Infrared light detecting apparatus and detecting method thereof

An infrared light detecting device and the infrared detecting method thereof. The device comprises a shield, a first photo detector and a second photo detector. The shield for blocking light is located above the first photo detector and the second photo detector. An opening is disposed on the shield above the first photo detector. In addition, there is a gap arranged between the first photo detector and the second photo detector. The first photo detector can detect the light passing through the opening to generate a photo sensing signal and couple an infrared light signal in the photo sensing signal to the second photo detector in order to output the infrared light signal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a photo-sensing device, and more particularly to an infrared light detecting apparatus and the detecting method thereof capable of effectively detecting infrared light having longer wavelength in light.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, optical sensors applications become very popular in electronic products. For example, ambient light sensors (ALS), proximity sensors and color RGB sensors are applied to smart phones, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, liquid crystal displayer (LCD), plasma TVs, optical analyzers, lights, ATM machines and Kiosh stations that need to detect specific light sources.

Taking the ambient light sensors applied to the smart phone for example, the ambient light sensor can detect the ambient light around the smart phone to allow the smart phone to adjust the brightness of the display in accordance with the intensity of ambient light, thereby extending the standby time of the smart phone. However, the light emitted by the light sources, such as incandescent lamps, sunlight or halogen lamps, often contains a very strong infrared portions having longer wavelength. Consequently, even the most sophicated ambient light sensor system may suffer noise problem contributed by the infrared light, which reduces the accuracy thereof. Similarly, other light sensor systems may also suffer from the same infrared noise. Therefore, designing an effective infrared light detecting apparatus, which operates as a correction or cancellation factor for the optical sensing system, and easily integrated with other mainstream integrated circuit manufacturing process like CMOS, is an important issue that needs to be overcome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor(s) of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments, and finally developed an infrared light detecting apparatus and the detecting method thereof as a principle objective to improve the accuracy of a photo sensing system in prior arts.

To achieve the foregoing objective of the present invention, an infrared light detecting apparatus is disclosed and comprises a shield for blocking light; at least one first photo detector located below the shield, and an opening being disposed on the shield at the position corresponding to the at least one first photo detector; and at least one second photo detector located below the shield, the at least one first photo detector collecting light passing through the opening to generate a photo sensing signal, and partially couples the photo sensing signal to the at least one second photo detector.

Preferably, a gap is further arranged between the at least one first photo detector and the at least one second photo detector, in which the coupling visible and infrared wavelengths of the partially coupled photo sensing signal to the at least one first photo detector is varied according to a distance of the gap.

Preferably, the opening is smaller than an area of the at least one first photo detector.

Preferably, the shape of the opening is a cross, a circle, a triangle, a rectangle or a polygon.

Preferably, the at least one first photo detector and the at least one second photo detector can be disposed on the same plane.

Preferably, the at least one first photo detector can be disposed above or on the at least one second photo detector.

Preferably, the material of the shield comprises aluminum, copper, polysilicon or a black polymer dielectric layer.

To achieve the foregoing objective of the present invention, an infrared detecting method is further provided and comprises the following steps of: utilizing at least one first photo detector to collect light passing through an opening of a shield above the at least one first photo detector to generate a photo sensing signal; partially coupling the photo sensing signal to the at least one second photo detector from the at least one first photo detector; and outputting the partially coupled photo sensing signal through the at least one second photo detector.

Preferably, the detecting method further comprises the following steps of: regulating the distance of the gap arranged between the at least one first photo detector and the at least one second photo detector to change the coupling visible and infrared wavelengths of the partially coupled photo sensing signal from the at least one first photo detector.

Preferably, the opening is smaller than an area of the at least one first photo detector.

Preferably, the shape of the opening is a cross, a circle, a triangle, a rectangle or a polygon.

Preferably, the at least one first photo detector and the at least one second photo detector may be disposed on the same plane.

Preferably, the at least one first photo detector may be disposed above or on the at least one second photo detector.

Preferably, the material of the shield comprises aluminum, copper, polysilicon or a black polymer dielectric layer.

Preferably, the first photo detector and the second photo detector are photo diodes.

