Abstract: An electronic camera assembly includes a camera chip cube bonded to camera bondpads of an interposer; at least one light-emitting diode (LED) bonded to LED bondpads of the interposer at the same height as the camera bondpads; and a housing extending from the interposer and LEDs to the height of the camera chip cube, with light guides extending from the LEDs through the housing to a top of the housing. In embodiments, the electronic camera assembly includes a cable coupled to the interposer. In typical embodiments the camera chip cube has footprint dimensions of less than three and a half millimeters square.

Abstract: An electronic camera assembly includes a camera chip cube bonded to camera bondpads of an interposer; at least one light-emitting diode (LED) bonded to LED bondpads of the interposer at the same height as the camera bondpads; and a housing extending from the interposer and LEDs to the height of the camera chip cube, with light guides extending from the LEDs through the housing to a top of the housing. In embodiments, the electronic camera assembly includes a cable coupled to the interposer. In typical embodiments the camera chip cube has footprint dimensions of less than three and a half millimeters square.

Abstract: A cavity interposer has a cavity, first bondpads adapted to couple to a chip-type camera cube disposed within a base of the cavity at a first level, the first bondpads coupled through feedthroughs to second bondpads at a base of the interposer at a second level; and third bondpads adapted to couple to a light-emitting diode (LED), the third bondpads at a third level. The third bondpads coupled to fourth bondpads at the base of the interposer at the second level; and the second and fourth bondpads couple to conductors of a cable with the first, second, and third level different. An endoscope optical includes the cavity interposer an LED, and a chip-type camera cube electrically bonded to the first bondpads; the LED is bonded to the third bondpads; and a top of the chip-type camera cube and a top of the LED are at a same level.

Abstract: A cavity interposer has a cavity, first bondpads adapted to couple to a chip-type camera cube disposed within a base of the cavity at a first level, the first bondpads coupled through feedthroughs to second bondpads at a base of the interposer at a second level; and third bondpads adapted to couple to a light-emitting diode (LED), the third bondpads at a third level. The third bondpads coupled to fourth bondpads at the base of the interposer at the second level; and the second and fourth bondpads couple to conductors of a cable with the first, second, and third level different. An endoscope optical includes the cavity interposer an LED, and a chip-type camera cube electrically bonded to the first bondpads; the LED is bonded to the third bondpads; and a top of the chip-type camera cube and a top of the LED are at a same level.

Abstract: A surface-mount device platform includes a surface-mounting region, a connection region, and a bendable region therebetween, each including a respective part of a base substrate. The base substrate includes electrically-conductive layers interspersed with electrically-insulating build-up layers. Each of the surface-mounting region, the connection region, and the bendable region spans between a bottom substrate-surface and a top substrate-surface of the base substrate. The surface-mounting region further includes an electrically-insulating first top rigid-layer, and device bond-pads exposed on a top surface of the first top rigid-layer facing away from the top substrate-surface in the surface-mounting region.

Abstract: A novel endoscope includes a camera module, an electrical cable, and an electrical connector. The camera module includes an analog image signal output terminal. The cable includes an analog image signal line having a first end connected to the analog image signal output terminal of the camera module. The electrical connector includes a set of electrical contacts configured to engage a complimentary set of electrical contacts of a host system. The set of electrical contacts includes at least an analog image signal contact connected to a second end of the analog image signal line of the cable.

