Optical arrangements for use with an array camera

• US 9,128,228 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FotoNation Limited (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pelican Imaging Corporation
• Inventors: Duparre, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US14/281,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20140347748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 359/793, 359/796
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00298 Producing lens arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/003 having two lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0035 having three lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/004 having four lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0045 having five or more lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/005 having spherical lenses only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0085 employing wafer level optics
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0006 Arrays G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence
• 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 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/003 Alignment of optical elements G02B7/001, G02B7/002 take precedence; for mirrors G02B7/1822
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 9/04 having two components only

Abstract

A variety of optical arrangements and methods of modifying or enhancing the optical characteristics and functionality of these optical arrangements are provided. The optical arrangements being specifically designed to operate with camera arrays that incorporate an imaging device that is formed of a plurality of imagers that each include a plurality of pixels. The plurality of imagers include a first imager having a first imaging characteristics and a second imager having a second imaging characteristics. The images generated by the plurality of imagers are processed to obtain an enhanced image compared to images captured by the imagers.

Claims

1. A monolithic lens optical arrangement for an array camera comprising:

at least one lens element comprising;

a first monolithic lens having front and back optical surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the first monolithic lens, wherein the front surface of the first monolithic lens has one of either a concave or convex profile, and wherein the back surface of the first monolithic lens has a plano profile;

at least one aperture disposed on the back surface of the first monolithic lens and in optical alignment therewith;

a second monolithic lens having front and back optical surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the second monolithic lens, wherein the front surface of the second monolithic lens has a plano profile, and wherein the back surface of the second monolithic lens has one of either a concave or convex profile, and wherein the second monolithic lens is arranged in optical alignment with said aperture; and

wherein the back surface of the first monolithic lens element is in direct contact with the aperture and the front surface of the second monolithic lens forming a planar interface therebetween.

2. The monolithic optical arrangement of claim 1, further comprising at least one filter disposed on one of said surfaces having a plano profile in optical alignment with said at least one aperture.

3. The monolithic optical arrangement of claim 1, wherein the monolithic lenses are formed from materials having different Abbe-numbers.

4. The monolithic optical arrangement of claim 1, further comprising at least two lens elements.

5. An array comprising a plurality of the monolithic optical arrangements of claim 1, wherein the array is designed to image a selected wavelength band, and wherein the profile of at least one of the lens surfaces within each optical arrangement is adapted to optimally image only a narrow-band portion of the selected wavelength such that in combination the plurality of arrangements within the array image the entirety of the selected wavelength band.

6. A wafer stack comprising a plurality of the monolithic lens optical arrangements of claim 1, the wafer stack further comprising:

a plurality of wafer surfaces formed from the elements of the arrangements; and

at least two alignment marks formed in relation to each wafer surface, each of said alignment marks being cooperative with an alignment mark on an adjacent wafer surface such that said alignment marks when cooperatively aligned aide in the lateral and rotational alignment of the lens surfaces with the corresponding apertures.