POSITIONING WAFER LENSES ON ELECTRONIC IMAGERS

• US 20100103308A1
• Filed: 10/29/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jabil Circuit Incorporated (Jabil Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Jabil Circuit Incorporated (Jabil Inc.)
• Inventors: Kujanpaa, Karo, Butterfield, Andrew, Fabre, Sebastien
• Granted Patent: US 8,063,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/340
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14685 Process for coatings or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/002 for television cameras
• 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

Abstract

A low cost manufacturing method (300) and assembly (100) for positioning a lens (106) relative to an electronic imager (102). A viscous adhesive (104) is applied to the lens (106) or the electronic imager (102) outside of the optical path. The lens (106) is disposed on the electronic imager (102) exclusively with the adhesive (104) disposed between them.

Claims

1. A method for positioning a lens relative to an imager, comprising:

disposing an accumulation of an adhesive having a viscous form, outside an optical imaging region of said lens and said imager, so that said adhesive exclusively bridges a distance between the lens and the imager;

positioning said lens adjacent to said imager a spaced distance apart, separated by at least a portion of said adhesive;

aligning said lens at a precise distance from said imager defined by said focal length by selectively displacing a portion of said adhesive.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising curing said adhesive while said lens is at said precise distance from said imager.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising selecting said adhesive to include an epoxy resin.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising curing said adhesive following said aligning step by exposing said adhesive to at least one initiator selected from the group consisting of heat and light.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising selecting said initiator to include ultra-violet light.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising selecting said adhesive to have a snap cure time which is less than about 1 minute.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting a thickness of said adhesive applied to said lens or said imager to be greater than a focal length of said lens.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said aligning step further comprises adjusting an orientation of said lens relative to said imager.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said aligning step further comprises adjusting a lateral position of said lens relative to said imager by moving said lens in at least one direction transverse to a direction defined by said focal distance.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting said adhesive to have a viscosity of about 10000±

500 centipoise.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically performing said alignment step by:

applying electrical power to said imager; and

evaluating an image produced by said imager with said lens in a selected position.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising selectively varying a position of said lens relative to said imager and repeating said evaluating step until an optimal image is determined to have been achieved with said imager and said lens.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said disposing step further comprises disposing said adhesive on at least one structure selected from the group consisting of a peripheral portion of said imager, and a surface at least partially surrounding said imager comprising a substrate on which said imager is disposed.

14. An imaging system, comprising:

an electronic imager having an imaging surface comprising a plurality of pixels;

a lens configured for focusing an image on said imaging surface, said lens having a lens position a predetermined distance from said imaging surface axially aligned with said imager so that a focal plane of said lens is generally parallel to said imaging surface;

a positioning structure securing said lens in said lens position relative to said imager, said positioning structure exclusively comprising an adhesive.

15. The imaging system according to claim 14, wherein said adhesive is an epoxy resin.

16. The imaging system according to claim 14, wherein said adhesive comprises a catalyst which accelerates curing of said adhesive, and said catalyst is responsive to an initiator.

17. The imaging system according to claim 16, wherein said initiator is selected from the group comprising heat and light.

18. The imaging system according to claim 17, wherein said initiator is ultraviolet light.

19. The imaging system according to claim 16, wherein said adhesive has a snap cure time which is less than about 1 minute.

20. The imaging system according to claim 14, wherein a thickness of said adhesive between said lens and said electronic imager is equal to a focal length of said lens.

21. The imaging system according to claim 14, wherein said adhesive has a cured state and an uncured state, and has a viscosity of about 10000±

500 centipoise in said uncured state.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising snap curing said adhesive to fix said lens in a lens position relative to said imager following said evaluating and adjusting steps.

22. A method for focusing an image produced by a lens on an imaging surface defined by an imager, comprising:

applying an adhesive having a viscous form to a portion of the lens or the imager outside an optical imaging region of said lens and said imager;

positioning said lens on said imager a spaced distance apart, separated by said adhesive;

evaluating an image produced by said imager and said lens combination; and

selectively adjusting a position of said lens relative to said imager responsive to said evaluating step by repositioning said lens to displace a portion of said adhesive.