Patent ID: 8384817

Claim:
A solid-state imager, comprising: a photoelectric conversion region operable to photoelectrically convert a light beam received on a light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion region into a signal charge; and a waveguide path operable to guide the light beam to the light receiving surface, the waveguide path including a plurality of waveguide members, each waveguide member operable to guide a light beam incident on a light incident surface thereof to a light output surface thereof, the plurality of waveguide members being laminated on the light receiving surface, wherein, the plurality of waveguide members includes a first waveguide member closest to the light receiving surface from among the plurality of waveguide members, the first waveguide member including a light output surface facing the light receiving surface and a first light incident surface being smaller in area than a second light incident surface of a second waveguide member farthest from the light receiving surface from among the plurality of waveguide members, the waveguide path includes a step on a side surface of the waveguide path, and the plurality of waveguide members of the waveguide path are laminated so that the width dimension of the step is shorter than the wavelength of the light incident on the waveguide path in a plane extending parallel to the light receiving surface.