JP2006066596A - Imaging element, manufacturing method for colored microlens array, and image photographing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging element and an image forming device whose picture quality is deterred from decreasing, and also provide a high-productivity manufacturing method for a colored microlens array. <P>SOLUTION: The imaging element comprises a photodetecting element array composed of a plurality of photodetecting elements arrayed in two dimensions; the colored microlens array formed by dispersing and arranging a plurality of colored microlenses which are colored microlenses transmitting, and guiding only the color light beam of one color among a plurality of color light beams and transmit color light beams of a plurality of different colors respectively, on the front surface of the photodetecting element array corresponding to the photodetecting elements; and a readout circuit which outputs a color image signal obtained by photodetecting subject light transmitted through the colored microlens array by the photodetecting element array. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging device having a microlens, a manufacturing method of a colored microlens array including colored microlenses, and an image photographing apparatus that receives an object light and generates an image signal.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, technologies relating to image capturing apparatuses centering on digital cameras and various elements constituting such image capturing apparatuses have been rapidly developed. Many of such image capturing apparatuses include an image sensor such as a CCD, and the performance of these image sensors is one element that affects the image quality of a captured image. In such an image sensor, a light receiving element having a color filter that transmits only specific color light is two-dimensionally arranged in a predetermined pattern according to the type of color light on the input surface of the image sensor to which subject light is input. Thus, the image information of the subject is taken in. However, it is known that when a color filter is provided, the optical path length is increased by the thickness of the color filter layer provided with the color filter, and as a result, the image quality of the photographed image is lowered. Therefore, in order not to deteriorate the image quality of the photographed image, it is conceivable to adopt a configuration that does not require a color filter by causing any of the components of the image sensor to function as a color filter.

Although it is a field different from the field of image pickup devices and image photographing devices, it has been proposed in the field of liquid crystal image display devices that a microlens is made of a colored material and has a function of a color filter (for example, patent document). 1). In the method for forming a colored microlens array described in Patent Document 1, a concave portion serving as a microlens-shaped mold is formed by glass etching, and a colored microlens material is filled in the concave portion and subjected to heat treatment, or the microlens material A colored microlens array is formed by applying UV and irradiating with ultraviolet rays.
JP-A-8-201793

  However, the colored microlens having the function of the color filter described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed for a liquid crystal image display device such as a display. It is not clear whether it can be applied as it is to an element that is required to be precise and at the same time have high sensitivity. Further, in the method for forming a colored microlens array described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to prepare a mold in the shape of a microlens by glass etching, so that the work process is complicated, the cost is high, and the productivity is not good.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup device, an image forming apparatus, and a colored microlens array with a high productivity that suppress deterioration in image quality.

In order to achieve the above object, an image sensor of the present invention comprises:
A light receiving element array comprising a plurality of light receiving elements arranged two-dimensionally;
A plurality of colored microlenses that transmit only one color light of a plurality of color lights and guide the light onto the light receiving element, and transmit a plurality of different color light beams, are associated with the light receiving element. A colored microlens array distributed on the front surface of the light receiving element array;
And a readout circuit that outputs a color image signal obtained by receiving the subject light transmitted through the colored microlens array with the light receiving element array.

  The image pickup device of the present invention includes a colored microlens array, and can receive subject light collected by the colored microlens and output it as a color image signal without using a color filter. For this reason, the optical path length can be shortened by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the color filter layer provided with the color filter as compared with the conventional imaging device, and the deterioration of the image quality due to the presence of the color filter can be suppressed. In addition, the process of manufacturing and installing the color filter is reduced, and the manufacturing process of the image sensor can be shortened.

  In the imaging device of the present invention, the colored microlens may be a colored microlens including an organic pigment as a composition component.

  As the coloring material, a pigment or a dye can be used, but an organic pigment is preferable from the viewpoint of durability and an absorption waveform.

  In the imaging device of the present invention, the colored microlens array may be a dispersion of a plurality of colored microlenses that respectively transmit red, green, and blue light.

