Imager module optical focus and assembly method

• US 20070211164A1
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Protarius Filo AG LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Sun, Feng-Qing, Gates, James, Olsen, Richard, Sato, Darryl
• Granted Patent: US 8,124,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/345
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0035 having three lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0031 Replication or moulding, e.g. hot embossing, UV-casting, injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0043 Inhomogeneous or irregular arrays, e.g. varying shape, size, height
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0062 Stacked lens arrays, i.e. refractive surfaces arranged in at least two planes, without structurally separate optical elements in-between
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0075 characterized by non-optical structures, e.g. having integrated holding or alignment means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 9/12 having three components only
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/34 Power focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/28 Locating light-sensitive material within camera
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14618 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14645 Colour imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02325 the optical elements not being integrated nor being directly associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/049 having three pick-up sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/13 with multiple sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/16 Optical arrangements associated therewith, e.g. for beam-splitting or for colour correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 : Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 : Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 : Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 : Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 : by influencing the exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 : Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 : based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/531 : by controlling rolling shutters in CMOS SSIS
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53 : Means to assemble or disassemble

Abstract

An imager apparatus and methods are described. An embodiment of an imager module includes a plurality of groups of optical lenses, a lens frame, and at least one associated lens barrel configured to position and hold the plurality of groups of optical lenses. At least one of the groups of optical lenses is movable with respect to at least one other group of optical lenses for achieving optical focus. The imager module includes an integrated circuit (IC) imager die in proximity to the plurality of lenses, the imager die containing at least one image capture microelectronic device.

Claims

1. An imager apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of groups of optical lenses;

a lens frame and at least one associated lens barrel configured to position and hold the plurality of groups of optical lenses, wherein at least one of the groups of optical lenses is movable with respect to at least one other group of optical lenses for achieving optical focus; and

an integrated circuit (IC) imager die in proximity to the plurality of lenses, the imager die containing at least one image capture microelectronic device.

2. The imager apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one processor configured to provide solid state camera functionality, wherein the at least one processor is communicatively coupled to the imager die.

3. The imager apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is communicatively coupled to the imager die using one of at least one electrical via through the imager die, and a wire bond to the at least one processor.

4. The imager apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is implemented on at least one processor die, and wherein the lens frame is coupled to the at least one processor die.

5. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens frame is coupled to the imager die.

6. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical lenses of the plurality of groups are configurable to receive light from an object and form an image of the object on one or more image regions located on the imager die.

7. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of groups of optical lenses comprises:

a first lens group located on an object side of the apparatus, the first lens group comprising at least one optical lens;

a second lens group located between the first lens group and an image side of the apparatus, the second lens group comprising at least one optical lens, wherein the second lens group is separated from the first lens group by and adjustable gap.

8. The imager apparatus of claim 7, wherein one or more of the plurality of lens groups may further comprise a color filter capability.

9. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of groups of optical lenses are separated from each other by at least one adjustable gap.

10. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the lens frame and the lens barrel comprises a sliding mechanism configurable to move at least one of the groups of optical lenses with respect to at least one other group of optical lenses.

11. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the lens frame and the barrel housing comprises a threading mechanism configurable to move at least one of the groups of optical lenses with respect to at least one other group of optical lenses.

12. The imager apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one color filter capability comprises the capability to pass a specific wavelength band, comprising a red wavelength band, a green wavelength band, a blue wavelength band.

13. The imager apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one color filter capability comprises the capability to block a specific wavelength band, comprising an infrared wavelength band.

14. The imager apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one color filter capability comprises the capability to:

pass a specific wavelength band, comprising a red wavelength band, a green wavelength band, a blue wavelength band; and

to block a specific wavelength band, comprising an infrared wavelength band.

15. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of groups comprises a first group of optical lenses and a second group of optical lenses, and wherein the lens frame and the at least one associated lens barrel are configured to retain the first group in a fixed position and to move the second group relative to the first group to provide optimum focus of light in a desired incident light wavelength band.

16. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens frame further comprises one or more spacers disposed between the lens frame and the imager die, wherein the one or more spacers provide reference surfaces to align the plurality of groups of optical lenses in x, y and z dimensions relative to a plurality of imaging regions located on the imager die.

17. The imager apparatus of claim 16, wherein the one or more spacers are coupled to the imager die.

18. The imager apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a spacer disposed between the lens frame and the imager or processor die, wherein the spacer provides reference surfaces to align the plurality of groups of optical lenses in x, y and z dimensions relative to a plurality of imaging regions located on the imager die.

19. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image capture microelectronic device is a Charged Coupled Device (CCD) image capture device.

20. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image capture microelectronic device is a Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) image capture device.

21. The imager apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor die a CMOS integrated circuit.

22. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image capture microelectronic device is diced to accurate dimensions with respect to an imaging area to allow lens frame registration to edges of the imager die.

23. The imager apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor die is diced to accurate dimensions to allow lens frame registration to edges of the processor die.

24. The imager apparatus of claim 16, wherein a mechanical interface between the spacer disposed between the lens frame and the imager die is sealed in an inert ambient to provide a hermetic seal of the imaging apparatus.

25. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens frame comprises active micro-mechanical elements configurable to allow movement of at least one of the plurality of groups of optical lenses in x, y or z axes.

26. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens frame comprises active micro-mechanical elements configurable to allow movement of at least one of the plurality of groups of optical lenses the z-direction for electrical focus adjustment.

27. The imager apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor die is accurately located in x, y and z dimensions relative to a surface of the imager die, wherein the processor die is configurable to provide imager apparatus processing.

28. The imager apparatus of claim 4, further comprising electrical vias through the imager die to the processor die for electrically connecting imager die circuitry and processor die post processor circuitry.

29. The imager apparatus of claim 4, further comprising electrical interconnect pads on the imager die and the processor die.

30. The imager apparatus of claim 29, wherein the interconnect pads are wire bonded.

31. The imager apparatus of claim 29, wherein the interconnect pads are bump bonded.

32. The imager apparatus of claim 29, wherein the interconnect pads are attached via a lead frame.

33. The imager apparatus of claim 29, wherein the interconnect pads are attached via tape automated bonding.

34. The imager apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of groups of optical lenses comprises multiple optical channels, wherein each optical channel comprises multiple groups of the plurality of groups of optical lenses, and wherein the multiple groups are aligned substantially orthogonal to the imager die and each group is aligned over a separate imaging area of the imager die.

35. The imager apparatus of claim 34, wherein the multiple groups in each optical channel are configurable to be focused separately to provide optimum modulation transfer function (MTF) for an imaging area detection wavelength associated with the optical channel.

36. An imager apparatus assembly method, comprising:

inserting a first lens group into an associated lens barrel in proximity to an imager die, wherein the first lens group comprises one or more optical lenses;

inserting a second lens group into the associated lens barrel, wherein the first lens group is between the second lens group and the imager die, wherein the second lens group comprises one or more optical lenses; and

moving at least one of the first lens group and the second lens group relative to each other in a direction orthogonal to a plane defined by the imager die to achieve a desired imaging performance.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

analyzing the image performance with respect to positions of the first lens group and the second lens group; and

fixing a separation of the first lens group from the second lens group when analysis of the image performance indicates the desired imaging performance.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein fixing the separation after focus comprises applying a curable binder resin to predetermined areas on one or more of a lens frame and the lens barrel, wherein the lens barrel is coupled to the lens frame.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein fixing the first lens group and the second lens group comprises curing the binder resin using one of ultraviolet-radiation and heat.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein analyzing comprises automatically focusing the first lens group and the second lens group and automatically evaluating the imaging performance for different positions of the first lens group and the second lens group.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein the desired imaging performance comprises an optimum focus of light in a desired incident light wavelength band.

42. An imager apparatus produced according to the method of claim 36.