Camera module including sealed meta-optics

Abstract

This disclosure describes an apparatus including a camera module that includes an optical stack mounted above an image sensor. In an example, at least a portion of the air-gapless optical stack includes an aperture diaphragm and a first substrate having a sealed meta-optical element (MOE) thereon. A method for manufacturing the camera module is also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system.

Background Art

[0002] In many camera modules, multiple refractive lenses are stacked together, for example, within a lens barrel or using a wafer-level optical system. However, the refraction mechanism involves a change in refractive index between different optical surfaces. At each interface where the refractive index changes, unwanted reflections can occur, and it may be necessary to add an anti-reflection coating to all or part of the interface.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present disclosure describes a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system.

[0004] For example, in one aspect, the present disclosure describes an apparatus including a camera module. The camera module includes an optical stack that is directly or indirectly attached above an image sensor. At least a portion of the optical stack includes an aperture stop and a first substrate having a sealed meta-optic element (MOE) thereon. A portion of the optical stack has no air gap.

[0005] Some embodiments include one or more of the following features. For example, in some embodiments, the MOE is sealed by an optically transparent glass or polymer. In some embodiments, the MOE is sealed by a material having an optically matching index to the first substrate. In some embodiments, the MOE is sealed by a bonding glue.

[0006] In some embodiments, the device is configured so that light entering the camera module does not encounter an internal interface having a high refractive index contrast. In some embodiments, at least some adjacent elements and / or layers of the optical stack (i.e., elements and / or layers that are close to each other) have substantially matching exponents.

[0007] In some embodiments, the aperture diaphragm is provided on the surface of the first substrate. In some embodiments, part of the optical stack further includes a second substrate, and the aperture diaphragm is provided on the surface of the second substrate.

[0008] In some embodiments, part of the optical stack includes a second substrate having a sealed MOE thereon. In some embodiments, part of the optical stack includes a third substrate positioned between the first and second substrates, with an aperture diaphragm provided on the surface of the third substrate.

[0009] In some embodiments, part of the optical stack includes at least one bandpass filter or angle-of-incident filter. In some embodiments, part of the optical stack includes an optically transparent spacer.

[0010] In some embodiments, the black end portion is included in the side wall of the camera module.

[0011] In some embodiments, the optical stack has a second opening on its surface, which is defined by a layer of black chromium or black resist.

[0012] In some embodiments, the camera module includes a cover glass positioned above the image sensor, and the optical stack is attached to the cover glass with an adhesive whose index matches. In some embodiments, the MOE has the same rectangular aspect ratio as the image sensor. In some embodiments, the camera module is mounted on an optically transparent glass support. In some embodiments, the optically transparent glass support forms part of a windshield, rearview mirror, eyeglasses, augmented reality (AR) headset, virtual reality (VR) headset, or mixed reality (MR) headset.

[0013] This disclosure also describes an apparatus including a camera module that includes an image sensor and an optical stack mounted above the image sensor. At least a portion of the optical stack includes an aperture diaphragm and a first substrate having sealed meta-optical elements (MOEs) thereon. The portion of the optical stack has no air gaps other than the gaps between adjacent meta-atoms of the MOE.

[0014] This disclosure also describes a method for manufacturing a camera module. The method comprises forming a wafer-level optical stack, at least a portion of which of the air-gapless optical stack includes an aperture diaphragm and a first substrate having a sealed meta-optical element (MOE) thereon. The wafer-level optical stack is separated into individual modules, and at least one module is mounted above an image sensor.

[0015] In some embodiments, the method includes providing an end black portion on the side wall of the module, wherein the material of the end black portion includes a black resist, black epoxy, or other black polymer. In some embodiments, providing the end black portion includes partially dicing a wafer-level optical stack to form a groove and filling the groove with the material of the end black portion.

[0016] Some embodiments include one or more of the following advantages: For example, the MOE can be sealed without losing its optical function of imaging an object with the sensor. Multiple substrates having sealed MOEs can be combined to form an optical stack. Furthermore, in some cases, the MOE can be integrated into an optical stack in which the MOE is in direct contact with other planar optical elements such as filters and / or sensors. By using a metalens, fewer MOE lenses may be required in some cases to achieve good image quality. In some cases, the design may be more compact than a design based on refractive optics, taking manufacturing tolerances into account.

