Solid-state imaging device equipped with light converging micro-lenses and camera apparatus using the same

Abstract

A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photo receivers arranged in a two-dimensional array on a semiconductor substrate, the photo receivers receiving exit light from an imaging optical system; and a plurality of condensing lenses arranged over the said plurality of photo receivers, respectively. At least either the plurality of condensing lenses or the plurality of photo receivers are arranged at smaller pitches where an absolute value of an exit pupil position in the imaging optical system is large and at greater pitches where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is small.

1 . A solid-state imaging device comprising: 
 a plurality of photo receivers arranged in a two-dimensional array on a semiconductor substrate, the photo receivers receiving exit light from an imaging optical system; and    a plurality of condensing lenses arranged over the said plurality of photo receivers, respectively, wherein    at least either said plurality of condensing lenses or said plurality of photo receivers are arranged at smaller pitches where an absolute value of an exit pupil position in the imaging optical system is large and at greater pitches where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is small.    
   
   
       2 . A solid-state imaging device according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said plurality of photo receivers are arranged at equal pitches, and said plurality of condensing lenses are arranged at smaller pitches where the absolute value of the exit pupil position in the imaging optical system is large and at greater pitches where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is small.    
   
   
       3 . A solid-state imaging device according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said plurality of condensing lenses are arranged at smaller pitches than the pitch of said plurality of photo receivers where the absolute value of the exit pupil position in the imaging optical system is large and at greater pitches than the pitch of said plurality of photo receivers where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is small.    
   
   
       4 . A solid-state imaging device according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 said plurality of condensing lenses are arranged depending on a displacement amount between a position of each condensing lens where the exit light from the imaging optical system is incident and a position of its corresponding photo receiver where the exit light from the imaging optical system is incident, the displacement amount being calculated from the dependency on an image height of an angle of transmittance of the light emitted from the imaging optical system.    
   
   
       5 . A solid-state imaging device according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said plurality of condensing lenses are arranged at equal pitches, and said plurality of photo receivers are arranged at smaller pitches where the absolute value of the exit pupil position in the imaging optical system is large and at greater pitches where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is small.    
   
   
       6 . A solid-state imaging device according to  claim 5 , wherein 
 said plurality of photo receivers are arranged at smaller pitches than the pitch of said plurality of condensing lenses where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is large and at greater pitches than the pitch of said plurality of condensing lenses where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is small.    
   
   
       7 . A solid-state imaging device according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 said plurality of photo receivers are arranged depending on a displacement amount between a position of each condensing lens where the exit light from the imaging optical system is incident and a position of its corresponding photo receiver where the exit light from the imaging optical system is incident, the displacement amount being calculated from the dependency on an image height of an angle of transmittance of the light emitted from the imaging optical system.    
   
   
       8 . A solid-state imaging device according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the imaging optical system has a lens characteristic deviated from the paraxial ray approximation such that an angle of incidence of chief-ray is increased as an image height becomes high and then, the angle of incidence of chief-ray is decreased.    
   
   
       9 . A camera apparatus comprising: 
 a solid-state imaging device including a plurality of photo receivers arranged in a two-dimensional array on a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of condensing lenses arranged over said plurality of photo receivers, respectively; and    an imaging optical system which emits incident light received on said plurality of photo receivers via said plurality of condensing lenses, respectively, wherein    at least either said plurality of condensing lenses or said plurality of photo receivers are arranged at smaller pitches where an absolute value of an exit pupil position in the imaging optical system is large and at greater pitches where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is small.    
   
   
       10 . A camera apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 said plurality of photo receivers are arranged at equal pitches, and said plurality of condensing lenses are arranged at smaller pitches where the absolute value of the exit pupil position in the imaging optical system is large and at greater pitches where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is small.    
   
   
       11 . A camera apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 said plurality of condensing lenses are arranged at smaller pitches than the pitch of said plurality of photo receivers where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is large and at greater pitches than the pitch of said plurality of photo receivers where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is small.    
   
   
       12 . A camera apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 said plurality of condensing lenses are arranged depending on a displacement amount between a position of each condensing lens where the exit light from the imaging optical system is incident and a position of its corresponding photo receiver where the exit light from the imaging optical system is incident, the displacement amount being calculated from the dependency on an image height of an angle of transmittance of the light emitted from the imaging optical system.    
   
   
       13 . A camera apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 said plurality of condensing lenses are arranged at equal pitches, and said plurality of photo receivers are arranged at smaller pitches where the absolute value of the exit pupil position in the imaging optical system is large and at greater pitches where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is small.    
   
   
       14 . A camera apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein 
 said plurality of photo receivers are arranged at smaller pitches than the pitch of said plurality of condensing lenses where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is large and at greater pitches than the pitch of said plurality of condensing lenses where the absolute value of the exit pupil position is small.    
   
   
       15 . A camera apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 said plurality of photo receivers are arranged depending on a displacement amount between a position of each condensing lens where the exit light from the imaging optical system is incident and a position of its corresponding photo receiver where the exit light from the imaging optical system is incident, the displacement amount being calculated from the dependency on an image height of an angle of transmittance of the light emitted from the imaging optical system.    
   
   
       16 . A camera apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 the imaging optical system has a lens characteristic deviated from the paraxial ray approximation such that an angle of incidence of chief-ray is increased as an image height becomes high and then, the angle of incidence of chief-ray is decreased.