  By providing a colored microlens corresponding to each color light of red, green, and blue, it is possible to realize an imaging device that can output all color information of a subject as a color image signal without using a color filter.

In order to achieve the above object, a method for manufacturing an image pickup device of the present invention includes:
Dispersed and arranged on the front surface of a light receiving element array composed of a plurality of light receiving elements arranged two-dimensionally,
Production of a colored microlens array comprising a plurality of colored microlenses that transmit only one color light of a plurality of color lights and guide it onto the light receiving element, and transmit each of the different color lights. In the method
A colored sheet that transmits only one color light of the plurality of color lights is prepared for each of the plurality of color lights,
A lens forming layer made of a microlens material for forming a microlens is formed on the front surface of the light receiving element array,
Forming a convex array in which a plurality of convex portions formed as microlenses are arranged by leaving only the region corresponding to each of the light receiving elements in the lens forming layer,
A plurality of steps of laying a colored sheet that transmits any one of the plurality of color lights on the convex array and transferring the colored layer of the colored sheet to the convex corresponding to the color of the colored sheet Repeated over colored sheets of color,
The colored microlens array is formed by performing heat treatment on the convex array in a state where the colored layers are transferred to the convex sections.

  The manufacturing method of the colored microlens array of the present invention is good in productivity because the coloring of the microlens is performed using a colored sheet that can be easily mass-produced, and the cost can be reduced. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to prepare a microlens-shaped mold for coloring the microlens, and the coloring operation is easily performed by transferring the coloring sheet, the manufacturing method of the colored microlens array according to the present invention is efficient. Is good.

In order to achieve the above object, an image photographing apparatus of the present invention is an image photographing apparatus that receives subject light and generates an image signal.
A light receiving element array comprising a plurality of light receiving elements arranged two-dimensionally;
A plurality of colored microlenses that transmit only one color light of a plurality of color lights and guide the light onto the light receiving element, and transmit a plurality of different color light beams, are associated with the light receiving element. A colored microlens array distributed on the front surface of the light receiving element array;
An image pickup device comprising: a readout circuit that outputs a color image signal obtained by receiving the subject light received by the colored microlens array by the light receiving device array.

  In the image photographing apparatus of the present invention, since a colored microarray composed of colored microlenses having the function of a color filter is used for the image sensor, the subject light is received as it is without passing through the color filter and a color image signal is output. be able to. For this reason, the optical path length of the subject light is shortened by the thickness of the color filter layer provided with the color filter as compared with the conventional image forming apparatus, so that deterioration in image quality due to the presence of the color filter can be suppressed. it can. In addition, the process of manufacturing and installing the color filter is reduced, and the manufacturing process of the image capturing apparatus can be shortened.

  According to the imaging device and the image capturing device of the present invention, it is possible to suppress a decrease in image quality. Moreover, according to the manufacturing method of the colored microlens array of this invention, productivity can be improved.

[First embodiment]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of an image sensor according to the present invention will be described as a first embodiment. The image sensor of this embodiment is a CCD that is a kind of solid-state image sensor.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a CCD according to the present embodiment.

  The CCD 1 of this embodiment is roughly divided into a microlens layer 11 that collects light for each pixel when subject light indicated by a dotted line enters, and a photo that receives the collected light, converts it into an electrical signal, and outputs it. It is composed of two diode layers 12.

  The photodiode layer 12 includes a photodiode array formed by arranging photodiodes on a two-dimensional plane perpendicular to the incident direction of subject light. Furthermore, the photodiode layer 12 is provided with a readout circuit that is electrically connected to each photodiode via a circuit element such as a capacitor and outputs a color image signal obtained by receiving light with the photodiode array. .

  In the microlens layer 11, three types of colored microlenses that transmit only light in the red, blue, and green wavelength ranges are associated with individual photodiodes in a predetermined pattern according to the type. Dispersed and arranged on the front surface of the photodiode array, a colored microlens array is formed.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of one pixel of the CCD 1 will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of one pixel of the CCD of this embodiment.