[0017] Using a sealed meta-optical system can avoid air gaps in the optical stack. Furthermore, the optical stack can be attached, for example, to the cover glass above the image sensor with an index-matched adhesive. Thus, in some embodiments, light entering the camera module does not encounter internal interfaces with high refractive index contrast, and therefore, an anti-reflective coating may be unnecessary. Providing an optical stack in which at least some adjacent optical elements and / or layers substantially match each other's indices also helps to avoid or reduce problems associated with total internal reflection in some embodiments.

[0018] In some embodiments, the lenses can be completely bonded together, requiring no adhesive lines on the lens edges. In addition, in some cases, the metalenses can be manufactured with the same rectangular aspect ratio as the image sensor, thereby further reducing the lens footprint. Furthermore, bonding the individual layers together in a single optical stack can help improve mechanical stability. In addition, since the optical stack has no gaps, it is dustproof and, in some cases, waterproof.

[0019] Details of one or more specific examples of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other aspects, features, and advantages will be readily apparent from the following detailed description, accompanying drawings, and claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a first example of a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a second example of a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows a third example of a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a fourth example of a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows a fifth example of a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows a sixth example of a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows a seventh example of a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows an eighth example of a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows a ninth example of a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 shows a tenth example of a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 shows an exemplary method of manufacturing a camera module. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 shows an example of a camera module attached to another device.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Reference numerals in the respective drawings denote similar components.

[0022] This disclosure describes a camera module including a sealed meta-optical system. The meta-optical element (MOE) employs planar optics techniques and has a metasurface comprising dispersed small subwavelength structures (e.g., nanostructures or other metaatoms) arranged to interact with light in a specific manner. The metaatoms may interact with the light wave individually and / or collectively to alter the local amplitude, local phase, or both of the incident light wave. In some cases, the MOE may offer several potential advantages compared to refractive elements. For example, compared to refractive lenses, the MOE may have fewer surfaces and less performance degradation due to tolerances.

[0023] According to this disclosure, the apparatus includes a camera module. The camera module includes an optical stack that is mounted directly or indirectly above an image sensor (e.g., a CMOS image sensor). At least a portion of the optical stack that does not have an air gap includes a first substrate having an aperture diaphragm and a sealed meta-optical element (MOE) thereon.

[0024] Figure 1 shows an example of a camera module 20 including an optical stack 22 mounted above an image sensor 25 located within or on a support substrate 24. The support substrate 24 may be, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB) having external electrical connections (e.g., a ball grid array) on its underside. The optical stack 22 includes a first substrate 26, which has an opening 28 defined by, for example, a layer 27 of black chromium or black resist on one side of the substrate 26. The first substrate 26 is optically transparent and may be made of, for example, glass. The optical stack 22 also includes an MOE 29 on the opposite side of the substrate 26. The MOE 29 is sealed (e.g., embedded or embedded) by a sealing layer 30 and may be made of, for example, an optically transparent material such as glass or a polymer. In the context of this application, optically transparent means that the material is optically transparent to a particular operating wavelength (e.g., infrared, UV, or visible spectrum). The material of the sealing layer 30 should substantially optically match the index of the substrate 26. In some embodiments, an adhesive (e.g., bonding glue) may serve as a encapsulant. In some embodiments, the optical stack 22 may include one or more additional optical elements, for example, in some embodiments, the optical stack 22 may include an optical filter (e.g., a bandpass filter or an angle-of-incident filter) 32 which may be attached to the encapsulation layer 30 by an adhesive 31 (e.g., bonding glue). In some embodiments, an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer 23 is provided between the first substrate 26 and a black chromium or resist 27 defining the aperture 28.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, there are no air gaps between the various optical elements and layers in the optical stack 22. Such an arrangement can help reduce or eliminate, for example, undesirable reflections that might otherwise occur at the air / lens interface.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, in some embodiments, the cover glass 36 is located above the image sensor and may be attached to the support substrate 24 by, for example, a spacer 38. In the example shown, the opposite (upper) side of the cover glass 36 is attached to the bottom of the stack 22 (e.g., the optical filter 32) by an adhesive 34 (e.g., bonding glue). Preferably, the various optical elements and layers have substantially matching indexes optically. That is, preferably, the refractive indices of the various optical elements and layers in the stack 22 (i.e., the substrate, encapsulant, and bonding glue) do not differ from each other by more than 0.2 in refractive index.

