Single-Substrate Ambient Light Sensor and Optical Element Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current products integrating ambient light sensors and optical elements require separate wafers and bonding processes, leading to high manufacturing costs, reject rates, and complex fabrication steps.
Innovation Solution
A device and method where an ambient light sensor and optical elements are integrated on a single substrate, involving steps like forming the ALS on a first surface, reducing substrate thickness, creating recesses, depositing silicon dioxide, and etching patterns to form optical elements, which eliminates the need for separate wafer bonding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate wafers are used for ambient light sensor and optical elements with bonding processes, then device functionality is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ambient light sensor and optical elements onto a single substrate, eliminating the need for separate wafers and bonding processes. This merging approach directly reduces fabrication complexity and improves reliability by removing inter-wafer bonding interfaces that can fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The single substrate serves multiple functions: it acts as the base for the ambient light sensor, contains the optical elements, and provides structural support. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components and bonding processes, resolving the contradiction between reliability and fabrication complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate wafers are used for ambient light sensor and optical elements, then device functionality is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the ambient light sensor and optical elements onto one substrate, the patent eliminates multiple manufacturing steps including wafer bonding, alignment, and additional packaging. This reduces both manufacturing cost and the number of potential failure points, simultaneously improving ease of manufacture and reliability.
3Productivity
If separate wafers are bonded together, then device functionality is achieved, but reject rates increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates wafer bonding entirely by integrating all components on a single substrate. This removes the complex bonding process and associated high reject rates, directly improving manufacturing yield while reducing fabrication process complexity.
4Length of moving object
If substrate thickness is reduced, then device profile is improved, but structural strength may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure where the substrate is integrated with the optical elements and sensor components. This composite design allows for reduced overall thickness while maintaining structural strength through the distributed architecture of the integrated components, resolving the contradiction between profile height and strength.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces manufacturing costs, improves reliability, and results in a low-profile, robust device with enhanced performance by integrating ALS and optical elements on a single substrate, simplifying the fabrication process and reducing reject rates.
Implementation Method 1
an ambient light sensor (ALS) and an optical element integrated on a single substrate
Implementation Method 2
depositing silicon dioxide into the plurality of recesses. The process further includes etching a pattern into the silicon dioxide (e.g., glass) to form the optical elements
Data Source
AI summary
A device having one or more optical elements and an ambient light sensor integrated on a single substrate (e.g., wafer) and a method (e.g., process) for making same is described herein. The process includes the step of forming the ambient light sensor on a first surface of the substrate. The process further includes the step of forming a plurality of recesses in a second surface of the substrate, the second surface being located opposite the first surface. The process further includes depositing silicon dioxide into the plurality of recesses. The process further includes etching a pattern into the silicon dioxide (e.g., glass) to form the optical elements.