  The CCD 1 has one colored microlens corresponding to one pixel. In this embodiment, an organic pigment is used as a coloring material for the colored microlens. The specific composition of the coloring material is omitted here because it will be described in a second embodiment described later. As the coloring material, a pigment or a dye can be used, but an organic pigment is preferable from the viewpoint of durability and an absorption waveform. Hereinafter, the colored microlens 20a that transmits only light in the red wavelength region will be described as an example.

  The light in the red wavelength region collected by the colored microlens 20a is received by the photodiode 23 and converted into an electric signal, and a charge including the capacitor is transferred to carry the electric signal. It is output through the transfer circuit 21A. This transfer circuit 21A is one of the components of a readout circuit described later that outputs a color image signal. The photodiode 2 and the transfer circuit 21A are supported by a support 24 made of silicon, and a colored microlens 20a is interposed on the planarizing film 22 made of polystyrene resin for flattening the support surface. Is provided.

  In the above description, the colored microlens 20a that transmits only light in the red wavelength range is described as an example. However, the pixel configuration corresponding to the colored microlens that transmits only light in the blue or green wavelength range is also a colored microlens. The configuration is the same as that of the colored microlens 20a that transmits only the light in the red wavelength range except for the difference in the wavelength range of the transmitted light.

  Next, a colored microlens array formed by connecting such a single pixel configuration will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic view including a part of a colored microlens array.

  In this figure, in order to schematically represent the colored microlens array, as an example, the colored microlens 20a, the colored microlens 20b, and the colored microlens corresponding to red (R), green (G), and blue (B), respectively. A lens 20c is shown. Except for the point that the wavelength range of the light transmitted through the colored microlens is different, these are the one-pixel configuration of the CCD 1 shown in FIG. 2, which is provided in the microlens layer 11 shown in FIG. A part of the entire colored microlens array is shown as an example. In the following, in FIG. 3, the same constituent elements as those in the drawing of FIG. 2 showing the configuration of one pixel of the CCD 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the same constituent elements are duplicated. Description is omitted.

  Under the colored microlens 20a, the colored microlens 20b, and the colored microlens 20c, a photodiode 23 corresponding to each colored microlens is provided via the planarization film 22, respectively. These three photodiodes 23 are a part of the entire photodiode array provided in the photodiode layer 12. The light in the respective wavelength bands of red, green, and blue collected by the three colored microlenses is received by the three photodiodes 23 and converted into electrical signals. In this way, the electrical signals sent from all the photodiodes 23 in the entire photodiode array are transmitted by the transfer circuit 21A, and further amplified by the amplifier 21B schematically shown apart from the three pixels in FIG. Are output as color image signals representing the subject.

Since the CCD 1 of the present embodiment can output a color image signal of a subject without using a color filter, the optical path length can be shortened by the thickness of the color filter layer provided with the color filter compared to a conventional CCD, Degradation of image quality due to the presence of the color filter can be suppressed. In addition, the process of manufacturing and installing the color filter is reduced, and the manufacturing process of the CCD can be shortened.
[Second Embodiment]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the method for producing a colored microlens array of the present invention will be described as a second embodiment. In the present embodiment, the process for forming a part of the colored microlens array shown in FIG. 3 described in the first embodiment will be described as an example to describe the method for manufacturing the colored microlens array of the present embodiment.

  First, a colored sheet for producing a colored microlens will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a transfer sheet including a colored sheet.

  In the following, the method for constructing the transfer sheet will be described by taking the transfer sheet 30a provided with the red colored sheet 3a as an example.

  First, on a polyethylene terephthalate film support 31 having a thickness of 40 μm, 40 parts by weight of ethylene-ethyl acrylate resin EVAFLEX-EEAA709 manufactured by Mitsui DuPont Polychemical Co., Ltd., 40 parts by weight of ethylene manufactured by Mitsui DuPont Polychemical Co., Ltd. A thermoplastic resin layer having a dry film thickness of 20 μm, coated with a coating liquid composed of a vinyl acetate resin Everflex 45X, 400 parts by weight of toluene, and 1 part by weight of a fluorosurfactant Megafac F177 manufactured by Dainippon Ink Co., Ltd. 32 is provided.