[0027] Various embodiments may include additional and / or different elements in the optical stack. For example, some embodiments include multiple MOEs on each substrate. In some embodiments, the position of the apertures may differ from the example in Figure 1. The aperture diaphragm may be on the same substrate as the MOEs or on a separate substrate. Some embodiments include spacers as part of the optical stack. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the position of the optical filters in the stack may differ from that in Figure 1. In some cases, there is no air gap between any elements and layers in the optical stack. Examples of camera modules incorporating one or more of the above features are described below.

[0028] Figure 2 shows an example of a camera module 120 including an optical stack 12 having a first MOE substrate 126 on which a first MOE 129A is placed, and a second MOE substrate 126B on which a second MOE 129B is placed. For example, an aperture substrate 127 made of glass is placed between the first and second MOE substrates 126A, 126B and has a layer 127A of black chromium or black resist on its surface that defines an aperture diaphragm 128. Each MOE 129A, 129B is sealed by their respective sealing layers 130A, 130B. The stack 122 also includes an optical filter 132 (e.g., a bandpass filter or an incident angle filter). As described above with respect to Figure 1, the various optical elements and layers in the stack can be attached to each other by, for example, an adhesive (e.g., bonding glue) 150. Similarly, the optical stack 122 can be mounted above the image sensor 25 in a manner similar to that described above with respect to Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, there are no air gaps between the various optical elements and layers in the optical stack 122. In some embodiments, the ARC layer 123 may be applied to the sealing portion 130A.

[0029] Figure 3 shows an example of a camera module 220 that is similar to the camera module 120 in Figure 2, except that the camera module 220 also includes another layer 230 of black chromium or black resist that defines the aperture diaphragm 240 on the outer (upper) surface of the module.

[0030] Figure 4 shows another example of the camera module 320. Similar to the example in Figure 2, the module 320 includes an optical stack 322 having a first MOE substrate 126A on which a first MOE 129A is placed, and a second MOE substrate 126B on which a second MOE 129B is placed. In this case, instead of separate aperture substrates as in the example in Figure 2, the optical stack 322 in Figure 4 includes a layer 127A of black chromium or black resist defining an aperture diaphragm 128 on the surface of the first MOE substrate 126A. Here again, the various optical elements and layers in the stack 322 may be bonded to each other by, for example, an adhesive (e.g., bonding glue) 150. Similarly, the optical stack 322 may be mounted above the image sensor 25 in a manner similar to that described above with respect to Figure 1. As shown in Figure 4, there are no air gaps between the various optical elements and layers in the optical stack 322.

[0031] Figure 5 shows another example of the camera module 420 similar to the example in Figure 4. However, instead of providing a layer of black chromium or black resist defining the aperture diaphragm on the surface of the first MOE substrate 126A, the embodiment in Figure 5 includes a layer of black chromium or black resist defining the aperture diaphragm 128 on the surface of the second MOE substrate 126B. As shown in Figure 5, there are no air gaps between the various optical elements and layers in the optical stack 422.

[0032] Optical filters, if included, may be positioned in stacking positions different from those shown in the above example. The thickness of the filters may be adjusted based on the optical design of the camera module. Figure 6 shows a camera module 520 similar to the module in Figure 5, except that, for example, optical filters 132 (e.g., bandpass filters and / or angle-of-incident filters) are positioned at or near the top of the optical stack 522 rather than at or near the bottom of the stack. As shown in Figure 6, there are no air gaps between the various optical elements and layers in the optical stack 522.

