Abstract: A CCD imager includes a thin semiconductor substrate having a glass support mounted in a recess in a housing with a portion of the glass support being exposed through a window opening in the bottom of the housing recess. A portion of the glass support is removed by securing a glass backing plate to the other surface of the silicon substrate, filling the housing recess with an epoxy material and applying a layer of an epoxy over the filling material and the backing plate. An etch resistance masking tape is placed across the center portion of the exposed surface of the glass support leaving the portions of the glass support at the corners of the housing opening exposed. The exposed portions of the glass support at the corners of the housing opening are pre-etched with a suitable etchant.

Abstract: A reflective-diffractive coating layer, situated at the interface between a substrate layer and an overcoat layer of the device, is divided into a set of small, slightly separated regions. This allows a direct bond of the overcoat layer to the substrate layer within the separation areas, which direct bond provides a more secure bond than that provided by a bond of the coating layer to the substrate and overcoat layers.