Lens master devices, lens structures, imaging devices, and methods and apparatuses of making the same

• US 20090323195A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Oliver, Steve, Hembree, David R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,916,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/648
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00278 Lenticular sheets B29D11/00269 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0025 Machining, e.g. grinding, polishing, diamond turning, manufacturing of mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0031 Replication or moulding, e.g. hot embossing, UV-casting, injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/005 arranged along a single direction only, e.g. lenticular sheets G02B3/0043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085

Abstract

A method and apparatus providing a lens master device and use of the same to form a lens template and/or a lens structure. The method includes obtaining a plurality of individual lens masters, each of which has a shaped portion defining at least a portion of a lens structure to be formed. The lens masters are affixed onto a supporting structure to form a lens master device.

Claims

1. A method of making a lens master device, the method comprising:

providing a supporting structure;

obtaining a plurality of individual lens masters each being separate from the supporting structure and having a shaped portion defining at least a portion of a lens to be formed; and

affixing the individual lens masters onto the supporting structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the affixing step comprises loading the lens masters onto the supporting structure by a pick and place process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the affixing step further comprises subjecting the lens masters and the supporting structure to an ultraviolet bonding process.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an alignment mark on each of the lens masters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual lens masters are each formed with a planar surface opposite to the shaped portion.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the affixing step comprises bonding the planar surface of each of the lens masters to a surface of the supporting structure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the lens masters are formed by an injection molding process.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the lens masters are formed by a diamond turning process.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the lens masters are formed by a grinding process.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a plurality of alignment marks on the supporting structure, each of the alignment marks on the supporting structure corresponding to one of the lens masters.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the alignment marks on the supporting structure are formed by a chrome plating process.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a plurality of recessed portions in the supporting structure, wherein the affixing step comprises placing each of the lens masters in one of the recessed portions.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing an alignment mark in each of recessed portions to correspond to a lens master.

14. A method of forming a lens template, the method comprising:

placing a first lens master onto a supporting structure before placing a second lens master onto the supporting structure, the lens masters each having a shaped portion;

affixing the lens masters to the supporting structure to form a lens master device; and

patterning a template material with the lens master device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the patterning step comprises molding the template material with the lens master device.

16. A method of fabricating imaging devices, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of individual lens masters each having a predetermined shaped portion;

affixing the individual lens masters to a supporting structure to form a lens master device;

replicating the predetermined shape portions on the lens master device to form a plurality of lenses supported on a lens wafer; and

connecting the lens wafer with an imager wafer having a plurality of pixel arrays so that the pixel arrays are each aligned with one of the lenses to form an imaging device.

17. A lens master device comprising:

a supporting structure; and

a plurality of separately formed lens masters affixed to the supporting structure, each of the lens masters having a predetermined shaped portion.

18. The lens master device of claim 17;

wherein each of the shaped portions is aspherical.

19. The lens master device of claim 17, wherein the shaped portions have substantially the same height.

20. The lens master device of claim 17, wherein the lens masters each have a first alignment mark aligned with a second alignment mark on the supporting structure.

21. The lens master device of claim 17, wherein the supporting structure has a planarized surface supporting the lens masters.

22. The lens master device of claim 17, wherein the supporting structure is formed with a plurality of recessed portions each receiving a lens master.

23. The lens master device of claim 22, wherein the supporting structure comprises an alignment mark located in each of the recessed portions.

24. An imaging device comprising:

a pixel array; and

an objective lens formed over the pixel array, the objected lens having a curved shaped portion expanding substantially across the pixel array.

25. The imaging device of claim 24, wherein the imaging device is part of a camera.