Patent: Multi Level Sensor With Photo-Luminescent Component

[Canon Rumors Guy]

<a href="http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-camera-rumours-and-info/">Northlight Images</a> has uncovered another multi layer sensor patent from the USPTO. This one seems to show a layer of the sensor that actually emits light.</p>
<p><strong>Northlight translation of the image below:</strong></p>
<blockquote><p>Light comes in through a conventional colour filter and reaches the first conversion layer, where some of it is converted to electrons. Some light goes clean through and reaches a PL (photo-luminescent) layer where some is absorbed and re-emitted (at a different colour). This re-emitted light is detected by a second conversion layer.</p>


<p>OK, so I’ve got two output signals for each pixel – what advantage does this give? By careful choice of the compounds used (organic and inorganic) for photon detection and photon emission layers it is possible to significantly increase the dynamic range of the pixel as a whole.</p></blockquote>
<p>For the full breakdown of this one, please <a href="http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-camera-rumours-and-info/">visit Northlight Images</a>.</p>
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[KeithBreazeal]

Color night vision!
This would be a killer astrophotography sensor.
Not going to be cheap!

 

[Famateur]

But...but...Canon doesn't innovate -- especially with sensors! :-X

Seriously, though, the volume of patents Canon files -- and for some pretty amazing stuff -- is really quite impressive. Of course, the trick is bringing it to market. Still, it's evidence that Canon is not just twiddling its thumbs in the sensor wing of the R&D department.

Now, what's happening in the 50MM L IS room of the lens wing of the R&D department is another story altogether. Maybe they've got a sweet fooseball table... :-X

 

[dsut4392]

Haven't seen it in a stacked sensor (or for polychromatic, visible spectrum imaging), but x-ray sensors commonly use a scintillator rather than directly detecting x-ray photons. And scintillation counters are as old as the hills for measuring radioactivity.

 

[exquisitor]

That is an interesting idea. It wouldn't improve the high ISO performance, but definitely dramatically increase the saturation level of the pixel and, in turn, dynamic range of the pixel output.
An interesting thing would be also to try to remove the color filter from the pixel, so that the upper part of the pixel register the whole spectrum of light and delivers the luminosity information, the fluorescence layer would instead contain specific fluorophore excited only by red, green or blue light with Bayer pattern through the sensor. This way each pixel would deliver overalls luminosity information and specific color information, like normal sensor. But color sensitivity would be probably rather poor...