Wafer-Level Aspheric Lens Design for Compact Wide-Angle Optical Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical systems for miniaturized applications like endoscopes and mobile phones face challenges in achieving wide-angle, high optical performance due to complex manufacturing processes and high costs, with existing wafer level optics methods resulting in systems that are either too long or costly to produce.
Innovation Solution
A compact optical system design using two lens units manufactured by wafer level optics, where the first unit has a negative refractive power and the second unit has a positive refractive power, with aspheric surfaces and a diaphragm, optimized to minimize aberrations and manufacturing complexity, allowing for a small, inexpensive, and high-performance wide-angle optical system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If three lens surfaces are used in the optical system, then optical performance can be improved, but manufacturing cost increases and manufacturing steps become complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple lens functions into fewer lens surfaces by using aspheric surfaces with varying refractive powers. Specifically, the first lens surface has negative refractive power while the second lens surface has positive refractive power, allowing two surfaces to perform optical functions that would traditionally require three or more spherical lens surfaces. This merging reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining optical performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the refractive power parameter across different regions of the lens surfaces by employing aspheric designs. The refractive power varies from the optical axis to the peripheral portions, enabling a single aspheric surface to correct multiple aberrations simultaneously. This parameter variation allows fewer lens surfaces to achieve the same optical performance as more traditional multi-element systems.
2Length of moving object
If the optical system is miniaturized, then it becomes suitable for portable applications, but achieving wide-angle and high optical performance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses aspheric surfaces with non-uniform curvature to achieve wide-angle performance in a compact form. The aspheric profiles allow for more efficient light ray control compared to traditional spherical surfaces, enabling wider field angles without increasing overall system length. The varying curvature across the aspheric surfaces corrects aberrations that would otherwise require additional lens elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes in refractive power across the aspheric surfaces to achieve both miniaturization and wide-angle performance. By carefully designing the refractive power distribution from the optical axis to peripheral regions, the system achieves wide field angles while maintaining compact dimensions and high optical performance in a single integrated structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional wafer level optics methods are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the optical system becomes too long for miniaturization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple optical functions into a compact two-surface aspheric lens structure that can be manufactured using wafer-level optics. By combining the functions of multiple traditional lens elements into fewer aspheric surfaces with optimized refractive power distribution, the system achieves both cost-effective wafer-level manufacturing and miniaturized form factor suitable for portable applications.
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 design achieves a compact, bright, and wide-angle optical system with effective aberration correction, suitable for miniaturized applications like smartphones and endoscopes, while reducing manufacturing costs and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a first lens having a negative refractive power and disposed on the image side of the first substrate
Implementation Method 2
A surface on the image side of the first lens is an aspheric surface. In the aspheric surface of the first lens, a refractive power at an outermost peripheral portion of an effective area is smaller than a refractive power on the optical axis
Implementation Method 3
a second lens having a positive refractive power and disposed on the image side of the second substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An optical system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first unit and a second unit. The first unit includes a first substrate, and a first lens having a negative refractive power and disposed on the image side of the first substrate. The second unit includes a second substrate, and a second lens having a positive refractive power and disposed on the image side of the second substrate. An absolute value of the refractive power on an optical axis of the second lens is larger than that of the first lens. A surface on the image side of the first lens is an aspheric surface. In the aspheric surface of the first lens, a refractive power at an outermost peripheral portion of an effective area is smaller than a refractive power on the optical axis.