Spectral detector and image sensor including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9709442-B2
Application number	US-201615297720-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2016
Priority date	Dec 11, 2015
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A spectral detector includes a plurality of spectral detection units, each of the spectral detection units including an optical signal processor configured to deliver an optical signal incident to the spectral detection unit to an outside of the spectral detection unit, and a resonator configured to modulate a spectrum of an optical signal incident to the optical signal processor by interacting with the optical signal processor, at least some of the resonators of the plurality of spectral detection units having different lengths from each other, and a number of optical signal processors included in each respective spectral detection unit varying according to a length of the resonator included in the respective spectral detection unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spectral detector comprising:
a plurality of spectral detection units, each of the spectral detection units comprising:
an optical signal processor configured to deliver an optical signal incident to the spectral detection unit to an outside of the spectral detection unit; and
a resonator configured to modulate a spectrum of an optical signal incident to the optical signal processor by interacting with the optical signal processor,

wherein at least some of the resonators of the plurality of spectral detection units have different lengths from each other, and a number of optical signal processors included in each respective spectral detection unit varies according to a length of the resonator included in the respective spectral detection unit.

2. The spectral detector of claim 1 , wherein, in one of the spectral detection units, the resonator is configured to absorb and resonate at least a part of the optical signal incident to the optical signal processor by interacting with the optical signal processor.

3. The spectral detector of claim 1 , wherein, in one of the spectral detection units, the resonator is configured to differently modulate a spectrum of the optical signal incident to the optical signal processor according to a length of the resonator.

4. The spectral detector of claim 1 , wherein, in one of the spectral detection units, the optical signal processor comprises:
a light receiver configured to receive light incident thereon, the light comprising the optical signal;
a waveguide configured to transmit the light incident to the light receiver; and
an output unit configured to deliver the optical signal of the light that is modulated by the resonator while traveling through the waveguide to an outside of the spectral detection unit.

5. The spectral detector of claim 4 , wherein the waveguide is configured to deliver at least a part of the light traveling therethrough to the resonator based on evanescent coupling.

6. The spectral detector of claim 5 , wherein the waveguide comprises a bent portion that is provided adjacent to the resonator.

7. The spectral detector of claim 4 , wherein one of the plurality of spectral detection units comprises a plurality of optical signal processors arranged in a lengthwise direction of the resonator of the one spectral detection unit.

8. The spectral detector of claim 7 , wherein the one spectral detection unit comprises light receivers and output units of the plurality of optical signal processors that are arranged alternately with each other.

9. The spectral detector of claim 7 , wherein the one spectral detection unit comprises light receivers of adjacent optical signal processors among the plurality of optical signal processors, the light receivers facing each other, and output units of adjacent optical signal processors among the plurality of optical signal processors, the output units facing each other.

10. The spectral detector of claim 4 , wherein, in one of the spectral detection units, each of the light receiver and the output unit comprises a plurality of mirrors arranged in a lattice structure.

11. An image sensor comprising:
a spectral detector comprising a plurality of spectral detection units;
an optical measurer comprising a plurality of optical sensors corresponding to the plurality of spectral detection units, the plurality of optical sensors configured to measure optical signals output from the plurality of spectral detection units and to measure strength values of light based on the optical signals; and
an image output unit configured to output an image of incident light based on the strength values of light which are measured by the plurality of optical sensors,
wherein each of the plurality of spectral detection units comprises:
an optical signal processor configured to deliver an incident optical signal that is incident to the spectral detection unit to an outside of the spectral detection unit; and
a resonator configured to modulate a spectrum of the incident optical signal that is incident to the optical signal processor by interacting with the optical signal processor;

at least one of the optical signal processors is configured to output an electric signal as a strength of incident light comprising the incident optical signal; and
a resonator configured to separate light having a predetermined wavelength from the incident light incident and to resonate the separated light,
wherein at least some of the resonators of the plurality of spectral detection units have different lengths from each other, and a number of optical signal processors included in each respective spectral detection unit varies according to a length of the resonator included in the respective spectral detection unit.

12. The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein, in one of the spectral detection units, the resonator is configured to absorb and resonate at least a part of the optical signal incident to the optical signal processor by interacting with the optical signal processor.

13. The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein, in one of the spectral detection units, the resonator is configured to differently modulate a spectrum of the incident optical signal that is incident to the optical signal processor according to a length of the resonator.

14. The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein a number of spectral detection units included in the spectral detector varies according to lengths of the resonators.

15. The image sensor of claim 11 , further comprising:
an optical signal adjuster configured to adjust the strength values of light which are measured by the plurality of optical sensors.

16. The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein, in one of the spectral detection units, the optical signal processor comprises:
a light receiver configured to receive light incident thereon, the light comprising the incident optical signal;
a waveguide configured to transmit the light incident to the light receiver; and
an output unit configured to deliver an optical signal of the light that is modulated by the resonator while traveling through the waveguide to an outside of the spectral detection unit.

17. The image sensor of claim 16 , wherein the waveguide is configured to deliver at least a part of the light traveling therethrough to the resonator based on evanescent coupling.

18. The image sensor of claim 17 , wherein the waveguide comprises a bent portion that is provided adjacent to the resonator.

19. The image sensor of claim 16 , wherein one of the spectral detection units comprises a plurality of optical signal processors arranged in a lengthwise direction of the resonator of the one spectral detection unit.

20. The image sensor of claim 19 , wherein the one spectral detection unit comprises light receivers and output units of the plurality of optical signal processors that are arranged alternately with each other.

21. The image sensor of claim 19 , wherein the one spectral detection unit comprises light receivers of adjacent optical signal processors among the plurality of optical signal processors, the light receivers facing each other, and output units of adjacent optical signal processors among the plurality of optical signal processors, the output units facing each other.

22. The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein the image output unit is configured to extract the image by analyzing a spectrum of the incident light based on the optical signals output from the plurality of spectral detection units.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Imec Vzw

Inventors

• Lee Woochang
• Peumans Peter

Classifications

• A61B5/1455

  using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters · CPC title

• G01J3/021

  using plane or convex mirrors, parallel phase plates, or particular reflectors · CPC title

• G01J3/42

  Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry (beam switching arrangements G01J3/08) · CPC title

• G01J3/2823 Primary

  Imaging spectrometer · CPC title

• G01J3/0205 Primary

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