Abstract: A novel endoscope includes a camera module, an electrical cable, and an electrical connector. The camera module includes an analog image signal output terminal. The cable includes an analog image signal line having a first end connected to the analog image signal output terminal of the camera module. The electrical connector includes a set of electrical contacts configured to engage a complimentary set of electrical contacts of a host system. The set of electrical contacts includes at least an analog image signal contact connected to a second end of the analog image signal line of the cable.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing light-shielded cameras includes forming a plurality of camera dies by dicing a camera wafer stack including (a) an image sensor wafer having a plurality of image sensors, (b) a cover glass bonded to the image sensor wafer, and (c) a lens wafer bonded to the cover glass and having a plurality of lenses, to form a plurality of camera dies. The method further includes, prior to the step of dicing, (i) from a first side of the image sensor wafer facing away from the cover glass and at least partly covered by an opaque layer, pre-cutting a sensor-cover wafer stack that includes the image sensor wafer and the cover glass, and (ii) depositing an opaque material in the pre-cuts. The method also includes, after the step of dicing, applying an opaque coating to second-side surfaces, of the camera dies, formed by the step of dicing.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing light-shielded cameras includes forming a plurality of camera dies by dicing a camera wafer stack including (a) an image sensor wafer having a plurality of image sensors, (b) a cover glass bonded to the image sensor wafer, and (c) a lens wafer bonded to the cover glass and having a plurality of lenses, to form a plurality of camera dies. The method further includes, prior to the step of dicing, (i) from a first side of the image sensor wafer facing away from the cover glass and at least partly covered by an opaque layer, pre-cutting a sensor-cover wafer stack that includes the image sensor wafer and the cover glass, and (ii) depositing an opaque material in the pre-cuts. The method also includes, after the step of dicing, applying an opaque coating to second-side surfaces, of the camera dies, formed by the step of dicing.

Abstract: A surface-mount device platform includes a surface-mounting region, a connection region, and a bendable region therebetween, each including a respective part of a base substrate. The base substrate includes electrically-conductive layers interspersed with electrically-insulating build-up layers. Each of the surface-mounting region, the connection region, and the bendable region spans between a bottom substrate-surface and a top substrate-surface of the base substrate. The surface-mounting region further includes an electrically-insulating first top rigid-layer, and device bond-pads exposed on a top surface of the first top rigid-layer facing away from the top substrate-surface in the surface-mounting region.

Abstract: A camera module has light-field camera(s) and high resolution camera(s), the light-field camera(s) have multiple-lens arrays above an image sensor. The light-field camera(s) have a lens element at a same level as a lens element of the high resolution camera, the lens elements bearing apertures. The multiple-lens array of the light-field camera is above the image sensor at a same level as a flat transparent plate of the high resolution camera. The cameras lens cubes are made simultaneously by bonding molded lens plates and spacer plates, the lens plates and spacer plates including an upper lens plate having upper light-field camera lens elements and upper high resolution camera lens elements with applied apertures, multiple spacer plates, a microlens plate bearing an array of microlenses in the light-field cameras, the microlens plate being flat and transparent in areas of the high resolution camera.

Abstract: A camera module has light-field camera(s) and high resolution camera(s), the light-field camera(s) have multiple-lens arrays above an image sensor. The light-field camera(s) have a lens element at a same level as a lens element of the high resolution camera, the lens elements bearing apertures. The multiple-lens array of the light-field camera is above the image sensor at a same level as a flat transparent plate of the high resolution camera. The cameras lens cubes are made simultaneously by bonding molded lens plates and spacer plates, the lens plates and spacer plates including an upper lens plate having upper light-field camera lens elements and upper high resolution camera lens elements with applied apertures, multiple spacer plates, a microlens plate bearing an array of microlenses in the light-field cameras, the microlens plate being flat and transparent in areas of the high resolution camera.

Abstract: A chip-scale packaging process for wafer-level camera manufacture includes aligning an optics component wafer with an interposer wafer having a photoresist pattern that forms a plurality of transparent regions, bonding the aligned optics component wafer to the interposer wafer, and dicing the bonded optics component wafer and interposer wafer such that each optics component with interposer has a transparent region. The process further includes dicing an image sensor wafer, aligning the pixel array of each image sensor with the transparent region of a respective optics component with interposer, and bonding each image sensor to its respective optics component with interposer. Each interposer provides alignment between its respective optics component center and its respective pixel array center of the image sensor based on the respective transparent region. The interposer further provides a back focal length for focusing light from the optics component onto a top surface of the pixel array.