[0033] Some embodiments of the camera module may include one or more spacers to facilitate proper vertical alignment and focusing of the optical signal onto the image sensor. The spacers may be made of, for example, an optically transparent material (e.g., glass). Figure 7 shows an example of a camera module 620 having an optical stack 622 including a spacer 650 which has the same X and Y dimensions as the optical stack. Figure 8 shows an example of a camera module 720 having an optical stack 722 including a spacer 750 which has an aperture. In the example in Figure 8, the bottom of the optical stack 722 has an air interface. However, even in such a situation, a portion of the optical stack including a substrate having an aperture diaphragm and a sealed meta-optical element (MOE) on it does not have an air gap.

[0034] In some embodiments, the edge black portion may be applied to the edges of the optical stack, for example, to reduce stray light. Figure 9 shows an example of a camera module 820 similar to the module of Figure 5, but also including the edge black portion 850. The edge black portion 850 may consist of, for example, a black resist, a black polymer, black chromium, or black paint. In some embodiments, the black housing may be overmolded over the entire module. The edge black portion may be applied to any of the other embodiments described in this disclosure.

[0035] The camera module 820 includes an optical stack 822 having a first MOE substrate 126A on which a first MOE 129A is placed, and a second MOE substrate 126B on which a second MOE 129B is placed. Each MOE 129A, 129B is sealed by their respective sealing layers 130A, 130B. The sealing layers 130A, 130B may consist of an optically transparent material such as glass or polymer. The materials of the sealing layers 130A, 130B should optically substantially match the index of their respective substrates 126A, 126B. In some embodiments, an adhesive (e.g., bonding glue) may serve as a sealant and may be applied to the lamination process.

[0036] A layer 127A of black chromium or black resist is provided on the surface of the first MOE substrate 126A, defining an aperture diaphragm 128 for imaging. Thus, the aperture 128 is sandwiched between the first and second MOE substrates 126A, 126B. The camera module 820 also includes another layer 230 of black chromium or black resist defining another aperture diaphragm 240 on the outer (top) surface of the module. In some cases, this aperture 240 may help control stray light in the module. This feature may be included in any of the other embodiments described herein. The stack 822 may further include an optical filter 132 (e.g., a bandpass filter and / or an angle-of-incident filter) between the metalens stack and the image sensor. The various optical elements and layers in the stack may be attached to each other by, for example, an adhesive (e.g., bonding glue) 150. The optical stack 822 may be attached to the image sensor cover glass 36 by, for example, an adhesive (e.g., bonding glue) 34.

[0037] Preferably, the various optical elements and layers in the stack 822 have substantially matching refractive indices optically. That is, preferably, the refractive indices of each of the various optical elements and layers in the stack 822 (i.e., the substrate, encapsulant, and bonding glue) do not differ from each other by more than 0.2 in refractive index. As shown in Figure 9, there are no air gaps between the various optical elements and layers in the optical stack 822.

[0038] In some embodiments, the MOE is sealed by adding a layer of optically transparent material (e.g., glass, polymer) to the top of the metasurface such that voids (e.g., air gaps) exist between adjacent metaatoms. For example, in some cases, a piece of glass may be attached to the top of the MOE. In some cases, the layer may be placed on the top surface of the MOE such that voids (e.g., air gaps) are maintained between adjacent metaatoms. Figure 10 shows an example of a camera module 1020 similar to the camera module of Figure 4, except that there are voids (e.g., air gaps) 1021 between adjacent metaatoms 1023 of the sealed MOE 129C. In this case, the camera module 1020 includes an optical stack 1022 mounted above the image sensor 25, at least a portion of which does not have air gaps (other than voids between adjacent metaatoms), and includes an aperture diaphragm 127A and a first substrate 126A having a sealed meta-optical element (MOE) 129C on it. In this case, the height of the air gap 1021 is less than or equal to the height of the meta atom 1023.