The infrared light detecting apparatus and the detecting method thereof of the present invention may have one or more advantages as the following:(1) The infrared light detecting apparatus and the detecting method thereof of the present invention can be easily integrated with mainstream integrated circuit manufacturing processes like CMOS or BiCMOS, and therefore highly practicable.(2) The infrared light detecting apparatus and the detecting method can effectively detect the infrared portions of light having longer wavelength and could therefore serve as a correction factor to cancel infrared noise sensed by a photo sensing system to enhance the accuracy thereof.(3) The infrared light detecting apparatus and the detecting method thereof can change the coupling visible and infrared wavelengths of the partially coupled photo sensing signal to the second photo detector by regulating the distance of the gap, thereby having greater flexibility.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The foregoing and other technical characteristics of the present invention will be clearly described with the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the illustration of the related drawings.

The infrared light detecting apparatus of the present invention can be utilized for sensing various light sources with infrared lights, such as the light generated by incandescent lamps or halogen lamps, or, sunlight. By integrating the present invention with ordinary ambient light sensors (ALS), proximity sensors or color RGB sensors, the accuracy of light detection system can be improved. The infrared light detecting apparatus of the present invention can be applied to smart phones, desktop computers, laptops, tablet computers, liquid crystal displayer (LCD), plasma TV, optical analyzers, lights, ATM machines and Kiosh stations and other electronic devices having the need of detecting specific light sources.

Please refer toFIG. 1, which is a block diagram of an infrared light detecting apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the infrared light detecting apparatus1comprises a shield11, a first photo detector12, a second photo detector13and a gap14. The first photo detector12and the second photo detector13may be photo sensing elements such as photo diodes. The shield11is used for blocking the light beam, and the material may include aluminum, copper, polysilicon or black polymer dielectric layers capable of effectively blocking visible light and infrared light.

The first photo detector12is designed to be partially shielded, and an opening111is disposed on the shield11at a position corresponding to the first photo detector12. Generally, the opening111is smaller than the area occupied by the first photo detector12. The sizes of the opening111and the first photo detector12can be regulated upon actual applications. The light beam emitted by the light source10may pass through the opening11, so that the first photo detector12generates a photo sensing signal121. In the meantime, a portion of the photo sensing signal121would be coupled to the second photo detector13, which will be referred to as the partially coupled signal122hereafter. The second photo detector13is designed to be fully shielded by the shield11, and therefore there is no opening disposed on the shield11at the position corresponding to the second photo detector13. Therefore, the photo signals sensed by the second photo detector13are completely contributed by coupling from the first photo detector12.

It should be noted the light signals with longer wavelength (IR), such as 900 nm, have a typical longer penetrate depth of more than 10 μm in to the silicon substrates. And therefore, the IR generated photocurrent has significant coupling to the fully shielded photo detector, e.g., the second photo detector13. To the contrary, light signals with shorter wavelength (less than 650 nm) have sallower penetration depth of 3.3 μm, such that the generated photocurrent thereby remains closer to the surface region of the silicon substrates. Therefore, the photocurrent generated by light signals with shorter wavelength has insignificant coupling to the fully shielded photo detector. And therefore, the present invention uses the differences of the optical penetration depth capabilities on the silicon substrate between lights with different wavelength as the principle to design the photo sensing device, such that the photo sensing device can provide both IR and radiometric photocurrents to improve the ambient light and RGB color sensing accuracy under various light sources. In the photo sensing device in accordance with the present invention, the signals generated by the partially shielded sensor are used as the radiometric reference signal and the fully shielded photo detector collects the infrared photocurrent, and thereby the system is able to differentiate light sources with strong IR components.

Additionally, the infrared light detecting apparatus1can change the coupling visible and infrared wavelengths of partially coupled signal122coupled to the second photo detector13by regulating the distance of the gap14between the first photo detector12and the second photo detector13. The shorter the distance of the gap14, the bigger the coupling visible and infrared wavelengths of the partially coupled signal122would be. On the other hand, the longer the distance of the gap14, the smaller the coupling visible and infrared wavelengths of partially coupled signal122would be.

