Abstract: An optical element comprising a transparent substrate and an anti-reflective coating, wherein the anti-reflective coating further comprises at least a transparent, high refractive index layer and a transparent, low refractive index layer, wherein the high refractive index layer is in contact with the low refractive index layer; and wherein the high refractive index layer is situated at an interface between the anti-reflective coating and air. Further, the low refractive index layer may be silicon oxide; the high refractive index layer may be tantalum oxide or silicon nitride.

Abstract: An image-sensor package includes a cover glass, an image sensor, and an integrated circuit. The cover glass has a cover-glass bottom surface, to which the image sensor is bonded. The integrated circuit is beneath the cover-glass bottom surface, adjacent to the image sensor, and electronically connected to the image sensor. A method for packaging an image sensor includes attaching an image sensor to a cover-glass bottom surface of a cover glass, a light-sensing region of the image sensor facing the cover-glass bottom surface. The method also includes attaching an integrated circuit to the cover-glass bottom surface, a top IC-surface of the integrated circuit facing the cover-glass bottom surface.

Abstract: A cavityless chip-scale image-sensor package includes a substrate, a microlens array, and a low-index layer. The substrate includes a plurality of pixels forming a pixel array. The microlens array includes a plurality of microlenses each (i) having a lens refractive index, (ii) being aligned to a respective one of the plurality of pixels and (iii) having a non-planar microlens surfaces facing away from the respective one of the plurality of pixels. The low-index layer has a first refractive index less than the lens refractive index. The low-index layer also includes a bottom surface, at least part of which is conformal to each non-planar microlens surface. The microlens array is between the pixel array and the low-index layer.

Abstract: An image sensor package, comprising a silicon substrate; an image sensor pixel array that is formed on the silicon substrate; a peripheral circuit region that is formed around the image sensor pixel array on the silicon substrate; a redistribution layer (RDL) that is electrically coupled to the peripheral circuit region; at least one solder ball that is electrically coupled to the RDL; and a cover glass that is coupled to the RDL. No part of the RDL is located directly above or below the image sensor pixel array. No part of the at least one solder ball is located directly above or below the silicon substrate. A dark material layer is implemented to prevent an edge flare effect of the image sensor pixel array.

Abstract: A chip-scale image sensor package includes a semiconductor substrate, a transparent substrate, a thin film, and a plurality of conductive pads. The semiconductor substrate has (i) a pixel array, and (ii) a peripheral region surrounding the pixel array. The transparent substrate covers the pixel array, has a bottom substrate surface proximate the pixel array, and a top substrate surface opposite the bottom substrate surface. The thin film is on a region of the top substrate surface directly above both (i) the entire pixel array and (ii) a portion of the peripheral region adjacent to the pixel array. Each of the plurality of conductive pads is located within the peripheral region, and is electrically connected to the pixel array. A portion of each of the plurality of conductive pads is not directly beneath the thin film.

Abstract: A method of image sensor package fabrication includes forming a cavity in a ceramic substrate, and placing an image sensor in the cavity in the ceramic substrate. An image sensor processor is also placed in the cavity in the ceramic substrate, and the image sensor and the image sensor processor are wire bonded to electrical contacts. Glue is deposited on the ceramic substrate, and a glass layer is placed on the glue to adhere the glass layer to the ceramic substrate. The image sensor processor and the image sensor are disposed in the cavity between the glass layer and the ceramic substrate.

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: An image sensor package, comprising a silicon substrate; an image sensor pixel array that is formed on the silicon substrate; a peripheral circuit region that is formed around the image sensor pixel array on the silicon substrate; a redistribution layer (RDL) that is electrically coupled to the peripheral circuit region; at least one solder ball that is electrically coupled to the RDL; and a cover glass that is coupled to the RDL. No part of the RDL is located directly above or below the image sensor pixel array. No part of the at least one solder ball is located directly above or below the silicon substrate. A dark material layer is implemented to prevent an edge flare effect of the image sensor pixel array.

Abstract: An image sensor module comprises: a substrate having a first side and second side, the first side being an opposite of the second side, an image sensor attached to the first side of the substrate, bonding wires to bond the image sensor to pads on the first side of the substrate, a protective structure disposed on the first side of the substrate surrounding the image sensor, the bonding wires, and the pads, the protective structure having a dam and a lid, a cover glass disposed on the protective structure, and a set of solder balls attached to the second side of the substrate.

Abstract: A trenched device wafer includes a device substrate layer having a top surface; a plurality of devices in the device substrate layer, and a trench in the top surface. The trench extends into the device substrate layer, and is located between a pair of adjacent devices of the plurality of devices. A method for forming a device die from a device wafer includes forming a trench in a top surface of the device wafer between two adjacent devices of the device wafer. The trench has a bottom surface located (a) at a first depth beneath the top surface and (b) at a first height above a wafer bottom surface. The method also includes, after forming the trench, decreasing a thickness of the device wafer, between the two adjacent devices, to a thickness less than the first height.

