Fabrication process for mastering imaging lens arrays

• US 8,231,814 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FotoNation Limited (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pelican Imaging Corporation
• Inventors: Duparre, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): Vargot, Mathieu D.
• Application Number:
  US13/050,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20110241234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 264/1.1, 264/2.5, 264/2.7, 264/138, 264/219, 425/808
• US Class Current: 264/2.7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0025 Machining, e.g. grinding, polishing, diamond turning, manufacturing of mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 425/808 Lens mold
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49764 with testing or indicating

Abstract

A process and method for fabricating a master lens array for use in the manufacture of duplicate lens arrays is provided. The fabrication methods provided herein are capable of maximizing the quality of the master lens array in an efficient and cost effective manner, thereby reducing the propagation of errors in the lenses formed using the master lens array.

Claims

1. A method of mastering a waferscale imaging lens array comprising:

fabricating a sub-array of lenses comprised of a plurality of individual, lens elements, wherein the number of individual, lens elements in the sub-array is a sub-set of the number of individual, lens elements contained in the waferscale lens array;

checking the sub-array for shape deviations and pitch accuracy and repeating the fabricating step until, a final sub-array is formed, said final sub-array being substantially free of shape and pitch deviations; and

duplicating said final sub-array on a substrate a number of times sufficient to form the master waferscale lens array.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lens elements of the sub-array have a plurality of different lens profiles.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the lens profiles of the lens elements of the sub-array differ in accordance to at least one of either radius of curvature and aspheric coefficents.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the lens elements of the sub-array have a single lens profile.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sub-array has the same number and placement of lens elements as is required for a desired array camera module.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of duplicating is performed by a step and repeat tool.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the individual, lens elements of the sub-array is fabricated by diamond turning.

8. A method of mastering a waferscale imaging lens array comprising:

fabricating a plurality of master lens pins, each master lens pin being of a different lens profile;

checking each of said master lens pins for shape deviations and repeating the fabricating step until a set of final master lens pins are formed, said final set of master lens pins being substantially free of shape deviations;

duplicating each of said master lens pins on a substrate a number of times sufficient to form a sub-array of lenses comprised of a plurality of individual, lens elements, wherein the number of individual, lens elements in the sub-array is a sub-set of the number of individual, lens elements contained in the waferscale lens array;

checking the sub-array for pitch accuracy and repeating the fabricating step until a final sub-array is formed, said final sub-array being substantially free of pitch deviation; and

duplicating said final sub-array on a substrate a number of times sufficient to form the master waferscale lens array.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the lens elements of the sub-array have a plurality of different lens profiles.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the lens profiles of the lens elements of the sub-array differ in accordance to at least one of either radius of curvature and aspheric coefficents.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the lens elements of the sub-array have a single lens profile.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the sub-array has the same number and placement of lens elements as is required for a desired array camera module.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of duplicating the sub-array is performed by a step and repeat tool.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the individual, lens elements of the sub-array is fabricated by diamond turning.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the individual, lens pins is fabricated by diamond turning.