US-20260129994-A1 - IMAGE SENSOR INCLUDING NANO-PHOTONIC MICROLENS ARRAY AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME

Abstract

An image sensor may include a sensor substrate including a plurality of pixels configured to sense incident light, and a nano-photonic microlens array including a plurality of nano-photonic microlenses respectively corresponding to the plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of nano-photonic microlenses may include a plurality of nanostructures periodically arranged in two dimensions along a first direction and a second direction to condense incident light on corresponding pixels. An interval between two adjacent nanostructures may be greater than an arrangement period of the plurality of nanostructures in each of the plurality of nano-photonic microlenses.

Inventors

• Sangeun MUN
• Sookyoung ROH
• YOHWAN NOH
• Jaeho Lee

Assignees

• SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251103

Priority Date

20241105

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An image sensor comprising: a sensor substrate comprising a plurality of pixels configured to sense incident light; and a nano-photonic microlens array comprising a plurality of pixel corresponding regions, the plurality of pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of pixels, wherein at least two of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions correspond to respective pixels from among the plurality of pixels that are configured to sense light of different wavelengths from each other, wherein each pixel corresponding region from among the plurality of pixel corresponding regions comprises a nano-photonic microlens, from among nano-photonic microlenses, comprising at least one nanostructure from among a plurality of nanostructures of the nano-photonic microlens array, the nano-photonic microlenses configured to condense the incident light in a respective one of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions, and wherein effective diameters of the nano-photonic microlenses of the at least two of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions are different from each other.
2. 2 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pixels comprise a plurality of first pixels configured to sense light, among the incident light, of a first wavelength, and a plurality of second pixels configured to sense light, among the incident light, of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, the plurality of pixel corresponding regions comprise a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of first pixels, and a plurality of second pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of second pixels, an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions is different from an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of second pixel corresponding regions, the image sensor further comprises a first unit pixel comprising at least two of the plurality of first pixels, and a second unit pixel comprising at least two of the plurality of second pixels, and a total number of the plurality of first pixels of the first unit pixel is different from a total number of the plurality of second pixels of the second unit pixel.
3. 3 . The image sensor of claim 2 , wherein a largest diameter nanostructure of each of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions is at a center of each of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions, and a distance from the largest diameter nanostructure of each second pixel corresponding region from among the plurality of second pixel corresponding regions to a boundary of the second pixel corresponding region is greater than a distance from a center of the largest diameter nanostructure of each first pixel corresponding region of the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions to a boundary of the first pixel corresponding region.
4. 4 . The image sensor of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of first pixels are pixels configured to sense green light, and the plurality of second pixels are pixels configured to sense blue light or red light, and the effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of second pixel corresponding regions is two times the effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions.
5. 5 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor substrate comprises a first unit pixel and a second unit pixel, the first unit pixel comprises a plurality of first pixels, from among the plurality of pixels, arranged in a 4×4 arrangement, the plurality of first pixels configured to sense light of a first wavelength, the second unit pixel comprises a plurality of second pixels, from among the plurality of pixels, arranged in a 2×2 arrangement, the plurality of second pixels configured to sense light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, the plurality of pixel corresponding regions comprise a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of first pixels, and a plurality of second pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of second pixels, and an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions is different from an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of second pixel corresponding regions.
6. 6 . The image sensor of claim 5 , wherein an arrangement of the plurality of nanostructures in first pixel corresponding regions, from among the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions, corresponding to first pixels in a central region of the plurality of first pixels is different from an arrangement of the plurality of nanostructures in first pixel corresponding regions, from among the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions, corresponding to first pixels in a peripheral region of the plurality of first pixels.
7. 7 . The image sensor of claim 5 , wherein an arrangement of the plurality of nanostructures in first pixel corresponding regions, from among the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions, corresponding to first pixels in a peripheral region of the nano-photonic microlens array in a first direction is different from an arrangement of the plurality of nanostructures in first pixel corresponding regions, from among the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions, corresponding to the first pixels in a peripheral region of the nano-photonic microlens array in a second direction different from the first direction.
