Image Sensor Package Transparent Cover Refractive Index Matching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Image sensors face challenges in protecting their microlenses while maintaining light transmission without distortion, as existing solutions often result in flare phenomena due to air gaps and refractive index mismatches, leading to reduced sensitivity and increased size.
Innovation Solution
An image sensor package with a transparent protection cover and multiple transparent material layers that fill the space between the sensor array and the cover, ensuring no air gaps and minimizing refractive index differences, thereby preventing flare and enhancing sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a transparent protection cover is added to protect microlenses, then protection is improved, but light transmission distortion occurs due to air gaps and refractive index mismatches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces transparent material layers as intermediary substances between the protection cover and microlenses. These layers have refractive indices matching both the cover and lenses, serving as optical mediators that eliminate air gaps and prevent light distortion while maintaining protective coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the protective structure by filling air gaps with transparent materials having specific refractive indices. This parameter change eliminates the optical interface between air and glass/plastic, thereby preventing flare and maintaining light transmission quality while providing protection.
2Illumination intensity
If transparent material layers are added to fill air gaps, then light transmission is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protection cover and transparent material layers into an integrated protective structure. The transparent layers are formed as continuous films that simultaneously provide optical matching and physical protection, reducing the need for separate components and simplifying the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses thin transparent material layers that conform to the microlens surface topology. These flexible thin films adapt to the curved surfaces of microlenses while maintaining optical contact, providing protection without requiring complex rigid structures or multiple discrete components.
3Illumination intensity
If the protection cover overlaps the sensor array region, then light transmission is improved, but the pad region becomes obscured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the transparent material layers selectively transparent in different regions. The layers are configured to be transparent over the sensor array region for optimal light transmission while being selectively opaque or patterned over the pad region to maintain electrical connection accessibility, thus addressing both requirements simultaneously.
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
The solution effectively transmits light without distortion, increases sensitivity by reducing flare, and allows for a more compact design by eliminating the need for separate adhesion regions and minimizing the package size.
Implementation Method 1
transmits incident light to the plurality of unit pixels without distortion... at least two transparent material layers covering the plurality of microlenses... minimizing refractive index differences
Implementation Method 2
transparent protection cover... protecting a plurality of unit pixels each including a microlens and transmits incident light
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an image sensor package that includes a transparent protection cover for protecting a plurality of unit pixels each including a microlens. The image sensor package includes a substrate which has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other, and includes a sensor array region including a plurality of unit pixels formed in the first surface and a pad region including a pad arranged in the vicinity of the sensor array region, a plurality of microlenses formed on the plurality of unit pixels, respectively, at least two transparent material layers covering the plurality of microlenses, and a transparent protection cover attached onto the plurality of microlenses with the at least two transparent material layers interposed therebetween.