UV-Transparent Mold Lens Replication for Integrated Cameras
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional integrated camera manufacturing using glass wafers affects lens quality due to light transmission and phase issues, degrading image quality, especially with thicker glass wafers.
Innovation Solution
The method involves forming UV-transparent molds by creating pedestals or holes on a substrate, fabricating lenses on these structures, and replicating them to produce suspended lenses in a spacer wafer, eliminating the need for glass wafers and improving light transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If glass wafers are used in lens plate fabrication, then structural support and manufacturing stability are improved, but light transmission quality and image brightness are degraded due to light interference and phase issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the glass wafer component from the lens plate structure. By suspending lenses directly in air within a holder structure, the design eliminates the glass wafer that causes light interference and phase issues, thereby improving light transmission quality while maintaining structural support through alternative means (holder structure with engagement features)
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a thin holder structure that provides necessary structural support without the optical interference of thick glass wafers. The holder structure acts as a minimal-interference support mechanism, allowing light to pass through with reduced phase issues and interference compared to conventional glass wafer assemblies
2Strength
If thicker glass wafers are used, then mechanical strength and structural support are improved, but lens quality and image clarity are degraded due to increased light interference and phase distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the thick glass wafer entirely and replaces it with a holder structure that provides mechanical support without interfering with optical quality. The lenses are suspended in air within the holder, eliminating the source of light interference and phase distortion while maintaining structural integrity through engineered holder features
Solution Approach 2:
The holder structure provides localized mechanical support precisely where needed (at the lens periphery through engagement features) without introducing material throughout the entire optical path. This localized support approach maintains lens quality by avoiding widespread light interference while providing necessary structural 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 enhances lens quality by reducing light interference and phase issues, resulting in improved image brightness and clarity without the limitations of glass wafers.
Implementation Method 1
UV-transparent mold is replicated from the replicated intermediate mold. Lenses in a spacer wafer are replicated from the UV-transparent mold
Data Source
AI summary
Suspended lenses in a spacer wafer and lens-in-a-pocket structures are replicated from UV-transparent molds. The fabrication of UV-transparent molds can include providing a substrate with pedestals, fabricating a lens on each pedestal using a step-and-repeat process, replicating an intermediate mold from the substrate with pedestals having lenses on the pedestals, and replicating a UV-transparent mold from the intermediate mold. The fabrication of UV-transparent molds can also include providing a substrate with holes, fabricating a lens in each hole and replicating a UV-transparent mold from the substrate with the holes having the lenses.