8. 8 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor substrate comprises a first unit pixel and a second unit pixel, the first unit pixel comprises a plurality of first pixels, from among the plurality of pixels, arranged in a 2×2 arrangement, the plurality of first pixels configured to sense light of a first wavelength, the second unit pixel comprises a second pixel configured to sense light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, the plurality of pixel corresponding regions comprises a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of first pixels, and a second pixel corresponding region respectively corresponding to the second pixel, and an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions is different from an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlens of the second pixel corresponding region.
9. 9 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein periods of the at least one nanostructure are different in one of the at least two of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions from another of the at least two of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions.
10. 10 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nanostructure of at least one of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions are nanostructures that are at a boundary of the at least one of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions.
11. 11 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nanostructure of at least one of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions is a plurality of grid-shaped nanostructures.
12. 12 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein an arrangement of the plurality of nanostructures in a peripheral portion of the nano-photonic microlens array is shifted toward a center direction of the nano-photonic microlens array in comparison to an arrangement of the plurality of nanostructures in a central portion of the nano-photonic microlens array.
13. 13 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the nano-photonic microlens array comprises a multilayer structure comprising a first layer and a second layer, and wherein the plurality of nanostructures are in at least one from among the first layer and the second layer.
14. 14 . An electronic apparatus comprising: a lens assembly configured to form an optical image of a subject; an image sensor configured to convert the optical image formed by the lens assembly into an electrical signal; and a processor configured to process a signal generated by the image sensor, wherein the image sensor comprises: a sensor substrate comprising a plurality of pixels configured to sense incident light; and a nano-photonic microlens array comprising a plurality of pixel corresponding regions, the plurality of pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of pixels, wherein at least two of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions correspond to respective pixels from among the plurality of pixels that are configured to sense light of different wavelengths from each other, wherein each pixel corresponding region from among the plurality of pixel corresponding regions comprises a nano-photonic microlens, from among nano-photonic microlenses, comprising at least one nanostructure from among a plurality of nanostructures of the nano-photonic microlens array, the nano-photonic microlenses configured to condense the incident light in a respective one the plurality of pixel corresponding regions, and wherein effective diameters of the nano-photonic microlenses of the at least two of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions are different from each other.
15. 15 . The electronic apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of pixels comprise a plurality of first pixels configured to sense light, among the incident light, of a first wavelength and a plurality of second pixels configured to sense light, among the incident light, of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, the plurality of pixel corresponding regions comprise a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of first pixels, and a plurality of second pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of second pixels, an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlens of the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions is different from an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlens of the plurality of second pixel corresponding regions, the image sensor further comprises a first unit pixel comprising at least two of the plurality of first pixels, and a second unit pixel comprising at least two of the plurality of second pixels, and a total number of the plurality of first pixels included of the first unit pixel is different from a total number of the plurality of second pixels of the second unit pixel.
16. 16 . The electronic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of first pixels are pixels configured to sense green light, and the plurality of second pixels are pixels configured to sense blue light or red light, and the effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of second pixel corresponding regions is two times the effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions.
17. 17 . The electronic apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the sensor substrate comprises a first unit pixel and a second unit pixel, the first unit pixel comprises a plurality of first pixels, from among the plurality of pixels, arranged in a 4×4 arrangement, the plurality of first pixels configured to sense light of a first wavelength, the second unit pixel comprises a plurality of second pixels, from among the plurality of pixels, arranged in a 2×2 arrangement, the plurality of second pixels configured to sense light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, the plurality of pixel corresponding regions comprise a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of first pixels, and a plurality of second pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of second pixels, and an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions is different from an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of second pixel corresponding regions.
