Organic electronic detectors and methods of fabrication

• US 9,041,851 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University)
• Original Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University)
• Inventors: Forrest, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): KHAN, USMAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/272,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20070108890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,479 Days
• Field of Search: 348/345
• US Class Current: 348/345
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/141 Artificial eyes
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/02 Artificial eyes from organic plastic material implantable eye parts, artificial eyes A61F2/14
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/023 Implants for natural eyes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/146 Imager structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 39/32 Organic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a an organic imaging device having organic detectors on a curved surface. The device may be used for imaging applications such as photography, lightweight camera systems, very high-resolution imaging, lightweight “night vision”, robotic vision, and others. A concave housing with a deformable lens is provided. The deformable lens allows for a range of fields of view and focal lengths. The invention may be configured to detect a range of electromagnetic radiation. It may then provide input to a computer, display, or other device for processing or display of the detected radiation as an image.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a housing having a non-developable concave interior surface;

an opening in the housing;

a deformable lens having a curved focal plane and an adjustable focal length, the deformable lens being disposed in the opening;

at least one polymer muscle in contact with the deformable lens, wherein the at least one polymer muscle is configured to change the size of the opening in the housing and the focal length of the deformable lens by expanding and contracting the polymer muscle itself in response to an external signal; and

an organic detector disposed on the non-developable concave interior surface, wherein the non-developable concave interior surface is in the shape of the focal plane, and the detector is in the shape of the focal plane,

wherein the organic detector comprises a plurality of organic photosensitive devices and has a surface area that comprises the plurality of organic photosensitive devices and area surrounding the organic photosensitive devices, the organic photosensitive devices covering at least 70% of the surface area of the organic detector.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector further comprises a plurality of organic photosensitive devices.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of organic photosensitive devices are disposed in an array.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one polymer muscle deforms the lens via electrically-controlled self-expansion and self-contraction of the polymer muscle itself.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a computer-controlled focusing mechanism to control motion of the at least one polymer muscle.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector further comprises an active matrix further comprising an array of organic transistors and an array of organic photosensitive devices.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector further comprises a passive matrix array of organic photosensitive devices.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector is a high-resolution detector array.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector detects light in the ultraviolet region.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector detects light in the infrared region.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector provides input to a computer for data processing.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the lens is capable of providing an f-number of at least about f/1.

13. The device of claim 5, wherein the focusing mechanism uses a stereocomputed range to determine the focusing distance.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the organic detector is deposited through an opening of a housing having a surface comprising the non-developable surface, onto a convex portion of the non-developable surface.

14. A method of fabricating a device, comprising:

obtaining a housing having an opening therein and a non-developable concave interior surface;

depositing a plurality of organic photosensitive devices through the opening and onto the non-developable concave interior surface; and

inserting a deformable lens into the opening;

wherein the deformable lens is connected to the housing using at least one polymer muscle;

wherein the at least one polymer muscle is configured to change the size of the opening;

wherein, the plurality of organic photosensitive devices are each surrounded by an area unable to receive electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the organic photosensitive devices are deposited so as to cover at least 70% of a surface area that comprises the plurality of organic photosensitive devices and the area surrounding the organic photosensitive devices.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of organic photosensitive devices are deposited using organic vapor jet printing.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of organic photosensitive devices are deposited using ink jet printing.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of organic photosensitive devices are an active matrix further comprising a plurality of organic transistors and a plurality of photosensitive devices.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of organic photosensitive devices comprise a passive matrix array of organic devices.

29. The method of claim 14, further comprising disposing the at least one polymer muscle around the deformable lens, the at least one polymer muscle configured to adjust at least one of a focal plane, an aperture, or a focal length of deformable lens via electrically-controlled self-contraction and self-expansion of the at least one polymer muscle itself.

19. A device, comprising:

a housing having an opening therein and a non-developable concave interior surface;

a deformable lens having an adjustable focal length disposed in the opening;

an organic detector disposed on the non-developable concave interior surface, the organic detector being in a position to detect optical signals transmitted through the deformable lens;

an electrically-controlled polymer muscle attached to the deformable lens; and

a computer-controlled focusing mechanism configured to control motion of the polymer muscle, wherein the polymer muscle is configured to change the size of the opening and the focal length of the deformable lens by expanding and contracting itself based on an electrical signal from the focusing mechanism; and

wherein the organic detector comprises a plurality of organic photosensitive devices and has a surface area that comprises the plurality of organic photosensitive devices and area surrounding the organic photosensitive devices, the organic photosensitive devices covering at least 70% of the surface area of the organic detector.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the organic detector is deposited using organic vapor jet printing.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the organic detector is deposited using ink jet printing.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the organic detector comprises an active matrix further comprising an array of organic transistors and an array of organic photosensitive devices.

23. The device of claim 19, wherein the organic detector further comprises a passive matrix array of organic photosensitive devices.

24. The device of claim 19, wherein the organic detector comprises a high-resolution detector array.

25. The device of claim 19, wherein the organic detector comprises devices sensitive to light in the ultraviolet region.

26. The device of claim 19, wherein the organic detector comprises devices sensitive to light in the infrared region.

27. The device of claim 19, wherein the organic detector provides input to a computer to process the data.