  Next, 30 parts by weight of Toyobo Co., Ltd. polyester resin Byron 200, 7.6 parts by weight of Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd. photopolymerization monomer DPHA, 0.1 parts by weight of the thermoplastic resin layer 32 are as follows. A coating solution consisting of photopolymerization initiator A represented by structural formula (1), 300 parts by weight of methyl ethyl ketone, and 150 parts by weight of methyl cellosolve acetate is applied and dried to form a photosensitive layer 33 having a dry film thickness of 2 μm. Form.

  Further, a colored layer coating solution for a red (R) layer having the formulation shown in Table 1 (unit: part by weight) is applied on the photosensitive layer 33 and dried, and the red colored layer 34a having a dry film thickness of 1.5 μm is dried. Form. In this manner, a red colored sheet 3a composed of the polyethylene terephthalate film support 31, the thermoplastic resin layer 32, the photosensitive layer 33, and the red colored layer 34a is produced.

  Furthermore, in order to protect the red colored sheet 3a, a transfer sheet 30a is completed by pressure-bonding a covering sheet 35 having a thickness of 12 μm containing polypropylene as a composition component on the colored layer 34.

  In the above, the method of constructing the transfer sheet 30a provided with the red colored sheet 3a has been described as an example. However, the coloring material of the red colored layer 34a is formulated as shown in Table 1 below (unit: parts by weight). Is replaced with a colored layer coating solution for the green (G) layer and the blue (B) layer, respectively, thereby forming a green colored sheet 3b and a blue colored sheet 3c, and a transfer sheet is produced for each. Is done.

  Next, a method of manufacturing a part of the colored microlens array shown in FIG. 3 using the three types of colored sheets 3a, colored sheets 3b, and colored sheets 3c described in FIG. 4 will be described. 5 to 11 used in the following, the same components as those in the drawing of a part of the colored microlens array shown in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the same components are described. A duplicate description is omitted.

  First, a lens forming layer that is a basis for forming a colored microlens array will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a lens forming layer is provided on a support.

  A specific process and composition for forming the lens forming layer 25 shown in this figure will be described. First, a planarizing film 22 having a thickness of 1 μm is formed by spin-coating polystyrene resin on the surface of an 8-inch support 24 made of silicon, which includes the photodiode 23 and the readout circuit 21. Originally, the surface of the support 24 has unevenness and is not flat, but the surface is flattened by the flattening film 22. A polyglycidyl methacrylate resin containing a benzophenone derivative is applied as a photosensitive lens material on the planarizing film 22 to provide a lens forming layer 25 having a thickness of 3 μm. The above is the description of the lens forming layer 25.

  Next, after pre-baking the lens forming layer 25 shown in FIG. 5 at 130 ° C., the lens forming layer other than the lens forming layer on the photodiode is exposed and developed using a photomask to remove the photodiode. A convex array composed of the convex lens forming layer 25 is formed.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the convex array.

  Next, a process of transferring the red coloring sheet 3a, the green coloring sheet 3b, and the blue coloring sheet 3c described with reference to FIG. 4 to the convex lens forming layer 25 shown in FIG. 6 will be described. Below, the process of transferring the red coloring sheet 3a will be described as an example.

