Light detection device including light detector, light coupling layer, and light shielding film, light detection system, and optical device

• US 10,139,271 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishiwaki, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Abreu, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US15/171,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20160360967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0042 for the brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0422 using light concentrators, collectors or condensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0448 Adjustable, e.g. focussing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1809 with pitch less than or comparable to the wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/203 having holographic or diffractive elements diffraction gratings per se G02B5/18; holographic elements per se G02B5/32; generating the spectrum using diffraction elements G01J3/18
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/34 utilising prism or grating G02B6/293 takes precedence

Abstract

A light detection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a light detector having a main surface and including at least one first detector and at least one second detector disposed along the main surface; a light coupling layer disposed on or apart from the light detector and including a first low-refractive-index layer, a first high-refractive-index layer disposed on the first low-refractive-index layer and including a first grating, and a second low-refractive-index layer disposed on the first high-refractive-index layer, the first high-refractive-index layer having a higher refractive index than the first and second low-refractive-index layers; and a light shielding film disposed on the light coupling layer and including at least one light transmitting region and at least one light shielding region adjacent to the at least one light transmitting region.

Claims

1. A light detection system comprising:

a light detection device; and

a light source,

the light detection device including;

a light detector that has a main surface and includes at least one first detector and at least one second detector that are disposed along the main surface;

a light coupling layer disposed on or apart from the light detector, the light coupling layer including;

a first low-refractive-index layer,

a first high-refractive-index layer that is disposed on the first low-refractive-index layer and includes a first grating, and

a second low-refractive-index layer that is disposed on the first high-refractive-index layer,

the first high-refractive-index layer having a higher refractive index than the first low-refractive-index layer and the second low-refractive-index layer; and

a light shielding film disposed on the light coupling layer, the light shielding film including;

at least one light transmitting region and at least one light shielding region adjacent to the at least one light transmitting region,

wherein the first high-refractive-index layer is disposed between the light detector and the light shielding film.

2. The light detection system according to claim 1, further comprising an arithmetic circuit that, in operation, calculates a ratio of a first signal detected by the at least one first detector and a second signal detected by the at least one second detector.

3. The light detection system according to claim 2, wherein

the at least one first detector comprises first detectors;

the at least one second detector comprises second detectors;

the first detectors and the second detectors are two-dimensionally disposed along the main surface;

the at least one light transmitting region comprises light transmitting regions;

the at least one light shielding region comprises light shielding regions;

each of the light transmitting regions corresponds to at least one of the first detectors;

each of the light shielding regions corresponds to at least one of the second detectors; and

the arithmetic circuit, in operation, calculates the ratio for each of the first detectors and generates an image indicative of a distribution of the ratios in the light detector.

4. The light detection system according to claim 3, further comprising a control circuit that, in operation, changes a coherence length of light emitted from the light source, and

the arithmetic circuit, in operation, generating, for each coherence length changed by the control circuit, the image indicating the distribution of the ratios.

5. The light detection system according to claim 3, wherein

the arithmetic circuit, in operation, calculates, for each of the first detectors, the ratio by using the first signal detected by each of the first detectors within a predetermined time range and the second signal detected by each of the second detectors within the predetermined time range;

and

the arithmetic circuit, in operation, generates a first image indicative of a distribution of the first signal detected, within the predetermined time range, by a first detector for which the ratio is equal to or larger than a threshold value among the first detectors and a second image indicative of a distribution of the first signal detected, within the predetermined time range, by a first detector for which the ratio is smaller than the threshold value among the first detectors.

6. The light detection system according to claim 1, further comprising an arithmetic circuit that, in operation, calculates at least one selected from the group consisting of proportion of a first signal detected by the at least one first detector and proportion of a second signal detected by the at least one second detector in a sum of the first signal and the second signal.