18. 18 . The electronic apparatus of claim 17 , wherein an arrangement of the plurality of nanostructures, from among the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions, corresponding to first pixels in a central region of the plurality of first pixels is different from an arrangement of the plurality of nanostructures in first pixel corresponding regions, from among the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions, corresponding to first pixels in a peripheral region of the plurality of first pixels.
19. 19 . The electronic apparatus of claim 17 , wherein an arrangement of the plurality of nanostructures in first pixel corresponding regions, from among the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions, corresponding to first pixels in a peripheral region of the nano-photonic microlens array in a first direction is different from an arrangement of the plurality of nanostructures in first pixel corresponding regions, from among the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions, corresponding to the first pixels in a peripheral region of the nano-photonic microlens array in a second direction different from the first direction.
20. 20 . The electronic apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the sensor substrate comprises a first unit pixel and a second unit pixel, the first unit pixel comprises a plurality of first pixels, from among the plurality of pixels, arranged in a 2×2 arrangement, the plurality of first pixels configured to sense light of a first wavelength, the second unit pixel comprises a second pixel configured to sense light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, the plurality of pixel corresponding regions comprises a plurality of first pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of first pixels, and a second pixel corresponding region respectively corresponding to the second pixel, and an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlenses of the plurality of first pixel corresponding regions is different from an effective diameter of the nano-photonic microlens of the second pixel corresponding region.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0155685, filed on November 05, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND Field The disclosure relates to an image sensor having a nano-photonic microlens array and an electronic apparatus including the same. Description of Related Art The number of pixels included in image sensors has been gradually increased, and accordingly, pixel miniaturization may be required. Securing the quantity of light and removing noise are important issues for pixel miniaturization. Image sensors generally display images of various colors or sense a color of incident light by using a color filter. However, because the color filter absorbs light of remaining colors except for light of a corresponding color, light utilization efficiency of the color filter may be reduced. For example, in the case of a red-green-blue (RGB) color filter, only one-third of incident light is transmitted and remaining two-thirds are absorbed, and thus, light utilization efficiency of the RGB color filter is only about 33%, which means that light loss is very high. Accordingly, various methods for improving the performance of an image sensor by using nanostructures are being explored. SUMMARY Provided are an image sensor in which an effective diameter of a nano-photonic microlens formed by a nanostructure is different for each color of light sensed by each pixel, and an electronic apparatus including the same. According to an aspect of the disclosure, an image sensor may include: a sensor substrate including a plurality of pixels configured to sense incident light; and a nano-photonic microlens array including a plurality of pixel corresponding regions, the plurality of pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of pixels, wherein at least two of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions correspond to respective pixels from among the plurality of pixels that are configured to sense light of different wavelengths from each other, wherein each pixel corresponding region from among the plurality of pixel corresponding regions includes a nano-photonic microlens, from among nano-photonic microlenses, including at least one nanostructure from among a plurality of nanostructures of the nano-photonic microlens array, the nano-photonic microlenses configured to condense the incident light in a respective one of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions, and wherein effective diameters of the nano-photonic microlenses of the at least two of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions are different from each other. According to an aspect of the disclosure, an electronic apparatus may include: a lens assembly configured to form an optical image of a subject; an image sensor configured to convert the optical image formed by the lens assembly into an electrical signal; and a processor configured to process a signal generated by the image sensor, wherein the image sensor includes: a sensor substrate including a plurality of pixels configured to sense incident light; and a nano-photonic microlens array including a plurality of pixel corresponding regions, the plurality of pixel corresponding regions respectively corresponding to the plurality of pixels, wherein at least two of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions correspond to respective pixels from among the plurality of pixels that are configured to sense light of different wavelengths from each other, wherein each pixel corresponding region from among the plurality of pixel corresponding regions includes a nano-photonic microlens, from among nano-photonic microlenses, including at least one nanostructure from among a plurality of nanostructures of the nano-photonic microlens array, the nano-photonic microlenses configured to condense the incident light in a respective one the plurality of pixel corresponding regions, and wherein effective diameters of the nano-photonic microlenses of the at least two of the plurality of pixel corresponding regions are different from each other. Additional aspects of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of example embodiments of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image sensor according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an arrangement of a pixel array of an image sensor according to an embodiment; FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing an arrangement of a sensor substrate provided in a pixel array of an im