First, the lens forming layer 25 shown in FIG. 6 is washed, immersed in a 1% aqueous solution of a silane coupling agent KBM-603 manufactured by Shinsei Chemical for 3 minutes, and then washed with pure water for 30 seconds to remove excess silane coupling agent. Rinse off and dry in an oven at 110 ° C. for 20 minutes. The covering sheet 35 is peeled off from the transfer sheet 3A provided with the red colored sheet 3a, and the red colored layer 34a shown in FIG. 4 and the convex-shaped lens forming layer 25 subjected to the silane coupling treatment are in contact with each other. Using a laminator, the red coloring sheet 3 and the convex lens forming layer 25 are bonded together at 110 ° C. Further, the bonded red coloring sheet 3a is exposed using ultraviolet rays of 20 mj / cm ² and 360 nm except for the convex-shaped lens forming layer 25 located at a predetermined position through a photomask.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a state in which a colored sheet is bonded onto the convex lens forming layer 25 and exposed.

  In this figure, a red colored sheet 3A indicated by diagonal lines from upper left to lower right represents an exposed portion of the red colored sheet 3a. This exposed portion 3A is developed and peeled off, leaving only the unexposed red colored sheet 3a indicated by the symbol “R” located on the convex lens forming layer 25, thereby coloring red. The process of transferring the sheet 3a onto the convex lens forming layer 25 located at a predetermined position is completed.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the red coloring sheet is transferred to the convex lens-forming layer.

Subsequently, the green colored sheet 3b is bonded onto the convex lens-forming layer to which the red colored sheet 3a is transferred using the same method as in FIG. Further, exposure is performed using ultraviolet rays of 20 mj / cm ² and 360 nm except for the lens-forming layer 25 having a convex shape located at a predetermined position through a photomask.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a state in which a green colored sheet is bonded to the lens-forming layer having a convex shape onto which the red colored sheet shown in FIG. 8 is transferred and exposed.

  In this figure, a green colored sheet 3B indicated by diagonal lines from upper left to lower right represents an exposed portion of the green colored sheet 3b. The exposed portion 3A is developed and peeled, and only the unexposed green colored sheet 3b indicated by the symbol "G" is located on the convex-shaped lens forming layer 25, and the convex portion is located at a predetermined position. The green colored sheet 3b is transferred onto the lens forming layer 25 having a shape.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a red coloring sheet and a green coloring sheet are transferred.

  A similar process is performed using the blue colored sheet 3c, and any one of the red, green, and blue colored sheets is transferred to a predetermined position on all the convex-shaped lens forming layers.

  FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which colored sheets of red, green, and blue are transferred to the convex lens forming layer.

  The three types of colored microlenses shown in FIG. 3 are formed by performing an annealing process on the convex-shaped lens forming layer to which all three types of colored sheets shown in FIG. 11 are transferred. The colored microlens completed after the annealing treatment has a microlens diameter of 2.5 μm.

  The above description has been made by taking as an example the process of forming a part of the colored microlens array shown in FIG. 3, but the same process is performed on the entire colored microlens array, thereby producing the colored microlens array of the present embodiment. Is executed.

The manufacturing method of such a colored microlens array is good in productivity because the coloring of the microlens is performed using a colored sheet that is easy to mass-produce. Since work is performed, work efficiency is good.
[Third embodiment]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of an image photographing apparatus of the present invention will be described as a third embodiment. The image capturing apparatus according to the present embodiment is a digital camera including the CCD 1 described in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 12 is an external perspective view of a digital camera, which is an embodiment of the image capturing apparatus of the present invention, as seen from diagonally above the front.

  As shown in FIG. 12, a photographing lens 101 is provided at the center of the front surface of the digital camera 100. Further, an optical viewfinder objective window 102 and an auxiliary light emitting unit 103 are provided on the upper front of the digital camera 100. Further, a slide-type power switch 104 and a release switch 150 are provided on the upper surface of the digital camera 100.

  FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration diagram of a digital camera including a colored microlens array.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the breakdown of the digital camera 100 of this embodiment is roughly divided into a photographing optical system 110A and a signal processing unit 120. In addition, an image display unit 130 for displaying captured images and an external recording medium 140 for recording the captured image signals are provided. A zoom switch 170, a shooting mode switch 160, and a release switch 150 are also provided for causing the digital camera 100 to perform processing for shooting.