The infrared light detecting apparatus1of the present invention can effectively detect the infrared portions having longer wavelength of light. Further, the coupling visible and infrared wavelengths of the partially coupled signal122can be controlled by regulating the distance of the gap14, thereby meeting various demands. The infrared light detecting apparatus1of the present invention can be integrated with ambient light sensors and color sensors to calibrate the infrared noise detected thereby, or can be independently used to detect the infrared portions with longer wavelength in light.

Please refer toFIG. 2, in which a schematic diagram of an infrared light detecting apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention is depicted. The infrared light detecting apparatus2of the present invention is integrated into with the mainstream CMOS (metal oxide semiconductor) element23. The shield24above the photo diode21is disposed with an opening25that allows the light to pass therethrough. On the other hand, the shield24above the photo diode22can completely block the light. The photo diode21can detect light through the opening25on the shield24and generate the photo sensing signal. The infrared portion having longer wavelength in light of the photo sensing signal is then coupled to the photo diode22. With the specific design of the infrared light detecting apparatus2, ordinary photo diodes can be taken as sensing elements such that the elements can be easily integrated into on-chip CMOS or BICMOS signal processing solution, so as to effectively reduce the production costs.

With reference toFIG. 3, in which a schematic diagram of an infrared light detecting apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention is depicted. In the embodiment, the infrared light detecting apparatus3of the present invention is integrated with ambient light sensors38and39. The photo diodes32and33are completely shielded and the photo diode31adapts a design of partial shielding. The photo diodes32and33are apart from the photo diode31through respective gaps35and36. Of course, in actual practice, the distance of the gaps35and36can be adjusted to change the coupling visible and infrared wavelengths of the photo sensing signals being able to be coupled to the photo diodes32and33, thereby meeting different design requirements. The photo diode31detects the radiometric light signal passing through a cross opening37disposed on the shield34and partially couples the photo sensing signals to the photo diodes32and33. The shapes of the opening37and the photo diode31can be modified in accordance with demands of actual implementation. In the embodiment, the shape of the opening37is a cross in which the area is smaller than the photo diode31. The shape of the opening can be differently designed in accordance with the shape of the photo diode31, and can be other shapes such as a circle, a triangle, a rectangle or a polygon. In addition, the numbers of the partially shielded photo diode31and the completely shielded photo diodes32and33can also be adjusted in accordance with actual demands, without any limitations.

With reference toFIG. 4, in which a schematic diagram of an infrared light detecting apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is depicted. As shown the figure, the infrared light detecting apparatus3is integrated with the ambient light sensors42and43. UnlikeFIG. 3, in this embodiment, the opening41of the infrared light detecting apparatus4is a rectangular design, and the position of the photo diode is also different.

With reference toFIG. 5, in which a schematic diagram of an infrared light detecting apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is depicted. As shown in the figure, the infrared light detecting apparatus5of the present invention is integrated with multi-color RGB sensor56with Fabry-Perot filters. The photo diode52is completely shielded, and the photo diode51is partially shielded. The opening53disposed on the shield54and the photo diode51are cross in shape. The photo diodes51and52are disposed on two sides of a gap55. The multi-color RGB sensor56can sense light having three different wavelength ranges.

With reference toFIG. 6, in which spectrograms of light sources of an incandescent lamp and a halogen lamp are depicted. As shown in the figure, the halogen lamp and the incandescent lamp also contain infrared portions in which the wavelength is above 700 nm. Therefore, when the multi-color RGB sensor56detects the incandescent lamp and the halogen lamp, much unnecessary noise may be simultaneously detected to cause the detection error.

With reference toFIG. 7A, in which a spectrogram of the color sensor of the infrared light detecting apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention is depicted. As shown in the figure, when the multi-color RGB sensor56detects the incandescent lamp, a noise7may be generated in addition to a normal sensing signal, and which is mainly contributed by the infrared light signal having 700 nm wavelength. To filter the unnecessary infrared noise7, the infrared signal must be detected and then cancelled.