[0039] In some cases, the camera module has alignment marks above the sensor to facilitate lens alignment. In some cases, self-alignment occurs by capillary force (for example, when the cover glass and optical stack have the same lateral dimensions). In some cases, the camera module may include one or more anti-reflective coatings (ARC). In some cases, the cover glass may be placed directly on the photosensitive surface of the image sensor. In some cases, the optical stack is attached directly to the image sensor without any cover glass.

[0040] As shown in Figure 11, as part of the manufacturing or assembly process of the camera module, various layers for the optical stack (e.g., one or more wafers each containing a meta-optics system, aperture diaphragm, and filters) are attached to each other (e.g., by an adhesive such as bonding glue) (1000). The glass wafers of the meta-optics system may be stacked at the wafer level during the manufacturing process, for example. In some cases, the wafers may have a reference point for aligning the entire wafer. In some cases, optical filters (e.g., bandpass filters or AOI filters) may be added at the wafer level. The wafer-level stack may then be separated into individual modules (e.g., diced) (1002). In some cases, optical filters may be added at the unit level instead of the wafer level. The modules are then mounted and aligned above the image sensor (1004). Edge black sections may also be provided on the side walls of each camera module (1006).

[0041] In some embodiments, before assembling the optical stack having an image sensor, the wafer-level optical stack is partially diced to form grooves, and these grooves are filled with edge black material (e.g., black resist, black epoxy, or other polymer). The wafer-level optical stack is then diced to its overall thickness to separate the stack into individual modules. In some embodiments, the edge black may be provided after the stack has been separated into individual camera modules (e.g., by spray painting). The above steps may, in some cases, eliminate the need to provide separate housings (e.g., barrels) for the camera modules and may, in some cases, facilitate stray light control.

[0042] In some cases, the active region of the MOE structure may have a rectangular shape factor similar to that of an image sensor. In some embodiments, a dummy structure, for example, equipped with cylindrical columns, may be provided around the active region of the MOE structure. Such an arrangement may, in some cases, improve the flow of adhesive (e.g., bonding glue).

[0043] Various advantages can be achieved in several embodiments. For example, by using a sealed meta-optical system, an air gap in the optical stack is not required. The optical stack can be attached, for example, to the cover glass above the image sensor with index-matched glue. Thus, in some embodiments, the light entering the camera module does not encounter internal interfaces with high refractive index contrast, and therefore, an anti-reflective coating may not be required.

[0044] Matching the indices of optical elements and layers in a stack can offer other advantages in some embodiments. For example, in designs with a wide field of view (FOV), some rays will have relatively high angles of incidence, and total internal reflection (TIR) ​​occurs in rays traveling at high angles from higher indices to lower indices, which can pose problems for designs incorporating planar optics (e.g., meta-optics). However, TIR should be eliminated or reduced so that more imaging rays pass through the lens system and avoid captured rays that can generate stray light. In systems using conventional optics (e.g., refractive optics), the curvature of the lens surface can be used to reduce or minimize the angle of incidence of the normal to the surface. In contrast, in systems using planar optics (e.g., meta-lenses), the curvature of the lens surface cannot be used to address TIR. Instead, by providing an optical stack in which elements and layers substantially match each other's indices, the optical system can take advantage of the features of planar optics while simultaneously avoiding or reducing the occurrence of TIR. Furthermore, for arrays where the aperture diaphragm is centrally located in the optical stack of lens elements, TIR can be avoided near the diaphragm by providing an adhesive whose index matches that of the stack structure. As described above, in some embodiments, the refractive indices of the various optical elements and layers in the stack (i.e., substrate, encapsulant, and bonding glue) are substantially matched such that their refractive indices do not differ from each other by more than 0.2.

[0045] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the lenses can be completely bonded together, eliminating the need for any adhesive lines at the lens edges. In addition, in some cases, the metalenses can be manufactured with the same rectangular aspect ratio as the image sensor, thereby further reducing the lens footprint. Moreover, bonding various layers together in a single optical stack can help improve mechanical stability. Using wafer-level stacking of lenses, relatively complex optical systems can be manufactured more easily, and many lenses can be manufactured in parallel.

