KR-20260067237-A - Image sensor including nano-photonic microlens array and electronic apparatus including the image sensor

Abstract

An image sensor comprises: a sensor substrate including a plurality of pixels for detecting incident light; and a nano-optical microlens array including a plurality of nano-optical microlenses corresponding to each of the plurality of pixels; wherein each of the plurality of nano-optical microlenses includes a plurality of nano-structures arranged two-dimensionally periodically along a first direction and a second direction to concentrate incident light to the corresponding pixel, and the spacing between two nano-structures arranged in direct contact with the boundary between two adjacent nano-optical microlenses may be greater than the arrangement period of the plurality of nano-structures in each of the plurality of nano-optical microlenses.

Inventors

• 문상은
• 노숙영
• 노요환
• 이재호

Assignees

• 삼성전자주식회사

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20241105

Claims (20)

1. A sensor substrate including a plurality of pixels for detecting incident light; and A nano-optical micro-lens array comprising a plurality of pixel-corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of pixels; and The plurality of pixel-corresponding regions include a plurality of nanostructures, and the plurality of nanostructures are arranged to form a nano-optical microlens that concentrates incident light in each of the plurality of pixel-corresponding regions. An image sensor in which the plurality of nanostructures are arranged such that the effective diameters of nano-optical microlenses formed by pixel-corresponding regions corresponding to pixels detecting light of different wavelengths among the plurality of pixels are different.
2. In paragraph 1, The plurality of pixels above include a plurality of first pixels that detect light of a first wavelength among incident light and a plurality of second pixels that detect light of a second wavelength, and The plurality of pixel corresponding regions includes a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of second pixels, and The effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the first pixel-corresponding region is different from the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the second pixel-corresponding region, and An image sensor in which the number of first pixels included in the first unit pixel and the number of second pixels included in the second unit pixel are different.
3. In paragraph 2, An image sensor having a nanostructure having the largest diameter at the center of each of the plurality of pixel-corresponding regions, wherein the distance from the center of the nanostructure having the largest diameter within the second pixel-corresponding region to the boundary of the second pixel-corresponding region is greater than the distance from the center of the nanostructure having the largest diameter within the first pixel-corresponding region to the boundary of the first pixel-corresponding region.
4. In paragraph 2, The first pixel is a pixel that detects green light, and the second pixel is a pixel that detects blue light or red light, and An image sensor in which the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens formed by the second pixel-corresponding region is twice the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens formed by the first pixel-corresponding region.
5. In paragraph 1, The sensor substrate includes a first unit pixel and a second unit pixel, wherein the first unit pixel detects light of a first wavelength and includes a plurality of first pixels arranged in a 4×4 array, and the second unit pixel detects light of a second wavelength and includes a plurality of second pixels arranged in a 2×2 array. The plurality of pixel corresponding regions includes a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of second pixels, and An image sensor in which the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the first pixel-corresponding region is different from the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the second pixel-corresponding region.
6. In paragraph 5, An image sensor in which the array of the plurality of nanostructures is different from the first pixel corresponding region provided in the central region among the plurality of first pixels arranged in a 4×4 array in the first unit pixel, and the first pixel corresponding region provided in the peripheral region among the plurality of first pixels arranged in a 4×4 array in the first unit pixel.
7. In paragraph 5, An image sensor in which the array of the plurality of nanostructures is different from the first pixel corresponding region provided in the first direction peripheral region among the plurality of first pixels arranged in a 4×4 array in the first unit pixel, and the first pixel corresponding region provided in the second direction peripheral region among the plurality of first pixels arranged in a 4×4 array in the first unit pixel.
8. In paragraph 1, The sensor substrate comprises a first unit pixel and a second unit pixel, wherein the first unit pixel includes a plurality of first pixels arranged in a 2×2 array that detect light of a first wavelength, and the second unit pixel includes a single second pixel that detects light of a second wavelength. The plurality of pixel corresponding regions includes a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of second pixels, and An image sensor in which the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the first pixel-corresponding region is different from the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the second pixel-corresponding region.
9. In paragraph 1, An image sensor in which the periods of the plurality of nanostructures are arranged to be different in pixel-corresponding regions corresponding to pixels that detect light of different wavelengths among the plurality of pixels.
10. In paragraph 1, An image sensor having a plurality of nanostructures provided at the boundary of at least one of the plurality of pixel-corresponding regions.
11. In paragraph 1, An image sensor having a grid-shaped nanostructure provided in at least one of the plurality of pixel-corresponding regions.
12. In paragraph 1, An image sensor in which a plurality of nanostructure arrays provided at the periphery of the nano-optical microlens array are shifted toward the center direction of the nano-optical microlens array.
13. In paragraph 1, An image sensor comprising a plurality of nanostructures provided in a multilayer structure of a first layer and a second layer provided on the first layer, wherein the plurality of nanostructures include a nanostructure provided in at least one of the first layer and the second layer.
14. A lens assembly that forms an optical image of a subject; An image sensor that converts the optical image formed by the above lens assembly into an electrical signal; and A processor that processes signals generated from the image sensor; is included, The above image sensor is: A sensor substrate including a plurality of pixels for detecting incident light; and A nano-optical micro-lens array comprising a plurality of pixel-corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of pixels; and The plurality of pixel-corresponding regions include a plurality of nanostructures, and the plurality of nanostructures are arranged to form a nano-optical microlens that concentrates incident light in each of the plurality of pixel-corresponding regions. An electronic device in which the plurality of nanostructures are arranged such that the effective diameters of nano-optical microlenses formed by pixel-corresponding regions corresponding to pixels detecting light of different wavelengths among the plurality of pixels are different from each other.
15. In Paragraph 14, The plurality of pixels above include a plurality of first pixels that detect light of a first wavelength among incident light and a plurality of second pixels that detect light of a second wavelength, and The plurality of pixel corresponding regions includes a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of second pixels, and The effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the first pixel-corresponding region is different from the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the second pixel-corresponding region, and An electronic device in which the number of first pixels included in a first unit pixel and the number of second pixels included in a second unit pixel are different.
16. In paragraph 15, The first pixel is a pixel that detects green light, and the second pixel is a pixel that detects blue light or red light, and An electronic device in which the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens formed by the second pixel-corresponding region is twice the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens formed by the first pixel-corresponding region.
17. In Paragraph 14, The sensor substrate includes a first unit pixel and a second unit pixel, wherein the first unit pixel detects light of a first wavelength and includes a plurality of first pixels arranged in a 4×4 array, and the second unit pixel detects light of a second wavelength and includes a plurality of second pixels arranged in a 2×2 array. The plurality of pixel corresponding regions includes a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of second pixels. An electronic device in which the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the first pixel-corresponding region is different from the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the second pixel-corresponding region.
18. In Paragraph 17, An electronic device in which the array of the plurality of nanostructures is different from the first pixel corresponding region provided in the central region among the plurality of first pixels arranged in a 4×4 array in the first unit pixel, and the first pixel corresponding region provided in the peripheral region among the plurality of first pixels arranged in a 4×4 array in the first unit pixel.
19. In Paragraph 17, An electronic device in which the array of the plurality of nanostructures is different from the first pixel corresponding region provided in the first direction peripheral region among the plurality of first pixels arranged in a 4×4 array in the first unit pixel, and the first pixel corresponding region provided in the second direction peripheral region among the plurality of first pixels arranged in a 4×4 array in the first unit pixel.
20. In Paragraph 14, The sensor substrate comprises a first unit pixel and a second unit pixel, wherein the first unit pixel includes a plurality of first pixels arranged in a 2×2 array that detect light of a first wavelength, and the second unit pixel includes a single second pixel that detects light of a second wavelength. The plurality of pixel corresponding regions includes a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixel corresponding regions corresponding to each of the plurality of second pixels, and An electronic device in which the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the first pixel-corresponding region is different from the effective diameter of the nano-optical micro-lens based on the second pixel-corresponding region.