With reference toFIG. 7B, in which a spectrum response diagram of an infrared light detecting apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is depicted. In the figure, the photo diode51that is partially shielded can sense the photo sensing signal having a wide spectrum. Therefore, its spectrum response curve71comprises signals spreading across a wide range of wavelengths (400 nm to 1000 nm). Since the photo diode51that is partially shielded couples the infrared signal having above 900 nm wavelength in the sensed photo sensing signal to the photo diode52that is completely shielded, the spectrum response curved72of the photo diode52merely contains the infrared signal having above 900 nm wavelength. The infrared light detecting apparatus5of the present invention can actually detect the infrared light having longer wavelength to eliminate noise detected by the ambient light sensor and the multi-color RGB sensor, thereby enhancing the accuracy.

With reference toFIG. 8, in which a circuit diagram of an infrared light detecting apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is depicted. As shown in the figure, the infrared light detecting apparatus5of the present invention transmits the sensed photo sensing signal to an analog front end AMP82. After processing with the analog front end AMP82, the signals are transmitted to a digital signal processing circuit83. The multi-color RGB sensor56also transmits the sensed photo sensing signal to the analog front end AMP81. After processing with the analog front end AMP81, the signals then are transmitted to the digital signal processing circuit83. In the meantime, the digital signal processing circuit83eliminates the noise of the photo sensing signal having above 700 nm wavelength sensed by the multi-color RGB sensor56of the infrared light detecting apparatus5and then outputs the processed photo sensing signal through a digital-to-analog converter84. Accordingly, the sensing accuracy of the multi-color RGB sensor56can be effectively improved.

With reference toFIG. 9AandFIG. 9B, in which circuit configuration diagrams of an infrared light detecting apparatus according to the present invention are depicted. InFIG. 9A, the photo diode91that is partially shielded and the photo diode92that is completely shielded are arranged on the same plane below the shield94. Similarly, a gap93is arranged between the diodes. InFIG. 9B, a photo diode95that is partially shielded is disposed below the shield97. A photo diode96that is completely shielded is disposed below the photo diode95. A gap is also disposed between the photo diodes95and96. The foregoing two manners are frequently seen and better configuration manners. The present invention may also have other configuration manners in addition to the foregoing two configuration manners and can be configured upon the demand of actual application.

A concept of infrared detecting method has been depicted while depicting the infrared light detecting apparatus of the present invention. To clearly depict the concept, the present invention also shows a flowchart regarding the infrared detecting method.

With reference toFIG. 10, in which a flowchart of an infrared detecting method according to the present invention is depicted. As shown the figure, the infrared detecting method of the present invention is applied to an infrared light detecting apparatus. The infrared light detecting apparatus comprises a shield, at least one first photo detector, at least one second photo detector and a gap. The infrared detecting method of the infrared light detecting apparatus comprises the following steps.

(S101) Regulate a distance of the gap between the at least one first photo detector and the at least one second photo detector;

(S102) Utilize the at least one first photo detector to collect the light passing through the opening of the shield so as to generate the photo sensing signal;

(S103) Partially couple the photo sensing signal to the at least one second photo detector from the at least one first photo detector; and

(S104) Output the partially coupled signal through the at least one second photo detector.

The detail description and the implementation of the infrared detecting method of the infrared light detecting apparatus according to the present invention have been depicted in the infrared light detecting apparatus of the present invention and are no longer described herein.

The infrared light detecting apparatus of the present invention can precisely detect the infrared portion of the light, and the present invention can be integrated with the multi-color RGB sensor or the ambient light sensor to perform the photo sensing, and provide optical correction factors so that the sensing error of the multi-color RGB sensor or the ambient sensor under conditions of different light sources can be improved to increase the accuracy thereof. Of course, the infrared light detecting apparatus of the present invention can also be independently used to detect the infrared portion of light, which has longer wavelengths. On the other hand, the infrared light detecting apparatus and the infrared detecting method of the present invention can be easily integrated with electric components, such as a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) or a bipolar-complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor, thereby having higher practicality.

The present invention improves over the prior art and complies with patent application requirements, and thus is duly filed for patent application. While the present invention has been described by device of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those generally skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention set forth in the claims.