Abstract:
An integrated circuit for an imaging system is disclosed. In one aspect, an integrated circuit has an array of optical sensors, an array of optical filters integrated with the sensors and configured to pass a band of wavelengths onto one or more of the sensors, and read out circuitry to read out pixel values from the sensors to represent an image. Different ones of the optical filters are configured to have a different thickness, to pass different bands of wavelengths by means of interference, and to allow detection of a spectrum of wavelengths. The read out circuitry can enable multiple pixels under one optical filter to be read out in parallel. The thicknesses may vary non monotonically across the array. The read out, or later image processing, may involve selection or interpolation between wavelengths, to carry out spectral sampling or shifting, to compensate for thickness errors.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit for an imaging system is disclosed. In one aspect, an integrated circuit has an array of optical sensors, an array of optical filters integrated with the sensors and configured to pass a band of wavelengths onto one or more of the sensors, and read out circuitry to read out pixel values from the sensors to represent an image. Different ones of the optical filters are configured to have a different thickness, to pass different bands of wavelengths by means of interference, and to allow detection of a spectrum of wavelengths. The read out circuitry can enable multiple pixels under one optical filter to be read out in parallel. The thicknesses may vary non-monotonically across the array. The read out, or later image processing, may involve selection or interpolation between wavelengths, to carry out spectral sampling or shifting, to compensate for thickness errors.
Abstract:
A laser light, whose wavelength is to be measured, is introduced into an etalon, a concentric circular interference stripe derived from the etalon is irradiated onto a one-dimensional photodetector array and a diameter of the interference stripe is measured to measure the wavelength of the laser light. Alternatively, if a reference laser light of known wavelength is introduced into the etalon, as described above, a wavelength measurement of extremely high accuracy can be made without being affected by positional deviations of the optical system.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit for an imaging system has an array of optical sensors (40), and an array of optical filters (10) each configured to pass a band of wavelengths onto one or more of the sensors, the array of optical filters being integrated with the array of sensors, and the integrated circuit also having read out circuitry (30) to read out pixel values from the array of sensors to represent an image, different ones of the optical filters being configured to have a different thickness, to pass different bands of wavelengths by means of interference, to allow detection of a spectrum of wavelengths. The read out circuitry can enable multiple pixels under one optical filter to be read out in parallel. The thicknesses may vary non monotonically across the array. The read out, or later image processing, may involve selection or interpolation between wavelengths, to carry out spectral sampling or shifting, to compensate for thickness errors.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit for an imaging system has an array of optical sensors (40), and an array of optical filters (10) each configured to pass a band of wavelengths onto one or more of the sensors, the array of optical filters being integrated with the array of sensors, and the integrated circuit also having read out circuitry (30) to read out pixel values from the array of sensors to represent an image, different ones of the optical filters being configured to have a different thickness, to pass different bands of wavelengths by means of interference, to allow detection of a spectrum of wavelengths. The read out circuitry can enable multiple pixels under one optical filter to be read out in parallel. The thicknesses may vary non monotonically across the array. The read out, or later image processing, may involve selection or interpolation between wavelengths, to carry out spectral sampling or shifting, to compensate for thickness errors.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit for an imaging system has an array of optical sensors (40), and an array of optical filters (10) each configured to pass a band of wavelengths onto one or more of the sensors, the array of optical filters being integrated with the array of sensors, and the integrated circuit also having read out circuitry (30) to read out pixel values from the array of sensors to represent an image, different ones of the optical filters being configured to have a different thickness, to pass different bands of wavelengths by means of interference, to allow detection of a spectrum of wavelengths. The read out circuitry can enable multiple pixels under one optical filter to be read out in parallel. The thicknesses may vary non monotonically across the array. The read out, or later image processing, may involve selection or interpolation between wavelengths, to carry out spectral sampling or shifting, to compensate for thickness errors.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit for an imaging system has an array of optical sensors (40), and an array of optical filters (10) each configured to pass a band of wavelengths onto one or more of the sensors, the array of optical filters being integrated with the array of sensors, and the integrated circuit also having read out circuitry (30) to read out pixel values from the array of sensors to represent an image, different ones of the optical filters being configured to have a different thickness, to pass different bands of wavelengths by means of interference, to allow detection of a spectrum of wavelengths. The read out circuitry can enable multiple pixels under one optical filter to be read out in parallel. The thicknesses may vary non monotonically across the array. The read out, or later image processing, may involve selection or interpolation between wavelengths, to carry out spectral sampling or shifting, to compensate for thickness errors.
Abstract:
A method for calibrating an image sensor begins by illuminating a portion of the image sensor with an input light spectrum, where the input light spectrum includes light of known wavelength and intensity. The method continues by sampling an output for each optical sensor of the image sensor, where each optical sensor is associated with one or more optical filters and where each optical filter being associated with a group of optical filters of a plurality of groups of optical filters. Each optical filter of a group of optical filters is configured to pass light in a different wavelength range and at least some optical filters in different groups of the plurality of groups of optical filters are configured to pass light in substantially a same wavelength range. The method then continues by comparing a sampled output for each optical sensor of the plurality of optical sensors with an expected output and generating a calibration factor for each of at least a subset of the plurality of optical sensors and storing the generated calibration factors in memory.