Abstract: A method for forming a lens barrel includes aligning each of a plurality of upper apertures of an upper wafer to (i) a respective one of a plurality of middle apertures of a middle wafer and (ii) a respective one of a plurality of lower apertures of a lower wafer. The middle wafer is between the upper wafer and the lower wafer. The method also includes bonding the middle wafer to the upper wafer to form a lens barrel wafer. Each triad of co-aligned upper, middle, and lower apertures forms a wafer aperture spanning between a top surface of the upper wafer and a bottom surface of the lower wafer. Each upper aperture has a respective upper width and each middle aperture has a respective middle width less than the respective upper width to form, in each triad, a ledge for supporting a lens in the upper aperture.

Abstract: A chip-scale packaging process for wafer-level camera manufacture includes aligning an optics component wafer with an interposer wafer having a photoresist pattern that forms a plurality of transparent regions, bonding the aligned optics component wafer to the interposer wafer, and dicing the bonded optics component wafer and interposer wafer such that each optics component with interposer has a transparent region. The process further includes dicing an image sensor wafer, aligning the pixel array of each image sensor with the transparent region of a respective optics component with interposer, and bonding each image sensor to its respective optics component with interposer. Each interposer provides alignment between its respective optics component center and its respective pixel array center of the image sensor based on the respective transparent region. The interposer further provides a back focal length for focusing light from the optics component onto a top surface of the pixel array.

Abstract: A chip-scale packaging process for wafer-level camera manufacture includes aligning an optics component wafer with an interposer wafer having a photoresist pattern that forms a plurality of transparent regions, bonding the aligned optics component wafer to the interposer wafer, and dicing the bonded optics component wafer and interposer wafer such that each optics component with interposer has a transparent region. The process further includes dicing an image sensor wafer, aligning the pixel array of each image sensor with the transparent region of a respective optics component with interposer, and bonding each image sensor to its respective optics component with interposer. Each interposer provides alignment between its respective optics component center and its respective pixel array center of the image sensor based on the respective transparent region. The interposer further provides a back focal length for focusing light from the optics component onto a top surface of the pixel array.

Abstract: A cover-glass-free array camera with individually light-shielded cameras includes an image sensor array having a plurality of photosensitive pixel arrays formed in a silicon substrate, and a lens array bonded to the silicon substrate, wherein the lens array includes (a) a plurality of imaging objectives respectively registered to the photosensitive pixel arrays to form respective individual cameras therewith, and (b) a first opaque material between each of the imaging objectives to prevent crosstalk between individual cameras.

Abstract: A notched-spacer camera module includes a chip-scale package, a lens plate, a spacer ring, and a glue ring. The chip-scale package has an image sensor and a top surface. The spacer ring includes a glue gate having a gate height and a spacer base, having a base height, between the glue gate and the lens plate. The glue ring is between the spacer ring and the top surface and has (i) an outer region between the top surface and a bottom surface of the spacer base, and (ii) an inner region, having an inner thickness, between the top surface and a bottom surface of the glue gate. The lens plate, the spacer ring, the glue ring, and the top surface form a sealed cavity having a cavity height equal to at least a sum of the inner thickness, the gate height, and the base height.

Abstract: Trenched-bonding-dam devices and corresponding methods of manufacture are provided. A trenched-bonding-dam device includes a bonding dam structure positioned upon a top surface of a substrate. The bonding dam structure has a bottom surface attached to a top surface of the substrate, an inner dam surrounded by an outer dam, and a trench between the inner and outer dams. The device may further include an optics system including a lens and an adhesive positioned within a bonding region between a bottom surface of the optics system and a top surface of at least one of the inner and outer dams. The trench may be dimensioned to receive a portion of the excess adhesive flowing laterally out of the bonding region during bonding of the substrate to the optics system, laterally confining the excess adhesive and reducing lateral bleeding of the adhesive.

Abstract: A method of processing an image sensor system, comprising steps of placing a first cover member on top of an image sensor; coating the image sensor and the first cover member with a dark coating agent; removing the first cover member from the image sensor; placing a second cover member on top of the image sensor; affixing the image sensor on to a permanent mount to form an electrical coupling between the image sensor and the permanent mount; removing the second cover member from the image sensor; wherein the first cover member completely covers a top portion of the image sensor; and wherein the second cover member includes an internal rib configured to form a contact seal with the image sensor.