Abstract
The next generation of multispectral sensors and cameras will need to deliver significant improvements in size, weight,
portability, and spectral band customization to support widespread commercial deployment. The benefits of
multispectral imaging are well established for applications including machine vision, biomedical, authentication, and
aerial remote sensing environments – but many OEM solutions require more compact, robust, and cost-effective
production cameras to realize these benefits. A novel implementation uses micro-patterning of dichroic filters into Bayer
and custom mosaics, enabling true real-time multispectral imaging with simultaneous multi-band image acquisition.
Consistent with color camera image processing, individual spectral channels are de-mosaiced with each channel
providing an image of the field of view. We demonstrate recent results of 4-9 band dichroic filter arrays in multispectral
cameras using a variety of sensors including linear, area, silicon, and InGaAs. Specific implementations range from
hybrid RGB + NIR sensors to custom sensors with application-specific VIS, NIR, and SWIR spectral bands. Benefits
and tradeoffs of multispectral sensors using dichroic filter arrays are compared with alternative approaches – including
their passivity, spectral range, customization options, and development path. Finally, we report on the wafer-level
fabrication of dichroic filter arrays on imaging sensors for scalable production of multispectral sensors and cameras.