  First, the configuration of the photographing optical system 110 will be described with reference to FIG. In the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment, subject light enters from the left side of FIG. 13 and forms an image on the CCD 1 when the shutter 112 is opened through the zoom lens 115 and the focus lens 114. The configuration of the CCD 1 is the same as that of the CCD 1 having the colored microlens described in the first embodiment, and redundant description is omitted. By including the CCD 1 using the colored microarray composed of colored microlenses having such a color filter function, the digital camera of the present embodiment receives the subject light as it is without passing through the color filter. Compared with a digital camera equipped with a conventional CCD, the image signal can be output, and the optical path length can be shortened by the thickness of the color filter layer provided with the color filter. Can be suppressed. Furthermore, the digital camera of this embodiment can reduce the manufacturing process of the digital camera because the manufacturing process and the installation process of the color filter are reduced.

  In addition, a plurality of lenses are originally provided in the photographing optical system, and at least one of the plurality of lenses is greatly involved in the focus adjustment, and the relative position of the plurality of lenses is involved in the focal length. In FIG. 13, a lens related to a change in focal length is schematically shown as a zoom lens 115, and a lens related to focus adjustment is also shown schematically as a focus lens 114. Each of the zoom lens 115 and the focus lens 114 can be moved based on a signal from a signal processing unit 120 described later, and both the zoom lens 115 and the focus lens 114 are converted into signals from the signal processing unit 120. Based on this, it is arranged at each position. The zoom lens 115, the focus lens 114, and the shutter 112 are driven and moved by the zoom motor 115a, the focus motor 114a, and the shutter motor 112a, respectively. Instructions for operating the zoom motor 115a, the focus motor 114a, and the shutter motor 112a are transmitted from the digital signal processing unit 120b in the signal processing unit 120 through the motor driver 120c.

  The focus lens 114 is moved back and forth in the optical axis direction when a TTLAF (Through The Lens Auto Focus) function of the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment is operated, and focus adjustment is performed by the TTLAF function. With the TTLAF function, the contrast of the object scene that changes by moving the focus lens 114 from the position corresponding to the farthest point of the subject distance to the position corresponding to the closest point of the subject distance is described later. The focus lens 114 is adjusted to the focus position with the position where the contrast peak can be obtained as detected by the AF / AE calculation unit 126. The zoom lens 115 moves in the optical axis direction and determines the photographing magnification.

  The above is the configuration of the photographing optical system 110.

  Next, the configuration of the signal processing unit 120 will be described. The subject image formed on the CCD 1 by the photographing optical system is read as an image signal to the analog processing (A / D) unit 120a, and the analog signal is converted into a digital signal by the analog processing unit (A / D) 120a. The signal is supplied to the signal processing unit 120b. A system controller 121 is provided in the digital signal processing unit 120b, and signal processing in the digital signal processing unit 120b is performed in accordance with a program showing an operation procedure in the system controller 121. Data between the system controller 121 and the image signal processing unit 122, image display control unit 123, image compression unit 124, media controller 125, AF / AE calculation unit 126, key controller 127, buffer memory 128, and internal memory 129 Is transferred via the bus 1200, and the internal memory 129 serves as a buffer when data is transferred via the bus 1200. Data serving as variables is written to the internal memory 129 as needed according to the progress of the processing process of each unit, and the system controller 121, the image signal processing unit 122, the image display control unit 123, the image compression unit 124, and the media controller 125 are written. The AF / AE calculation unit 126 and the key controller 127 perform appropriate processing by referring to the data. That is, an instruction from the system controller 121 is transmitted to each of the above units via the bus 1200, and a processing process of each unit is started. Then, the data in the internal memory 129 is rewritten in accordance with the progress of the process, and is further referred to on the system controller 121 side to manage the operation of each unit described above. In other words, the power is turned on, and the process of each unit is started according to the procedure of the program in the system controller 121. For example, when the release switch 150, zoom switch, and shooting mode switch are operated, information indicating that the switch has been operated is transmitted to the system controller 121 via the key controller 127, and processing corresponding to the operation is performed by the system controller. This is performed according to the program procedure in 121.

