Wafer Level Lens Fitting Structures for Optical Axis Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aligning the optical axes of wafer level lenses during manufacturing is challenging due to miniaturization requirements, affecting optical quality.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating fitting structures on the lenses that engage with each other, such as flanges and recesses, to precisely align the optical elements, ensuring accurate positioning and assembly of the target lens with the wafer level lens group.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If wafer level lens manufacturing is applied to microminiaturize electronic products, then the size of lenses is significantly reduced, but aligning the optical axes of the two lenses becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
A spacer is introduced as an intermediary component between the first and second lenses. The spacer includes a first fitting structure that fits into a second fitting structure on the target lens, providing a mechanical interface that mediates the alignment process. This intermediary element enables precise optical axis alignment while maintaining the compact wafer level architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The fitting structures are pre-formed on the lenses and spacer during the wafer level manufacturing process, before final assembly. The first fitting structure is formed on the spacer and the second fitting structure is formed on the target lens in advance, enabling automatic alignment when the components are brought together, thus eliminating the need for post-assembly alignment adjustments.
2Manufacturing precision
If fitting structures are added to align optical elements, then optical axis alignment is improved, but the fitting structures may influence light paths
Solution Approach 1:
The fitting structures are designed with localized functional zones: alignment features (protrusions and recesses) are positioned at the edges of the spacer where they do not intersect with the central light path. The transparent material properties are optimized in the light transmission regions while the fitting structures provide mechanical alignment functions in non-optical zones, thus achieving local quality differentiation between alignment and optical performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The fitting structures are designed as transparent replicas of the alignment features, using the same transparent material as the lens and spacer bodies. These fitting structures copy the optical properties of the surrounding material, making them optically invisible while maintaining their mechanical alignment function. The transparent fitting structures refract light similarly to the surrounding transparent material, minimizing their influence on light paths.
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 configuration securely aligns the optical axes, enhancing the optical quality of the wafer level lens system by minimizing the influence of the fitting structures on light paths and utilizing refractive differences between materials to achieve effective light refraction.
Implementation Method 1
The first fitting structure is fitted into the second fitting structure
Implementation Method 2
utilizing refractive differences between materials to achieve effective light refraction
Data Source
AI summary
A wafer level lens system includes a target lens and a wafer level lens group. The target lens includes a first surface, a second surface, and a first fitting structure. The second surface is opposite to the first surface. The first fitting structure is disposed at the second surface. The wafer level lens group includes a first transparent plate and a second fitting structure. The first transparent plate has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface. The second fitting structure is disposed on the third surface. The first fitting structure is fitted into the second fitting structure, and there is a space encapsulated between the second surface and the third surface.