[0046] As described above, one end of the optical stack (e.g., 22, 122, 322, 422, 522, 622, 722, 822) may be attached (e.g., by adhesive) to the cover glass of the image sensor. In some embodiments, the camera module may be embedded or otherwise integrated into a device in which the second end of the optical stack is attached to glass or other optically transparent support. For example, in some embodiments, the camera module is integrated into eyeglasses or an augmented reality headset to provide mold-in eye tracking. In some embodiments, the camera module is integrated into an automotive windshield or solar cell. In such embodiments, as shown in Figure 12, the camera module 1100 may be directly attached to an optically transparent glass support 1102 that forms part of the device to which it is applied (e.g., a windshield, rearview mirror, eyeglasses, an augmented reality (AR) headset, a virtual reality (VR) headset, or a mixed reality (MR) headset).

[0047] This specification includes many specific details, which should be interpreted not as limitations on disclosure or claims, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments. Certain features described herein in the context of separate embodiments may be combined within the same embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be realized individually or in appropriate partial combinations within multiple embodiments. Various modifications may be made to the examples described above. Therefore, other embodiments are also within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A device comprising a camera module, wherein the camera module is: Image sensor; and The optical stack is mounted above the image sensor, and at least a portion of the optical stack, which has no air gap, is: Aperture diaphragm; and An apparatus comprising a first substrate having a sealed meta-optical element (MOE) thereon.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the MOE is sealed with optically transparent glass or polymer.

3. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein the MOE is sealed with a material whose index is optically matched to the first substrate.

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein the MOE is sealed with bonding glue.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aperture diaphragm is provided on the surface of the first substrate.

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the portion of the optical stack further includes a second substrate, and the aperture diaphragm is provided on the surface of the second substrate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of the optical stack further includes a second substrate having a sealed MOE thereon.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least some adjacent elements and / or layers of the optical stack substantially coincide in exponents with respect to each other.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least some adjacent elements and / or layers of the optical stack have substantially matching exponents such that their refractive indices do not differ from one another by more than 0.

2.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the portion of the optical stack further includes a third substrate disposed between the first and second substrates, and the aperture diaphragm is provided on the surface of the third substrate.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the portion of the optical stack further includes at least one bandpass filter or angle of incidence filter.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the portion of the optical stack further includes an optically transparent spacer.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-12, wherein the side wall of the camera module includes an end black portion.

14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the surface of the optical stack includes a second opening, the second opening being defined by a layer of black chromium or black resist.

15. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the light entering the camera module is configured so as not to encounter an internal interface having a high refractive index contrast.

16. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the MOE has the same rectangular aspect ratio as the image sensor.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cover glass positioned above the image sensor, wherein the optical stack is attached to the cover glass with an adhesive having a matching index.

18. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 17, further comprising an optically transparent glass support, wherein the camera module is mounted on the optically transparent glass support.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the optically transparent glass support forms part of a windshield, a rearview mirror, eyeglasses, an augmented reality (AR) headset, a virtual reality (VR) headset, or a mixed reality (MR) headset.

20. A device comprising a camera module, wherein the camera module is: Image sensor; and The optical stack is mounted above the image sensor, and at least a portion of the optical stack is: Aperture diaphragm; and The first substrate includes a sealed meta-optical element (MOE) thereon, An apparatus in which a portion of the optical stack has no air gaps other than the voids between adjacent metaatoms of the MOE.

21. A method for manufacturing a camera module, wherein the method is: The method comprises forming a wafer-level optical stack, wherein at least a portion of the optical stack, which has no air gap, includes a first substrate having an aperture diaphragm and a sealed meta-optical element (MOE) thereon, and the method further includes The wafer-level optical stack being separated into individual modules; and Mount at least one of the modules above the image sensor. A method that includes [a certain feature].

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing an end black portion on the side wall of the module, wherein the material of the end black portion includes a black resist, black epoxy, or other black polymer or black overmolding.

23. Providing a black section at the end means: Partially dicing the wafer-level optical stack to form grooves; and The groove is filled with the material of the black end portion. The method of claim 22, including the method of claim 22.

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