Patent ID: 8259201

Claim:
A color image sensor having a top surface to receive incident light, the sensor comprising: a plurality of light sensing pixels; and a plurality of at least two different types of zero-order diffractive color filters, each filter disposed between a respective light sensing pixel and the top surface, the plurality of at least two different types of zero-order diffractive filters configured to form a color filter array over the plurality of light sensing pixels, wherein each type of zero-order diffractive color filter comprises: a low-index material having a first index of refraction; and at least one high-index material diffractive structure having a second index of refraction higher than the first index of refraction, said at least one high-index material structure embedded in said low-index material such that said at least one high-index material diffractive structure is disposed above the respective light sensing pixel and is operative to act as a waveguiding layer, and wherein said at least one high-index material diffractive structure and said low-index material form at least one diffractive structure.