There is provided a solid-state imaging device including a semiconductor substrate on which photoelectric conversion devices are arranged in an imaging device region in a two-dimensional array, and a stacked body formed by stacking layers on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the stacked body includes an in-layer lens layer that has in-layer lenses each provided at a position corresponding to each of the photoelectric conversion devices, a planarization layer that is stacked on the in-layer lens layer and that has a generally planarized surface, and an on-chip lens layer that is an upper layer than the planarization layer and that has on-chip lenses each provided at a position corresponding to each of the photoelectric conversion devices, and the in-layer lens layer has structures at a height generally equal to a height of the in-layer lenses, the structures being provided on an outside of the imaging device region.

An image sensor includes a color sensor chip configured to generate a color image by sensing visible light in incident light; a light transfer layer disposed under the color sensor chip, and including an infrared light pass filter which filters infrared light from light having passed through the color sensor chip; and a depth sensor chip disposed under the light transfer layer, and configured to generate a depth image by sensing the infrared light.

A mounting area in a solid-state imaging device that detects an address event. The solid-state imaging device includes a light receiving chip and a detection chip. In the solid-state imaging device including the light receiving chip and the detection chip, the light receiving chip includes a photodiode that photoelectrically converts incident light and generates a photocurrent. In addition, the solid-state imaging device, the detection chip quantizes a voltage signal corresponding to the photocurrent generated by the photodiode in the light receiving chip and outputs the voltage signal as a detection signal.

Photosensors may be formed on a front side of a semiconductor substrate. An optical refraction layer having a first refractive index may be formed on a backside of the semiconductor substrate. A grid structure including openings is formed over the optical refraction layer. A masking material layer is formed over the grid structure and the optical refraction layer. The masking material layer may be anisotropically etched using an anisotropic etch process that collaterally etches a material of the optical refraction layer and forms non-planar distal surface portions including random protrusions on physically exposed portions of the optical refraction layer. An optically transparent layer having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index may be formed on the non-planar distal surface portions of the optical refraction layer. A refractive interface refracts incident light in random directions, and improves quantum efficiency of the photo sensors.

A semiconductor device includes: a first layer including a first optical semiconductor element; a second layer including a second optical semiconductor element having a lower conversion efficiency than the first optical semiconductor element; and a lens member. The first optical semiconductor element and the second optical semiconductor element are disposed between the lens member and a focal point of the lens member in an optical axis direction of the lens member, at least partially overlap as viewed in the optical axis direction, and are disposed so that the second optical semiconductor element is closer to the focal point than the first optical semiconductor element.

An image sensor comprises a first photodiode region and circuitry. The first photodiode region is disposed within a semiconductor substrate proximate to a first side of the semiconductor substrate to form a first pixel. The first photodiode region includes a first segment coupled to a second segment. The circuitry includes at least a first electrode associated with a first transistor. The first electrode is disposed, at least in part, between the first segment and the second segment of the first photodiode region such that the circuity is at least partially surrounded by the first photodiode region when viewed from the first side of the semiconductor substrate.

A photodetecting device includes a substrate, a first photosensitive layer supported by the substrate, and a second photosensitive layer supported by the substrate and adjacent to the first photosensitive layer, each of the first photosensitive layer and the second photosensitive layer being coupled to a first doped portion having a first conductivity type, and a second doped region having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, wherein the first photosensitive layer is separated from the second photosensitive layer, and the first doped portion coupled to the first photosensitive layer is electrically connected to the first doped portion coupled to the second photosensitive layer.

A method is provided for light shielding a charge storage device of an image sensor pixel that includes a photosensitive device and the charge storage device and a dielectric layer covering the photosensitive device and the charge storage device. The method includes performing etching of the dielectric layer to define an undercut volume beneath the dielectric layer and an access opening through the dielectric layer to the undercut volume, and performing physical vapor deposition (PVD) of a light blocking material to both: fill the undercut volume with the light blocking material to form a light blocking layer covering the charge storage device, and fill the access opening with the light blocking material to form a light blocking plug. An image sensor pixel formed by such a process, and an image sensor comprising an array of image sensor pixels, are also disclosed.

An image sensor includes a substrate with a first surface opposite a second surface, a pixel isolation pattern defining first and second unit pixels adjacent to each other in the substrate, and first and second separation patterns in the substrate. The first unit pixel includes first and second photoelectric conversion parts along a first direction. The second unit pixel includes third and fourth photoelectric conversion parts along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The first separation pattern extends in the second direction between the first and second photoelectric conversion parts. The second separation pattern extends in the first direction between the third and fourth photoelectric conversion parts. A width of the pixel isolation pattern, a width of the first separation pattern, and a width of the second separation pattern each decrease from the second surface of the substrate toward the first surface of the substrate.

An image sensor is provided for obtaining an ultra-high resolution image. The image sensor includes a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixels, each of the plurality of pixels including a first meta-photodiode that selectively absorbs light of a red wavelength band, a second meta-photodiode that selectively absorbs light in a green wavelength band, and a third meta-photodiode that selectively absorbs light of a blue wavelength band. A width of each of the plurality of pixels of the image sensor may be less than a diffraction limit.