Flexible Interconnect Sensing Alignment and Strain Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image sensors face challenges in efficiently aligning and integrating multiple electromagnetic radiation sensing sections with digital sections, leading to increased complexity and potential strain on the sensing system, which affects image stitching and dynamic range.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a flexible interconnect that allows for self-alignment of electromagnetic radiation sensing sections, including pixel arrays, with digital sections, forming a piecewise linear curve and bending only at specific portions to reduce strain and facilitate accurate image stitching without mechanical rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple EMR sensing sections are integrated with digital sections using traditional rigid interconnects, then alignment precision deteriorates and system complexity increases, but manufacturing precision can be maintained through standard processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible interconnect comprising a thin film structure that can be bent and deformed to enable precise alignment between EMR sensing sections and digital sections. This flexible interconnect allows the system to achieve sub-micron alignment precision while maintaining manageable system complexity through the inherent flexibility of the thin film material.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible interconnect introduces dynamic capability to the system, allowing for post-fabrication adjustment and alignment of sensing sections relative to digital sections. This dynamic alignment capability resolves the contradiction by enabling high precision without requiring complex rigid alignment mechanisms during manufacturing.
2Manufacturing precision
If the flexible interconnect is bent to align sensing sections, then alignment precision improves, but strain on the interconnect increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible interconnect is designed with non-uniform properties, featuring regions of different flexibility and strength. Areas requiring bending are made more flexible while areas requiring strength maintain higher rigidity. This local differentiation allows the interconnect to achieve precise alignment through controlled bending while minimizing strain in critical regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible interconnect utilizes composite material structures combining multiple layers with different mechanical properties. This composite construction enables the interconnect to bend precisely for alignment while the composite structure distributes and manages strain, preventing excessive stress concentration that would compromise interconnect strength.
3Productivity
If multiple digital sections are used to process data from multiple sensing sections, then processing capability improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple digital processing functions into a single integrated digital section that can process data from multiple EMR sensing sections. This consolidation maintains high processing capability while reducing the total power consumption compared to having separate digital sections for each sensing element, as the single digital section shares processing resources and reduces redundant overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations of sensing devices may include a plurality of electromagnetic radiation sensing sections coupled to a flexible interconnect and one or more digital sections coupled to the flexible interconnect. The plurality of electromagnetic radiation sensing sections may be self-aligned through the flexible interconnect.