge from the light in the photovoltaic diode located underneath the photodiode.

Designs of image sensing devices by including a substrate layer including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of grid structures disposed over the substrate layer, a plurality of color filter layers each of which is disposed between adjacent grid structures, a plurality of over-coating layers formed over the color filter layers, and a plurality of microlenses formed over the over-coating layers. Each of the grid structures includes an air layer, and a capping film formed to cap the air layer, and an upper portion of the air layer is formed to protrude upward from the over-coating layer.

An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in directions, parallel to an upper surface of a substrate, each of the plurality of pixels including at least one photodiode, a color filter above the at least one photodiode, and a pixel circuit below the at least one photodiode, and a logic circuit configured to obtain a pixel signal from the plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels include red pixels each having a red color filter, green pixels each having a green color filter, and blue pixels each having a blue color filter, and a size of a first red color filter included in a first red pixel, disposed in a first area separated by a first distance from a center of the pixel array, is greater than a size of a second red color filter included in a second red pixel, disposed in a second area separated from the center of the pixel array by a second distance, greater than the first distance.

An image sensor includes a substrate including a plurality of pixel regions and one or more pairs of dummy pixel regions; a pixel separation structure between two adjacent pixel regions among the plurality of pixel regions and including a first conductive layer; a dummy pixel separation structure between the one or more pairs of dummy pixel regions, electrically connected to the pixel separation structure, and including a second conductive layer; and a pixel separation contact disposed on the dummy pixel separation structure.

An imaging device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a first photoelectric converter which is disposed in the semiconductor substrate; a second photoelectric converter different from the first photoelectric converter, which is disposed in the semiconductor substrate; a wiring layer disposed on or above the semiconductor substrate; and a capacitor which is disposed in the wiring layer and surrounds the first photoelectric converter in plan view. The capacitor includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a dielectric layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode is connected to one of the first photoelectric converter and the second photoelectric converter.

A photodetector device is provided that includes a ROIC having a top surface with a plurality of electrically conductive first electrodes within a pattern of surface areas on the top surface each surface area having a border, and an electrically conductive electrode grid having a portion on the border of each of the surface areas; and a photodetector film overlying the surface area. The electrode grid can be configured to surround each surface area to define the borders of the surface areas as pixels. The photodetector film can be a colloidal quantum dot film. The ROIC has circuit elements signal-connected to the plurality of first electrodes. Methods for forming the photodetector device include photolithography and deposition methods.