Abstract: A novel multi-display projection box includes a housing that is short and wide, a set of display panels, a set of projectors, and a controller. In a particular embodiment the set of display panels includes two display panels, each coupled to opposite sides of the housing. The set of projectors includes two projectors placed adjacent opposite side walls of the housing. One of the projectors projects a first image onto one of the display panels and the other projector projects a second image onto the other display panel. The first and second image can include product information corresponding to goods placed atop the projection box in a retail store.

Abstract: A chip-scale image sensor package includes a semiconductor substrate, a transparent substrate, a thin film, and a plurality of conductive pads. The semiconductor substrate has (i) a pixel array, and (ii) a peripheral region surrounding the pixel array. The transparent substrate covers the pixel array, has a bottom substrate surface proximate the pixel array, and a top substrate surface opposite the bottom substrate surface. The thin film is on a region of the top substrate surface directly above both (i) the entire pixel array and (ii) a portion of the peripheral region adjacent to the pixel array. Each of the plurality of conductive pads is located within the peripheral region, and is electrically connected to the pixel array. A portion of each of the plurality of conductive pads is not directly beneath the thin film.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a slim imager is disclosed. The slim imager includes a substrate including an aperture, an image sensor, and an optics unit. The image sensor is on a bottom side of the substrate, spans the aperture, and has an aperture-facing top surface. The optics unit is on a top side of the substrate, spans the aperture, and includes a transmissive optical element having an aperture-facing bottom surface. A volume partially bound by the aperture-facing top surface and the aperture-facing bottom surface has a refractive index less than 1.01 at visible wavelengths.

Abstract: An optical element comprising a transparent substrate and an anti-reflective coating, wherein the anti-reflective coating further comprises at least a transparent, high refractive index layer and a transparent, low refractive index layer, wherein the high refractive index layer is in contact with the low refractive index layer; and wherein the high refractive index layer is situated at an interface between the anti-reflective coating and air. Further, the low refractive index layer may be silicon oxide; the high refractive index layer may be tantalum oxide or silicon nitride.

Abstract: A method of image sensor package fabrication includes forming a cavity in a ceramic substrate, and placing an image sensor in the cavity in the ceramic substrate. An image sensor processor is also placed in the cavity in the ceramic substrate, and the image sensor and the image sensor processor are wire bonded to electrical contacts. Glue is deposited on the ceramic substrate, and a glass layer is placed on the glue to adhere the glass layer to the ceramic substrate. The image sensor processor and the image sensor are disposed in the cavity between the glass layer and the ceramic substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor package includes a ceramic substrate with a cavity disposed in the ceramic substrate. A glass layer is adhered to the ceramic substrate and encloses the cavity in the ceramic substrate. An image sensor is disposed in the cavity between the glass layer and the ceramic substrate to electrically isolate the image sensor. An image sensor processor is disposed in the cavity and electrically coupled to the image sensor to receive image data from the image sensor.

Abstract: A microchip includes a passivation layer formed over underlying circuitry, a redistribution layer formed over the passivation layer, and a cap layer formed over the redistribution conductors of the redistribution layer and in contact with the passivation layer. The passivation layer and the cap layer have one or more compatibilities that provide sufficient adhesion between those two layers to prevent metal migration from the conductors of the redistribution layer between the interfaces of the passivation and cap layers. In one embodiment, the passivation and cap layers are each formed from an inorganic oxide (e.g., SiO2) using a process (e.g., PECVD) that provides substantially-uniform step coverage by the cap layer in trench and via regions of underlying circuitry. The invention increases the reliability of the microchip, because it eliminates metal migration, and the electrical shorting caused therefrom, in the redistribution layer.

Abstract: A microchip includes a passivation layer formed over underlying circuitry, a redistribution layer formed over the passivation layer, and a cap layer formed over the redistribution conductors of the redistribution layer and in contact with the passivation layer. The passivation layer and the cap layer have one or more compatibilities that provide sufficient adhesion between those two layers to prevent metal migration from the conductors of the redistribution layer between the interfaces of the passivation and cap layers. In one embodiment, the passivation and cap layers are each formed from an inorganic oxide (e.g., SiO2) using a process (e.g., PECVD) that provides substantially-uniform step coverage by the cap layer in trench and via regions of underlying circuitry. The invention increases the reliability of the microchip, because it eliminates metal migration, and the electrical shorting caused therefrom, in the redistribution layer.

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: An aerogel-encapsulated image sensor includes a device die with an image sensor fabricated thereon and an aerogel layer that encapsulates the image sensor. A method for encapsulating image sensor pixel arrays of respective bare image sensors formed on a sensor array sheet may include injecting an uncured aerogel portion on each image sensor pixel array, and curing each uncured aerogel portion. The step of curing may include at least one of (a) super-critical drying, (b) surface-modification drying, and (c) pinhole drying an uncured aerogel portion. The method may further include singulating the sensor array sheet into a plurality of aerogel-encapsulated image sensors. A method for encapsulating image sensor pixel arrays of respective bare image sensors on a device wafer may include forming an aerogel layer on each bare image sensor. The step of forming may include at least one of spin-coating, dip-coating, and spray-coating the aerogel layer.