7. The light detection system according to claim 6, wherein

the at least one first detector comprises first detectors;

the at least one second detector comprises second detectors;

the first detectors and the second detectors are two-dimensionally disposed along the main surface;

the at least one light transmitting region comprises light transmitting regions;

the at least one light shielding region comprises light shielding regions;

each of the light transmitting regions corresponds to at least one of the first detectors;

each of the light shielding regions corresponds to at least one of the second detectors; and

the arithmetic circuit, in operation, calculates, for each of the first detectors, at least one selected from the group consisting of the proportion of the first signal and the proportion of the second signal in the sum and generates an image indicative of a distribution of the at least one selected from the group consisting of the proportion of the first signal and the proportion of the second signal in the sum in the light detector.

8. The light detection system according to claim 7, further comprising a control circuit that, in operation, changes a coherence length of light emitted from the light source, and

the arithmetic circuit, in operation, generating, for each coherence length changed by the control circuit, the image indicative of the distribution of the at least one selected from the group consisting of the proportion of the first signal and the proportion of the second signal in the sum.

9. The light detection system according to claim 7, wherein

the arithmetic circuit, in operation, calculates, for each of the first detectors, at least one selected from the group consisting of the proportion of the first signal and the proportion of the second signal in the sum by using the first signal detected by each of the first detectors within a predetermined time range and the second signal detected by each of the second detectors within the predetermined time range;

and

the arithmetic circuit, in operation, generates a first image indicative of a distribution of the first signal detected, within the predetermined time range, by a first detector for which the proportion of the first signal in the sum is equal to or larger than a threshold value or the proportion of the second signal in the sum is equal to or smaller than the threshold value among the first detectors and a second image indicative of a distribution of the first signal detected, within the predetermined time range, by a first detector for which the proportion of the first signal in the sum is smaller than the threshold value or the proportion of the second signal in the sum is larger than the threshold value among the first detectors.

10. The light detection system according to claim 1, wherein

the light source, in operation, emits pulsed light.

11. The light detection system according to claim 1, wherein

the light detection device further includes a bandpass filter that is disposed on the light coupling layer and, in operation, selectively transmits a wavelength of light emitted by the light source.

12. The light detection system according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit that, in operation, changes a coherence length of light emitted from the light source.

13. The light detection system according to claim 1, wherein

a light that enters the light coupling layer through the at least one light transmitting region is divided into a first part and a second part,

the first part of the light is extracted from a first region of the light coupling layer which overlaps the at least one light transmitting region in a thickness direction of the light coupling layer,

the second part of the light is extracted from a second region of the light coupling layer which overlaps the at least one light shielding region in the thickness direction of the light coupling layer,

the first part of the light is directed to the at least one first detector, and

the second part of the light is directed to the at least one second detector.

14. A light detection device comprising:

a light detector that has a main surface and includes at least one first detector and at least one second detector that are disposed along the main surface;

a light coupling layer disposed on or apart from the light detector, the light coupling layer including;

a first low-refractive-index layer,

a first high-refractive-index layer that is disposed on the first low-refractive-index layer and includes a first grating, and

a second low-refractive-index layer that is disposed on the first high-refractive-index layer,

the first high-refractive-index layer having a higher refractive index than the first low-refractive-index layer and the second low-refractive-index layer; and

a light shielding film disposed on the light coupling layer, the light shielding film including;

at least one light transmitting region and at least one light shielding region adjacent to the at least one light transmitting region,

wherein the first high-refractive-index layer is disposed between the light detector and the light shielding film.

15. The light detection device according to claim 14, wherein

the at least one first detector comprises first detectors;

the at least one second detector comprises second detectors;

the first detectors and the second detectors are two-dimensionally disposed along the main surface;

the at least one light transmitting region comprises light transmitting regions;

the at least one light shielding region comprises light shielding regions;

each of the light transmitting regions corresponds to at least one of the first detectors; and

each of the light shielding regions corresponds to at least one of the second detectors.