  When a release operation is performed, the image data read from the CCD 1 is converted from an analog signal to a digital signal by an analog processing (A / D) unit 120a, and the digitized image data is stored in the digital signal processing unit 120b. Are once stored in the buffer memory 128 of the memory. The RGB signal of the digitized image data is converted into a YC signal by the image signal processing unit 122, and further compression called JPEG compression is performed by the image compression unit 124 so that the image signal becomes an image file and the media controller 125 is set. To the external recording medium 140. The image data recorded as the image file is reproduced on the image display unit 130 through the image display control unit 123. In this processing, the AF / AE calculation unit performs the focus adjustment and the exposure adjustment based on the RGB signals. The AF / AE calculation unit 126 detects the contrast for each subject distance from the RGB signals for focus adjustment. Based on the detection result, the focus lens 114 is placed at the focus position by a drive mechanism that drives the focus lens 114. The AF / AE calculation unit extracts a luminance signal from the RGB signal, and detects the field luminance therefrom.

  The above is description of each embodiment of the image pick-up element of this invention, the manufacturing method of a coloring micro lens array, and an imaging device.

  In the colored microlenses employed in the first to third embodiments, the organic pigments shown in Table 1 were used. However, the imaging device of the present invention, the manufacturing method of the colored microlens array, and the image capturing device are organic. Examples of pigments include azo pigments, phthalocyanine pigments, quinacridone pigments, isoindolinone pigments, selenium pigments, perylene pigments, perinone pigments, dioxazine pigments, quinophthalone pigments, diketopyrrolopyrrole pigments, thioindigo pigments, indigo pigments and fluorescent pigments. Also good. Particularly preferred are azo pigments, phthalocyanine pigments, quinacridone pigments, perylene pigments, diketopyrrolopyrrole pigments, thioindigo pigments, indigo pigments, and quinophthalone pigments.

  Here, the basic embodiment for realizing the concept of the present invention has been described above. However, when the colored microlens employed in the present invention is put into practical use, dust, water droplets, or the like adhere to the optical path. In order to prevent the problem that the lens performance deteriorates, it is preferable to provide a light-transmitting protective film on the outer surface of the colored microlens.

  Specifically, for example, the protective film is preferably a water repellent film. By providing a water-repellent film on the outer surface of the colored microlens, adhesion of dust and water droplets can be prevented, and high light transmittance of the telescopic lens can be maintained. The material constituting the water-repellent film is preferably a silicone resin, an organopolysiloxane block copolymer, a fluorine-based polymer, or polytetrafluoroethane.

  The protective film preferably contains a photocatalyst such as titanium oxide. Dirt is decomposed by the photocatalyst that reacts with light, and the light transmission surface can be kept clean.

  Further, an antifouling material may be applied as a composition component of the protective film. As the antifouling material, a fluororesin is preferable, but specifically, a fluorine-containing alkylalkoxysilane compound, a fluorine-containing alkyl group-containing polymer, an oligomer, or the like is preferable, and has a functional group capable of crosslinking with the curable resin. Is particularly preferred. Moreover, it is preferable that the addition amount of antifouling | stain-proof material is a required minimum amount which expresses antifouling property.

It is a schematic sectional drawing of CCD of this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of 1 pixel of CCD of this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram containing a part of colored microlens array. It is the schematic showing the structure of the sheet | seat for transfer provided with the colored sheet. It is a schematic diagram showing the state by which the lens formation layer is provided on the support body. It is the figure which represented the convex part array typically. It is a schematic diagram showing the state which bonded and exposed the coloring sheet | seat on the convex-shaped lens formation layer 25. FIG. It is a schematic diagram showing a mode that the red coloring sheet was transcribe | transferred to the convex-shaped lens formation layer. It is a schematic diagram showing the state which bonded and exposed the green coloring sheet on the convex-shaped lens formation layer to which the red coloring sheet shown in FIG. 8 was transcribe | transferred. It is a schematic diagram showing a mode that the red coloring sheet and the green coloring sheet were transferred. It is a schematic diagram showing a mode that the red, green, and blue coloring sheet | seat was transcribe | transferred to the convex-shaped lens formation layer. It is the external appearance perspective view which looked at the digital camera which is one Embodiment of the imaging device of this invention from the front diagonally upward. It is a schematic block diagram of the digital camera provided with the coloring micro lens array.

