Device and a method for polarization dependent imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12480814-B2
Application number	US-202318203125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2023
Priority date	Jun 1, 2022
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

According to an aspect of the present inventive concept there is provided a device for polarization dependent imaging, comprising a detector comprising an array of light sensitive elements; a plurality of light propagating units, each comprising: a funnel element having a collecting end and a transmitting end, the funnel element being configured to collect light at the collecting end and propagate the light to the transmitting end; a waveguide having a receiving end and a distributing end, the waveguide being configured to receive the light from the transmitting end at the receiving end and propagate the light to the distributing end, wherein the waveguide is configured to propagate the light through the waveguide in dependence of polarization such that a distribution of the light at different locations of the distributing end is dependent on polarization of the light.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A device for polarization dependent imaging, the device comprising:
a detector comprising a plurality of light sensitive elements, wherein each light sensitive element is configured to generate an electric signal dependent on an intensity of light incident onto the light sensitive element; a plurality of light propagating units, wherein each light propagating unit of the plurality of the light propagating units comprises:
a funnel element having a collecting end and a transmitting end, the funnel element being configured to collect light incident at the collecting end and to propagate the light to the transmitting end, wherein a cross-section of the collecting end is larger than a cross-section of the transmitting end;
a waveguide having a receiving end and a distributing end, the waveguide being configured to receive the light from the transmitting end at the receiving end and to propagate the light to the distributing end, wherein the waveguide is a multimode waveguide configured to propagate the light through the waveguide in dependence of polarization such that a distribution of the light at different locations of the distributing end is dependent on polarization of the light;
wherein the funnel element and the waveguide are asymmetrically coupled such that a central axis of the funnel element at the transmitting end is displaced with respect to a central axis of the waveguide at the receiving end; and
wherein, for each light propagating unit, the light propagating unit is arranged with respect to the detector such that the light at the distributing end is incident onto at least two light sensitive elements of the plurality of light sensitive elements.

2 . The device for polarization dependent imaging according to claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is further configured to propagate the light through the waveguide in dependence of wavelength such that a distribution of the light at different locations of the distributing end is dependent on polarization and wavelength of the received light.

3 . The device for polarization dependent imaging according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sensitive elements is divided into a plurality of sub-sets of light sensitive elements, wherein all sub-sets of the plurality of sub-sets comprise an equal number of light sensitive elements, and wherein the plurality of light propagating units is divided into a plurality of clusters of light propagating units, wherein all clusters of the plurality of clusters comprise an equal number of light propagating units, and wherein each sub-set of light sensitive elements is associated with a mutually unique cluster of light propagating units.

4 . The device for polarization dependent imaging according to claim 3 , wherein each respective cluster comprises a single light propagating unit being arranged with respect to the sub-set to which the cluster is associated, such that the distributing end distributes the light onto all light sensitive elements of the sub-set.

5 . The device for polarization dependent imaging according to claim 3 , wherein each respective cluster comprises at least a light propagating unit of a first type and a light propagating unit of a second type, wherein a dependence of polarization in the waveguide of the light propagating unit of the first type is different from a dependence of polarization in the waveguide of the light propagating unit of the second type, and wherein, for each respective cluster, the light propagating units are arranged with respect to the sub-set to which the cluster is associated, such that the distributing ends of the light propagating units in the cluster together distribute light onto all light sensitive elements of the sub-set.

6 . The device for polarization dependent imaging according to claim 3 , further configured to perform reconstruction of a polarization content of the light incident onto the light sensitive elements, the reconstruction being based on the electric signals of the light sensitive elements and being performed independently within each sub-set of light sensitive elements, respectively.

7 . The device for polarization dependent imaging according to claim 6 , wherein the reconstruction of the polarization content comprises Stokes parameters for a set of polarization types for the light.

8 . The device for polarization dependent imaging according to claim 6 , wherein the waveguide is further configured to propagate the light through the waveguide in dependence of wavelength such that a distribution of the light at different locations of the distributing end is dependent on polarization and wavelength of the received light, and
wherein the device is further configured to perform reconstruction of a wavelength spectrum of the light incident onto the light sensitive elements, the reconstruction being based on the electric signals of the light sensitive elements and being performed independently within each sub-set of light sensitive elements, respectively.

9 . The device for polarization dependent imaging according to claim 1 , wherein each light sensitive element comprises a light absorbing layer configured such that light incident onto the light sensitive element is absorbed by the light absorbing layer, thereby preventing light incident onto the light sensitive element from propagating to adjacent light sensitive elements.

10 . The device for polarization dependent imaging according to claim 1 , wherein the detector is configured with Deep Trench Isolation, DTI, technology such that each respective light sensitive element is confined by a trench preventing light incident onto the light sensitive element from propagating to adjacent light sensitive elements.

11 . A method for polarization dependent imaging, the method comprising:
collecting, by a plurality of light propagating units, light incident at a collecting end of a respective funnel element of each light propagating unit of the plurality of light propagating units; propagating, for each light propagation unit, the light to a transmitting end of the funnel element, wherein a cross-section of the collecting end is larger than a cross-section of the transmitting end; receiving, at a receiving end of a waveguide of each light propagating unit, the light from the transmitting end, wherein the funnel element and the waveguide are asymmetrically coupled such that a central axis of the funnel element at the transmitting end is displaced with respect to a central axis of the waveguide at the receiving end; propagating, for each light propagation unit, the light to a distributing end of the waveguide, wherein the waveguide is a multimode waveguide, and wherein the propagating the light through the waveguide is dependent on polarization such that a distribution of the light at different locations of the distributing end is dependent on polarization of the light; and detecting, for each light propagating unit, the light at the distributing end, by at least two light sensitive elements of a plurality of light sensitive elements, such that each light sensitive element generates an electric signal dependent on an intensity of light incident onto the light sensitive element.

12 . The method for polarization dependent imaging according to claim 11 , wherein the propagating the light through the waveguide is further dependent on wavelength of the light.

13 . The method for polarization dependent imaging according to claim 11 , wherein:
the plurality of light sensitive elements is divided into a plurality of sub-sets of light sensitive elements, wherein all sub-sets of the plurality of sub-sets comprise an equal num

Assignees

• Imec Vzw

Inventors

• Figeys Bruno
• Gehlhaar Robert
• Genoe Jan

Classifications

• G01J3/0256

  Compact construction · CPC title

• G01J3/0205 Primary

  Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. optical manifolds, diffusers, windows · CPC title

• G01J1/0422

  using light concentrators, collectors or condensers · CPC title

• G01J2003/2826

  Multispectral imaging, e.g. filter imaging · CPC title

• G01J2003/282

  Modified CCD or like · CPC title