Bezels for die level packaging of camera modules, and associated camera modules and methods

A lens-bezel assembly for die level packaging of a camera module, comprising:

• a recessed lip surrounding an aperture of the bezel and facing in a first direction, the recessed lip being configured for seating thereon an image sensor;
• a planar rim surrounding the aperture and facing in a second direction opposite the first direction transverse extent of the planar rim across the aperture in a second dimension orthogonal to the first direction exceeding corresponding transverse extent of the recessed lip;
• a flange surrounding the planar rim to retain glue used to bond the wafer-level lens unit to the planar rim;
• a wafer-level lens unit for delivering light to the image sensor through the aperture, the wafer-level lens unit including:
• (a) a first wafer-level lens, including a substrate and at least one lens element disposed on the substrate, and
• (b) a spacer bonded between the substrate and the planar rim, to couple the first wafer-level lens to the bezel, the spacer forming an opening around optical pathway for the light propagating from the wafer-level lens to a light-receiving surface of the image sensor, transverse extent of the opening, in the second dimension, exceeding the corresponding transverse extent of the recessed lip;
• and
• a second lip configured for seating thereon a wavelength filter for spectrally filtering the light, the second lip (a) surrounding the aperture, (b) being surrounded by and recessed from the planar rim, and (c) facing in the second direction.

A camera module, comprising:

• a wafer-level lens unit having first transverse extent in a first dimension orthogonal to optical axis of the wafer-level lens;
• an image sensor having second transverse extent, in a second dimension parallel to light-receiving surface of the image sensor, the second transverse extent being smaller than the first transverse extent;
• and
• a bezel having:
• (a) opposite facing first and second sides, the wafer-level lens unit being bonded to the first side and the image sensor being inserted into the second side and bonded directly to the bezel, such that the first dimension is aligned with the second dimension, and
• (b) an aperture configured to transmit light from the wafer-level lens to the light-receiving surface;
• the wafer-level lens unit including:
• (a) a first wafer-level lens, including a substrate and at least one lens element disposed on the substrate, and
• (b) a spacer bonded between the substrate and the bezel, to couple the first wafer-level lens to the bezel, the spacer forming an opening around optical pathway for the light propagating from the wafer-level lens to the light-receiving surface, the opening having third transverse extent in the first dimension, the third transverse extent exceeding the second transverse extent.