Directly patternable microlens

• US 20060046204A1
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ulrich, Bruce D., Gao, Wei, Ono, Yoshi, Zhuang, Wei-Wei
• Application Number:
  US10/931,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20060046204A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/321
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0012 characterised by the manufacturing method

Abstract

A method of forming a microlens structure using a patternable lens material is provided. An organic-inorganic hybrid polymer comprising titanium dioxide is exposed to light using a defocused mask image and then developed to produce a lens-shaped region.

Claims

1. A method of forming a microlens structure comprising:

forming a layer of patternable lens material overlying a transparent material;

exposing the patternable lens material using a predetermined focus and exposure to harden a lens-shaped region within the patternable lens material;

developing the patternable lens material leaving a hardened lens-shaped region; and

baking the hardened lens-shaped region to form a lens.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the patternable lens material is formed using an organic-inorganic hybrid precursor material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the organic-inorganic hybrid precursor material comprises titanium dioxide components.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the organic-inorganic hybrid precursor material comprises a chelated organotitanate polymer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the organic-inorganic hybrid precursor material comprises chelated poly(n-butyltitanate).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the patternable lens material comprises titanium.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the patternable lens material is formed using a precursor comprising a titanium alkoxide solution.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the patternable lens material is formed using a precursor comprising a titanium acid solution.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined focus is between 1 μ

m and 5 μ

m defocused.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined focus is between 2 μ

m and 3 μ

m defocused.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the lens has a higher refractive index than the transparent material.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transparent material comprises silicon dioxide or glass.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the lens comprises TiO₂.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising a photo-element located beneath the transparent material.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the photo-element is a CCD pixel.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the photo-element is an LCD pixel.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the photo-element is an CMOS pixel.

18. A method of forming a microlens structure comprising:

exposing a lens-shaped region within an organic-inorganic hybrid polymer comprising titanium dioxide with UV light using a defocused mask image, developing the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer and baking the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer to form a lens.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the predetermined focus is between 1 μ

m and 5 μ

m defocused.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the predetermined focus is between 2 μ

m and 3 μ

m defocused.