Trenched Substrate Lens Manufacturing Yield
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wafer-level lens manufacturing methods result in the production of lenses with excess substrate material, known as 'yard', which limits the area utilization and yield per wafer, as dicing lines must be placed outside this material during the singulation process.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a trenched substrate where lens material is deposited on one side with trenches, allowing excess material to be accommodated within these trenches, thereby eliminating the need for 'yard' and enabling closer placement of spacers to the lens elements, thus optimizing wafer area usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wafer-level lens manufacturing methods are used with mold recesses for excess resin, then lens elements can be reliably formed, but yard (excess resin ring) is created around each lens element requiring additional substrate space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the excess resin accommodation from a lateral dimension (yard ring around the lens) to a vertical dimension (trench below the lens). By forming trenches that extend downward from the substrate surface and filling them with excess resin, the solution eliminates the horizontal yard while maintaining reliable lens formation. This dimensional transition from 2D lateral space to 3D vertical space resolves the contradiction between reliability and area utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The excess resin is nested within the trenches that are formed within the substrate itself. Rather than having the excess resin occupy lateral space around the lens, it is contained within a three-dimensional cavity (the trench) that is nested inside the substrate volume. This nesting approach allows the excess resin to be accommodated without increasing the lateral footprint, thereby improving substrate area utilization while maintaining lens formation reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If dicing lines are placed outside the yard to singulate lenses, then mechanical fixtures can be properly positioned, but each lens requires additional substrate material at larger radial distances
Solution Approach 1:
By relocating excess resin accommodation to the vertical dimension through trenches, the lateral distance between adjacent lenses can be reduced. This allows dicing lines to be positioned closer to the lens elements, enabling better substrate utilization and higher yield per wafer while still accommodating mechanical fixtures during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spatial distribution parameters of excess resin from a lateral ring configuration to a vertical trench configuration. This parameter change reduces the radial distance occupied by each lens unit, allowing closer packing of lenses on the wafer and improving overall productivity and yield per wafer.
3Shape
If mold recesses are used to accommodate excess resin, then lens shaping can be achieved, but each lens element is associated with an additional ring of resin surrounding it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the excess resin containment from a lateral ring (2D) to a vertical trench (3D). By forming trenches that extend downward from the substrate surface and filling them with excess resin during molding, the solution eliminates the horizontal yard while maintaining proper lens shaping. This dimensional change converts lateral material waste into vertical material containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the excess resin containment function from the lateral yard region and relocates it to vertically formed trenches. By removing the yard concept and replacing it with trench-based containment, the solution eliminates the additional ring of resin surrounding each lens element while preserving the ability to achieve proper lens shapes through the mold process.
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 allows for a higher yield per wafer by eliminating the 'yard' and enabling more efficient use of substrate space, allowing for the production of wafer-level lenses with improved spatial efficiency and potentially increased lens density.
Implementation Method 1
shaping a plurality of lens elements, on a respective plurality of surface portions of the first side, by contacting a mold to the first side
Implementation Method 2
accommodating an excess portion of the lens material in the trenches
Data Source
AI summary
A trenched-substrate based lens manufacturing method includes depositing lens material on a first side of a substrate, wherein the first side of the substrate has a plurality of trenches. The method further includes shaping a plurality of lens elements from the lens material. The method includes shaping the plurality of lens elements, on a respective plurality of surface portions of the first side, by contacting a mold to the first side. Each of the surface portions are adjacent a respective one of the trenches. Additionally, the method includes accommodating an excess portion of the lens material in the trenches. A lens system, manufactured using this method, includes a substrate with a planar surface and a trench embedded in the planar surface. The lens system further includes a lens element molded on the planar surface adjacent to the trench.