16. The light detection device according to claim 15, wherein

the light shielding regions are disposed in a striped pattern or a checkered pattern in plan view.

17. The light detection device according to claim 14, wherein

the light detector further includes:

a first microlens disposed between the at least one first detector and the light coupling layer; and

a second microlens disposed between the at least one second detector and the light coupling layer.

18. The light detection device according to claim 14, wherein

the light coupling layer further includes:

a third low-refractive-index layer; and

a second high-refractive-index layer that is disposed between the third low-refractive-index layer and the first low-refractive-index layer and includes a second grating; and

the second high-refractive-index layer has a higher refractive index than the first low-refractive-index layer and the third low-refractive-index layer.

19. The light detection device according to claim 14, wherein

a light that enters the light coupling layer through the at least one light transmitting region is divided into a first part and a second part,

the first part of the light is extracted from a first region of the light coupling layer which overlaps the at least one light transmitting region in a thickness direction of the light coupling layer,

the second part of the light is extracted from a second region of the light coupling layer which overlaps the at least one light shielding region in the thickness direction of the light coupling layer,

the first part of the light is directed to the at least one first detector, and

the second part of the light is directed to the at least one second detector.

20. An optical device comprising:

a light coupling layer including;

a first low-refractive-index layer,

a first high-refractive-index layer that is disposed on the first low-refractive-index layer and includes a first grating, and

a second low-refractive-index layer that is disposed on the first high-refractive-index layer,

the first high-refractive-index layer having a higher refractive index than the first low-refractive-index layer and the second low-refractive-index layer; and

a light shielding film disposed on the light coupling layer, the light shielding film including;

at least one light transmitting region and at least one light shielding region adjacent to the at least one light transmitting region,

wherein the at least one light transmitting region includes two light transmitting regions disposed adjacent to one of the at least one light shielding region, and

the first grating overlaps both of the two light transmitting regions in a thickness direction of the light coupling layer.

21. The optical device according to claim 20, wherein

the first high-refractive-index layer is disposed between the first low-refractive-index layer and the second low-refractive-index layer, and

the first grating overlaps the at least one light shielding region in the thickness direction of the light coupling layer.

22. A light detection device comprising:

a light detector that has a main surface and includes at least one first detector and at least one second detector that are disposed along the main surface;

a light coupling layer disposed on or apart from the light detector, the light coupling layer including;

a first low-refractive-index layer,

a first high-refractive-index layer that is disposed on the first low-refractive-index layer and includes a first grating, and

a second low-refractive-index layer that is disposed on the first high-refractive-index layer,

the first high-refractive-index layer having a higher refractive index than the first low-refractive-index layer and the second low-refractive-index layer; and

a light shielding film disposed on the light coupling layer, the light shielding film including;

at least one light transmitting region and at least one light shielding region adjacent to the at least one light transmitting region,

the at least one light transmitting region overlaps at least a portion of the at least one first detector in a thickness direction of the light detection device, and

the at least one light shielding region overlaps at least a portion of the at least one second detector in the thickness direction.

23. A light detection system comprising:

a light detection device; and

a light source,

the light detection device including;

a light detector that has a main surface and includes at least one first detector and at least one second detector that are disposed along the main surface;

a light coupling layer disposed on or apart from the light detector, the light coupling layer including;

a first low-refractive-index layer,

a first high-refractive-index layer that is disposed on the first low-refractive-index layer and includes a first grating, and

a second low-refractive-index layer that is disposed on the first high-refractive-index layer,

the first high-refractive-index layer having a higher refractive index than the first low-refractive-index layer and the second low-refractive-index layer; and

a light shielding film disposed on the light coupling layer, the light shielding film including;

at least one light transmitting region and at least one light shielding region adjacent to the at least one light transmitting region,

the at least one light transmitting region overlaps at least a portion of the at least one first detector in a thickness direction of the light detection device, and

the at least one light shielding region overlaps at least a portion of the at least one second detector in the thickness direction.