Media.Player

A Pseudo 3-D CMOS Imager Built Using Integrated Diffraction Gratings

Detailed Technology Description

This invention describes a method for building an image sensor (imager) on a CMOS chip that extracts the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the light source it is imaging.

Others

• Patent applications: PCT/US09/51660; 13/282,806
• Wang et al. "Angle Sensitive Pixels in CMOS for Lensless 3D Imaging" IEEE CICC, San Jose, 2009
• Wang et al. "Light field image sensors based on the Talbot effect," Applied Optics 48, 5897-5905 (2009)

*Abstract

Each pixel in the imager can detect both the intensity and incident angle of the light received by it through interference patterns. The imager is lens-less with photodiodes distributed in a pattern such that their relative illumination may provide spatial information about the source light striking each unit cell.

  

A major standout of the invention is that the interference patterns can be created from incoherent (imaged) light as present in nature, rather than from coherent " in-phase " light used in constructing holographic images. Another unique aspect is that the diffraction gratings can be manufactured with standard micro-fabrication techniques, allowing the complete integration of the apparatus within a CMOS chip.

    

Potential Applications

• Biomedical applications, such as locating individual fluorescent cells in a given piece of tissue by detecting the incident angle of light each cell illuminates through a combination of many such imagers in an array
• Security applications, such as reconstruction of the 3D structure of objects for 3D modeling or facial recognition

   

Advantages

• The incident angle extraction feature
• Ability to extract 3D information without the use of lenses
• Ability to refocus an image after it has been captured
• Simultaneous reception of multiple optical signals
• CMOS compatible

*Licensing

Martin Teschlmt439@cornell.edu(607) 254-4454

Country/Region

USA