# US 11,114,485 B2 · Metal mirror based multispectral filter array

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- Number: US 11,114,485 B2
- Document ID: US11114485B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/929,371
- Filed: 2020-04-29
- Published: 2020-08-13
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-29
- Assignees: Viavi Solutions Inc.
- Applicants: VIAVI Solutions Inc.
- Inventors: Georg J. Ockenfuss
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114485B2

## CPC

- H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters}
- G01J 3/0208: {using focussing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or mirrors; performing aberration correction}
- G01J 3/26: using multiple reflection, e.g. Fabry-Perot interferometer, variable interference filters
- G01J 3/2803: {using photoelectric array detector}
- G01J 3/36: Investigating two or more bands of a spectrum by separate detectors
- G01J 3/51: using colour filters
- G01J 3/513: {having fixed filter-detector pairs}
- G02B 5/286: {having four or fewer layers, e.g. for achieving a colour effect}
- G02B 5/288: {comprising at least one thin film resonant cavity, e.g. in bandpass filters}
- H10F 39/024: {of coatings or optical elements}
- H10F 39/18: Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor [CMOS] image sensors; Photodiode array image sensors
- H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors}
- H10F 39/805: {Coatings}
- H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses}
- H10F 39/8067: {Reflectors}
- H10F 77/331: {for filtering or shielding light, e.g. multicolour filters for photodetectors}
- H10H 20/841: Reflective coatings, e.g. dielectric Bragg reflectors
- H10H 20/856: Reflecting means
- H10K 59/38: comprising colour filters or colour changing media [CCM]
- G01J 2003/2806: {Array and filter array}
- G01J 2003/2826: {Multispectral imaging, e.g. filter imaging}
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES

## Abstract

A device may include a multispectral filter array disposed on the substrate. The multi spectral filter array may include a first metal mirror disposed on the substrate. The multi spectral filter may include a spacer disposed on the first metal mirror. The spacer may include a set of layers. The spacer may include a second metal mirror disposed on the spacer. The second metal mirror may be aligned with two or more sensor elements of a set of sensor elements.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
providing a substrate that includes a set of sensor elements;
depositing multiple layers of a multispectral filter array onto the substrate,
wherein the multiple layers include:
a first spacer layer disposed over all sensor elements in the set of sensor elements,
a second spacer layer disposed over less than all sensor elements in the set of sensor elements, and
a metal mirror,
depositing one or more other layers associated with the multispectral filter array onto the multiple layers; and
attaching a lens that alters a characteristic of light that is directed toward a corresponding sensor element of the sensor elements.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple layers further include:
a first mirror structure that includes the metal mirror;
and
a second mirror structure that is deposited onto one or more portions of one or more of the first spacer layer or the second spacer layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the multiple layers further include:
an intermediate layer between the substrate and the first mirror structure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1,
wherein the multiple layers include a mirror structure, and
wherein the mirror structure includes a partially transparent material that permits a first portion of light to be directed toward the set of sensor elements and a second portion of the light to be re-directed away from the set of sensor elements.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the metal mirror includes one of:
a silver (Ag)-based material,
an aluminum (Al)-based material, or
a copper (Cu)-based material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the multiple layers comprises:
using a pulsed magnetron sputtering deposition process to deposit one or more layers of the multiple layers onto the substrate or another layer of the multiple layers.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the multiple layers comprises:
depositing a mirror structure that includes the metal mirror; and
utilizing a lift-off process to form a spacer layer on the mirror structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1,
wherein the first spacer layer includes one or more discrete portions that form a continuous spacer layer on the metal mirror.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more discrete portions correspond to a plurality of channels aligned with the set of sensor elements.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more other layers include one of:
an anti-reflective coating filter,
an out-of-band blocking filter, or
a higher-order suppression filter.

### Claim 11

A method comprising:
depositing a first mirror structure onto a substrate associated with a set of optical sensors,
wherein the first mirror structure includes a metal mirror;
depositing a first spacer layer onto the first mirror structure,
wherein the first spacer layer covers the set of optical sensors;
depositing a second spacer layer that covers less than all of the set of optical sensors; and
depositing a second mirror structure onto one or more portions of one or more of the first spacer layer or the second spacer layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the second mirror structure is a different metal mirror disposed in alignment with one or more sensors of the set of optical sensors.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the set of optical sensors is a back illuminated sensor array.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of the first spacer layer or the second spacer layer comprise a material selected to reduce an angle shift of light directed from a light source toward the set of optical sensors.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the set of optical sensors are disposed in a silicon-based wafer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15,
wherein the substrate includes a glass-based substrate, and
wherein the silicon-based wafer is bonded to the glass-based substrate.

### Claim 17

A method comprising:
providing a set of optical sensors;
depositing a mirror structure over the set of optical sensors,
wherein the mirror structure includes a metal mirror; and
depositing a plurality of spacer layers over the mirror structure,
wherein the plurality of spacer layers comprise:
a first spacer layer that covers the set of optical sensors, and
a second spacer layer that covers less than all sensors of the set of optical sensors.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
depositing a different mirror structure over one or more portions of the plurality of spacer layers.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the different mirror structure is a different metal mirror disposed in alignment with one or more sensors of the set of optical sensors.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of spacer layers further comprise:
a third spacer layer comprising:
a first portion that is deposited onto a portion of the first spacer layer, and
a second portion that is deposited onto a portion of the second spacer layer.