Solid-state image sensor and camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016334550-A1
Application number	US-201615136017-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 22, 2016
Priority date	May 14, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image sensor includes microlens array having microlenses arranged to constitute rows and columns. When first axis parallel to the rows and passing through array center of the microlens array, and second axis parallel to the columns and passing through the array center are defined, microlens positioned on virtual circle having the array center as center includes first microlens positioned on the first or second axis, and second microlens positioned on neither the first axis nor the second axis. The first and second microlens have non-circular bottom shape, and width of the second microlens in second direction passing through the second microlens and the array center is larger than width of the first microlens in first direction passing through the first microlens and the array center.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A solid-state image sensor which includes a microlens array in which a plurality of microlenses are arrayed so as to constitute a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns,
wherein when a first axis parallel to the plurality of rows and passing through an array center as a center of the microlens array, and a second axis parallel to the plurality of columns and passing through the array center are defined, microlens, out of the plurality of microlenses, positioned on a virtual circle having the array center as a center includes a first microlens positioned on one of the first axis and the second axis, and a second microlens positioned on neither the first axis nor the second axis, each of the first microlens and the second microlens has a non-circular bottom shape, and a width of the second microlens in a second direction passing through the second microlens and the array center is larger than a width of the first microlens in a first direction passing through the first microlens and the array center.

2 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein a top position of the first microlens is at a position shifted to a side of the array center from a center of the width of the first microlens in the first direction and a top position of the second microlens is at a position shifted to the side of the array center from a center of the width of the second microlens in the second direction.

3 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the second microlens cut along a straight line parallel to the second direction includes a shape obtained by enlarging at least a part of a cross-sectional shape of the first microlens cut along a straight line parallel to the first direction.

4 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the second microlens cut along a straight line parallel to the second direction is similar to a cross-sectional shape of the first microlens cut along a straight line parallel to the first direction.

5 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom outer edge of the first microlens includes a portion parallel to the first direction and a portion perpendicular to the first direction, and
a bottom outer edge of the second microlens includes a portion parallel to the second direction and a portion perpendicular to the second direction.

6 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein letting θ be an angle formed by the first axis and the second direction, the width of the second microlens in the second direction is increased in accordance with an increase in θ in ranges of 0°<θ≦45°, 90°<θ≦135°, 180°<θ≦225°, and 270°<θ≦315°, and the width of the second microlens in the second direction is decreased in accordance with the increase in θ in ranges of 45°≦θ<90°, 135°<θ≦180°, 225°<θ≦270°, and 315°<θ≦360°.

7 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first microlens has a line-symmetric shape with respect to a straight line parallel to the first direction as a symmetrical axis and the second microlens has a line-symmetric shape with respect to a straight line parallel to the second direction as a symmetrical axis.

8 . A camera comprising:
a solid-state image sensor; and a processor configured to process a signal output from the solid-state image sensor, wherein the solid-state image sensor includes a microlens array in which a plurality of microlenses are arrayed so as to constitute a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and wherein when a first axis parallel to the plurality of rows and passing through an array center as a center of the microlens array, and a second axis parallel to the plurality of columns and passing through the array center are defined, microlens, out of the plurality of microlenses, positioned on a virtual circle having the array center as a center includes a first microlens positioned on one of the first axis and the second axis, and a second microlens positioned on neither the first axis nor the second axis, each of the first microlens and the second microlens has a non-circular bottom shape, and a width of the second microlens in a second direction passing through the second microlens and the array center is larger than a width of the first microlens in a first direction passing through the first microlens and the array center.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Kawabata Kazunari

Classifications

• H04N25/71

  Charge-coupled device [CCD] sensors; Charge-transfer registers specially adapted for CCD sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/54 Primary

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04N25/76

  Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/55 Primary

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• G02B3/0043 Primary

  Inhomogeneous or irregular arrays, e.g. varying shape, size, height · CPC title