Explanation of symbols

1 CCD
11 Microlens layer 12 Photodiode layers 20a, 20b, 20c Colored microlens 21 Read circuit 21A Transfer circuit 21B Amplifier 22 Planarization film 23 Photodiode 24 Support 25 Lens formation layer 3a Red colored sheet 3b Green colored sheet 3c Blue Colored sheet 30a Transfer sheet 31 Polyethylene terephthalate film support 32 Thermoplastic resin layer 33 Photosensitive layer 34a Red colored layer 34b Green colored layer 34c Blue colored layer 100 Digital camera 101 Shooting lens 102 Optical viewfinder objective window 103 Auxiliary Light emitting unit 104 Power switch 110 Imaging optical system 111 Image sensor unit 112 Shutter 112a Shutter motor 114 Focus lens 114a Focus motor 115 Zoom lens 115a Zoom motor 120 Signal processing unit 20a Analog processing (A / D) section 120b Digital signal processing section 120c Motor driver 121 System controller 122 Image signal processing section 123 Image display control section 124 Image compression section 125 Media controller 126 AF / AE calculation section 127 Key controller 128 Buffer memory 129 Internal memory 1200 Bus 130 Image display unit 140 External recording medium 150 Release switch 160 Shooting mode switch 170 Zoom switch

Claims (5)

A light receiving element array comprising a plurality of light receiving elements arranged two-dimensionally;
A plurality of colored microlenses that transmit only one color light of a plurality of color lights and guide the light onto the light receiving element, and transmit a plurality of different color light colors, are associated with the light receiving element. A colored microlens array distributed on the front surface of the light receiving element array;
An imaging device comprising: a readout circuit that outputs a color image signal obtained by receiving subject light transmitted through the colored microlens array by the light receiving device array.   The imaging element according to claim 1, wherein the colored microlens is a colored microlens containing an organic pigment as a composition component.   2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the colored microlens array includes a plurality of colored microlenses that transmit red, green, and blue light in a dispersed manner. Dispersed and arranged on the front surface of a light receiving element array composed of a plurality of light receiving elements arranged two-dimensionally,
Production of a colored microlens array composed of a plurality of colored microlenses that transmit only one color light of a plurality of color lights and guide it onto the light receiving element, and transmit each of different color light beams. In the method
A colored sheet that transmits only one color light of the plurality of color lights is prepared for each of the plurality of color lights,
Forming a lens forming layer made of a microlens material for forming a microlens on the front surface of the light receiving element array;
Forming a convex array in which a plurality of convex portions formed as microlenses are arranged by leaving only the region corresponding to each of the light receiving elements in the lens forming layer,
A plurality of steps of laying a colored sheet that transmits any one of the plurality of colored lights on the convex array and transferring the colored layer of the colored sheet to the convex corresponding to the color of the colored sheet Repeated over colored sheets of color,
A method for producing a colored microlens array, wherein the colored microlens array is formed by performing heat treatment on a convex array in a state where each colored layer is transferred to each convex portion. In an image capturing device that receives subject light and generates an image signal,
A light receiving element array comprising a plurality of light receiving elements arranged two-dimensionally;
A plurality of colored microlenses that transmit only one color light of a plurality of color lights and guide the light onto the light receiving element, and transmit a plurality of different color light colors, are associated with the light receiving element. A colored microlens array distributed on the front surface of the light receiving element array;
An image photographing apparatus comprising: an image pickup device including a reading circuit that outputs a color image signal obtained by receiving the subject light received by the colored microlens array by the light receiving device array.

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