Description

Image sensor including nano-photonic microlens array and electronic apparatus including the image sensor The disclosed embodiments relate to an image sensor having a nano-optical micro-lens array and an electronic device including the same. The number of pixels in image sensors is gradually increasing, and accordingly, pixel miniaturization is required. To achieve pixel miniaturization, securing light intensity and noise removal become critical issues. Image sensors typically use color filters to display images of various colors or detect the color of incident light. However, since color filters absorb light of colors other than the corresponding color, light utilization efficiency can be reduced. For example, when using RGB color filters, only one-third of the incident light is transmitted while the remaining two-thirds is absorbed, resulting in a light utilization efficiency of only about 33% and significant light loss. Accordingly, various methods are being explored to improve the performance of image sensors by utilizing nanostructures. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image sensor according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the arrangement of a pixel array of an image sensor according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of sensor substrates provided in the pixel array of an image sensor according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing a color filter layer array provided in a pixel array of an image sensor according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of a nano-optical micro-lens array provided in a pixel array of an image sensor according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' of FIG. 2 according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB' of FIG. 2 according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating an array of nanostructures provided in a nano-optical micro-lens array according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating an array of nanostructures provided in a nano-optical micro-lens array according to another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating an array of nanostructures provided in a nano-optical micro-lens array according to another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating an array of nanostructures provided in a nano-optical micro-lens array according to another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 12 is a plan view illustrating an array of nanostructures provided in a nano-optical micro-lens array according to another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating an array of nanostructures provided in a nano-optical micro-lens array according to another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 14 is a plan view illustrating an array of nanostructures provided in a nano-optical micro-lens array according to another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 15 is a plan view illustrating an array of nanostructures provided in a nano-optical micro-lens array according to another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 16 is a plan view illustrating a pixel array according to the principal ray angle according to an exemplary embodiment. FIGS. 17 and 18 are plan views illustrating an array of nanostructures provided in the periphery of a nano-optical micro-lens array according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' of FIG. 2 according to another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 20 is a plan view illustrating an arrangement of a pixel array according to another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 21 is a plan view illustrating an array of nanostructures provided in a nano-optical micro-lens array of a pixel array of FIG. 20. FIG. 22 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an electronic device including an image sensor according to embodiments. FIG. 23 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the camera module shown in FIG. 22. FIG. 24 is a block diagram of an electronic device including a multi-camera module. FIG. 25 is a detailed block diagram of one camera module of the electronic device shown in FIG. 24. Hereinafter, an image sensor equipped with a nano-optical micro-lens array and an electronic device including the same will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The embodiments described are merely illustrative, and various modifications are possible from these embodiments. In the following drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same components, and the size of each component in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of explanation. In the following, expressions described as "upper" or "upper" may include not only objects located directly above/below/left/right in contact, but also objects located above/below/left/right without contact. Terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe various components, but are u