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 wafer-level method for manufacturing yardless lenses includes (a) depositing light-curable lens resin between a mold and a first side of a transparent substrate, wherein the first side of the transparent substrate has an opaque coating with a plurality of apertures respectively aligned with a plurality of lens-shaped recesses of the mold, and (b) exposing a second side of the transparent substrate, facing away from the first side, to light, thereby illuminating portions of the light-curable lens resin aligned with the plurality of apertures to form a respective plurality of yardless lenses.

Abstract: A wafer-level lens forming method for forming an aperture wafer wherein the aperture wafer is stacked with one or more lens wafers to form apertured lens systems. The aperture wafer is formed by lithographically depositing an opaque layer on a transparent film, which is supported by a substrate. The aperture wafer is stacked with one or more lens wafers, and appropriate spacing between the wafers is set with spacer wafers. The substrate is removed, and the lens and aperture wafers are adhered together in a stack to form an optical system. The method avoids accumulation of residual material on the lens during the opaque-layer deposition process. The resulting optical system benefits from added flexibility of the lens system design due to the ability to locate the aperture with respect to one or more lenses independently of the lens wafers.

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 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: 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 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: An optical assembly includes an image sensor, a lens module disposed over the image sensor in a first direction, a transparent glue layer, and a transparent dry adhesive layer formed of a different material than the transparent glue layer. Each of the transparent glue layer and the transparent dry adhesive layer are disposed between the image sensor and the lens module in the first direction. Each of the transparent glue layer and the transparent dry adhesive layer are optically coupled in series with the image sensor and the lens module. A method for forming an optical assembly includes joining an image sensor and a lens module using a transparent glue layer and a transparent dry adhesive layer formed of a different material than the transparent glue layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical spacer includes dispensing thermal glue within a mold; pressing the thermal glue using an optical spacer substrate to generate an optical spacer including an aperture; and, releasing the mold from the optical spacer. The thermal glue may be cured prior to releasing the mold from the optical spacer.

Abstract: A trenched-substrate based lens manufacturing method includes depositing lens material on a first side of a substrate, wherein the first side of the substrate has a plurality of trenches. The method further includes shaping a plurality of lens elements from the lens material. The method includes shaping the plurality of lens elements, on a respective plurality of surface portions of the first side, by contacting a mold to the first side. Each of the surface portions are adjacent a respective one of the trenches. Additionally, the method includes accommodating an excess portion of the lens material in the trenches. A lens system, manufactured using this method, includes a substrate with a planar surface and a trench embedded in the planar surface. The lens system further includes a lens element molded on the planar surface adjacent to the trench.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes an image sensor, a lens module disposed over the image sensor in a first direction, a transparent glue layer, and a transparent dry adhesive layer formed of a different material than the transparent glue layer. Each of the transparent glue layer and the transparent dry adhesive layer are disposed between the image sensor and the lens module in the first direction. Each of the transparent glue layer and the transparent dry adhesive layer are optically coupled in series with the image sensor and the lens module. A method for forming an optical assembly includes joining an image sensor and a lens module using a transparent glue layer and a transparent dry adhesive layer formed of a different material than the transparent glue layer.

Abstract: A wafer-level lens forming method for forming an aperture wafer wherein the aperture wafer is stacked with one or more lens wafers to form apertured lens systems. The aperture wafer is formed by lithographically depositing an opaque layer on a transparent film, which is supported by a substrate. The aperture wafer is stacked with one or more lens wafers, and appropriate spacing between the wafers is set with spacer wafers. The substrate is removed, and the lens and aperture wafers are adhered together in a stack to form an optical system. The method avoids accumulation of residual material on the lens during the opaque-layer deposition process. The resulting optical system benefits from added flexibility of the lens system design due to the ability to locate the aperture with respect to one or more lenses independently of the lens wafers.

