CONTROLLING LENS SHAPE IN A MICROLENS ARRAY
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of forming a microlens array comprising the steps of:
- patterning a microlens material into a pre-reflow array;
bleaching a portion of the pre-reflow array through a pattern; and
reflowing the pre-reflow array to form the microlens array.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A semi-conductor based imager includes a microlens array having microlenses with modified focal characteristics. The microlenses are made of a microlens material, the melting properties of which are selectively modified to obtain different shapes after a reflow process. Selected microlenses, or portions of each microlens, are modified, by exposure to ultraviolet light, for example, to control the microlens shape produced by reflow melting. Controlling the microlens shape allows for modification of the focal characteristics of selected microlenses in the microlens array.
224 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A method of forming a microlens array comprising the steps of:
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patterning a microlens material into a pre-reflow array;
bleaching a portion of the pre-reflow array through a pattern; and
reflowing the pre-reflow array to form the microlens array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of forming a microlens array, comprising steps of:
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patterning a microlens material;
exposing the microlens material to ultraviolet radiation through a mask, the mask causing the bleaching to vary across the patterned microlens material; and
reflowing the microlens material to produce an array of microlenses having focal characteristics determined by the exposure to the ultraviolet radiation.
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9. A method of controlling microlens shape across a microlens array, comprising steps of:
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patterning a microlens material using a resist to form a uniform array of pre-reflow microlenses;
exposing the pre-reflow microlenses to radiation directed through a patterned reticle, the patterned reticle causing radiation exposure to vary for different portions of the pre-reflow microlenses; and
reflowing the pre-reflow microlenses to produce an array of microlenses, the shapes of the microlenses corresponding to a radiation pattern established by the patterned reticle. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of forming a microlens array comprising:
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coating a lens material onto a substrate;
patterning the lens material to form a pre-reflow lens array;
exposing the pre-reflow lens array to a patterned bleaching treatment, whereby portions of the pre-reflow lens array are bleached more than other portions; and
reflowing the exposed pre-reflow lens array to form an array of microlenses. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A microlens array, comprising:
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a first set of microlenses, each first microlens having a first focal characteristic; and
a second set of microlenses, each second microlens having a second focal characteristic;
wherein the first and second focal characteristics differ and are obtained as the result of exposing the first and second set of microlenses differently to bleaching radiation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A microlens array, comprising:
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first microlenses having a first shape; and
second microlenses having a second shape different than the first shape, wherein the first and second microlenses are formed from the same material, a chemical structure of the material used for the first set of microlenses or being altered to control the first shape of the plurality of first microlenses. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A microlens array, comprising:
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a first set of microlenses made of a microlens material and each having a first shape; and
a second set of microlenses made of the microlens material and each having a second shape;
wherein a chemical structure of the microlens material is altered in the first set of microlenses. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A microlens array comprising:
a plurality of microlenses made of a microlens material having melting properties, a chemical structure of the microlens material having been altered in a selected patterned portion of each microlens to alter the melting properties of the microlens material in the selected patterned portion. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. An imager comprising:
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a pixel array having embedded pixel cells, each with a photosensor; and
a microlens array, comprising;
a first set of microlenses, each first microlens having a first shape; and
a second set of microlenses, each second microlens made of the microlens material and having a second shape;
wherein the microlens material is structurally modified in the microlens material of the first set of microlenses to determine the first shape. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. An imager, comprising:
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a substrate having pixel cells formed thereon, each with a photosensor; and
a microlens array, comprising;
first microlenses each having a first shape; and
second microlenses each having a second shape different than the first shape;
wherein the first microlenses are adapted to focus light differently than the second microlenses. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An imager, comprising:
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a substrate having pixel cells formed thereon, each with a photosensor; and
a microlens array, comprising;
a first set of microlenses, each first microlens having a first focal characteristic; and
a second set of microlenses, each second microlens having a second focal characteristic;
wherein the first and second microlenses are formed from a material, properties of the material having been modified in the first set of microlenses to control the first focal characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A camera comprising:
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a lens generating an image field; and
an imager comprising;
a substrate having pixel cells formed thereon, each with a photosensor; and
a microlens array comprising;
a central set of microlenses having a first focal angle for collecting light signals in a central portion of the light field; and
a peripheral set of microlenses having a second focal angle different from the first focal angle for collecting light signals in a peripheral portion of the light field. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. A system comprising:
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a processor;
a lens generating an image field; and
an imager including;
a substrate having pixel cells formed thereon, each with a photosensor; and
a microlens array including;
a central set of microlenses having a first focal angle for collecting light signals in a central portion of the light field; and
a peripheral set of microlenses having a second focal angle different from the first focal angle for collecting light signals in a peripheral portion of the light field. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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Specification