Abstract: An optical mold including a spacer cavity portion, a lens cavity portion and a flow stop control portion for allowing optical lens material to flow between the spacer cavity portion and the lens cavity portion and an optical lens array formed therefrom. The optical mold may further include a pedestal located within the spacer cavity portion for supporting the mold during a puddle dispensing process. A method for using the optical mold including the spacer cavity portion, the lens cavity portion, and the flow cavity portion, and optionally the pedestal.

Abstract: An optical mold including a spacer cavity portion, a lens cavity portion and a flow stop control portion for allowing optical lens material to flow between the spacer cavity portion and the lens cavity portion and an optical lens array formed therefrom. The optical mold may further include a pedestal located within the spacer cavity portion for supporting the mold during a puddle dispensing process. A method for using the optical mold including the spacer cavity portion, the lens cavity portion, and the flow cavity portion, and optionally the pedestal.

Abstract: A method for forming a lens assembly is provided, including: providing a mold substrate, wherein at least a recess is formed from a surface of the mold substrate; providing a transparent substrate; disposing a lens precursor material on the surface of the mold substrate or on a first surface of the transparent substrate; disposing the mold substrate on the transparent substrate such that at least a portion of the lens precursor material is filled in the recess; disposing a mask on a second surface of the transparent substrate to partially cover the transparent substrate; after the mask is disposed, irradiating a light on the second surface of the transparent substrate to transform at least a portion of the lens precursor material on the first surface of the transparent substrate into a lens; and removing the mask and the mold substrate from the transparent substrate and the lens.

Abstract: A method for forming a lens assembly is provided, including: providing a mold substrate, wherein at least a recess is formed from a surface of the mold substrate; providing a transparent substrate; disposing a lens precursor material on the surface of the mold substrate or on a first surface of the transparent substrate; disposing the mold substrate on the transparent substrate such that at least a portion of the lens precursor material is filled in the recess; disposing a mask on a second surface of the transparent substrate to partially cover the transparent substrate; after the mask is disposed, irradiating a light on the second surface of the transparent substrate to transform at least a portion of the lens precursor material on the first surface of the transparent substrate into a lens; and removing the mask and the mold substrate from the transparent substrate and the lens.

Abstract: A method for forming a lens assembly is provided, including: providing a mold substrate, wherein at least a recess is formed from a surface of the mold substrate; providing a transparent substrate; disposing a lens precursor material on the surface of the mold substrate or on a first surface of the transparent substrate; disposing the mold substrate on the transparent substrate such that at least a portion of the lens precursor material is filled in the recess; disposing a mask on a second surface of the transparent substrate to partially cover the transparent substrate; after the mask is disposed, irradiating a light on the second surface of the transparent substrate to transform at least a portion of the lens precursor material on the first surface of the transparent substrate into a lens; and removing the mask and the mold substrate from the transparent substrate and the lens.

Abstract: A lens module and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed. The module comprises a substrate and a lens structure. The substrate comprises a through-hole therein. The lens structure is embedded in the through-hole.

Abstract: An optoelectronic device chip, and a method for making the chip, are disclosed. The chip comprises a device substrate, an optically transparent upper substrate, and a composite spacer layer which includes an adhesive material and a plurality of particles dispersed in said adhesive material. The distance between the device substrate and the upper substrate is controlled by the thickness of the composite spacer layer so that the variation is within the depth of focus of optical system.

Abstract: Aspheric lens structures with dual aspheric surfaces and fabrication methods thereof are disclosed. An aspheric lens structure includes a first lens component with an aspheric top surface disposed on a second lens component, wherein the interface between the first lens component and the second lens component is spherical. The second lens component includes an aspheric back surface, wherein the radius of curvature of the aspheric top surface of the first lens component is different than the radius of curvature of the aspheric back surface of the second lens component. The second lens component may also include a planar back surface with a third lens component disposed on the planar back surface of the second component. The third lens component includes an aspheric back surface, wherein the radius of curvature of the aspheric top surface of the first lens component is different than the radius of curvature of the aspheric back surface of the third lens component.