# US 2014/0151575 A1 · Optical filter and method for the production of the same, and device for the examination of electromagnetic radiation

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- Number: US 2014/0151575 A1
- Document ID: US20140151575A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/094,804
- Filed: 2013-12-03
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2006-08-09
- Assignees: Biozoom Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Hartmut Hillmer; Wolfgang Koecher; Juergen Krieg; Carl Sandhagen; Hardy Hoheisel; Winfried Willemer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151575A1

## CPC

- G02B 5/284: {of etalon type comprising a resonant cavity other than a thin solid film, e.g. gas, air, solid plates (etalons for fibre optic multiplexing G02B6/29358; etalons for spectral measurement G01J3/26)}
- A61B 5/0075: {by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy (A61B5/0071 takes precedence)}
- B29D 11/00634: {Production of filters}
- B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- G01J 3/02: Details
- G01J 3/0259: {Monolithic}
- 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 3/4406: {Fluorescence spectrometry}
- G01J 3/51: using colour filters
- G02B 5/201: {in the form of arrays}
- 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 39/8053: {Colour filters}
- G03F 7/0002: {Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping}
- Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- 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)
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

An optical filter array includes a substrate permeable to an electromagnetic radiation to be detected, a first DBR mirror arranged on the substrate, a second DBR minor arranged above the first DBR mirror, and a plurality of cavity sections. The cavity sections have different respective optical lengths, and are arranged so as to be spatially separated from each other between the first DBR minor and the second DBR mirror. Each of the first DBR minor, the second DBR mirror, and the plurality of cavity sections with different optical lengths form filter elements of a filter. The filter reflects in a stopband determined by the first DBR mirror and the second DBR mirror. Each filter element has at least one narrow transmission band determined by the optical length of its respective cavity section located inside the stopband. A different thicknesses of the cavity sections is provided via a nanoimprint process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical filter array comprising:
a substrate (1) permeable to an electromagnetic radiation to be detected;
a first DBR minor (3) arranged on the substrate (1);
a second DBR mirror (4) arranged above the first DBR minor (3); and
a plurality of cavity sections (Sa to Sg) with different respective optical lengths (L1, L2) arranged so as to be spatially separated from each other between the first DBR mirror (3) and the second DBR mirror (4),
wherein, each of the first DBR mirror (3), the second DBR mirror (4) and the plurality of cavity sections (Sa to Sg) with different optical lengths (L1, L2) form filter elements (2a to 2g) of a filter (2),
wherein,
the filter (2) reflects in a stopband determined by the first DBR minor (3) and the second DBR mirror (4),
each filter element (2a to 2g) has at least one narrow transmission band determined by the optical length of its respective cavity section (Sa to Sg) located inside the stopband, and
a different thicknesses of the cavity sections (Sa to Sg) is provided via a nanoimprint process.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical filter array as recited in claim 1, further comprising photo elements (7a to 7g) assigned to the plurality of filter elements (2a to 2g), the photo elements (7a to 7g) being arranged so as to be polar coordinate-like line by line and column by column.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The optical filter array as recited in claim 2, wherein the filter elements (2a to 2g) and the photo elements (7a to 7g) assigned thereto are arranged in a linear or in a bent line.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The optical filter array as recited in claim 2, wherein the filter elements (2a to 2g) and photo elements (2a to 2g; 7a to 7g) are arranged in an irregular and preset distribution.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The optical filter array as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the substrate (1) and the filter (2) is produced on the basis of organic or inorganic materials.

### Claim 6

An apparatus for the examination for a spectral and local distribution of a radiation irradiated by an object, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of filter elements (5, 5a to 5d) comprising different spectral passbands; and
photo elements (5, 5a to 5d); and
photoelectric sensor elements (3) assigned to the photo elements (5, 5a to 5d),
wherein,
the plurality of filter elements (5, 5a to 5d) are arranged side by side and, together with the photoelectric sensor elements (3), form a sensor and filter array, and
the spectral passbands are arranged with a statistical or pseudostatistical distribution in the sensor and filter array.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in to claim 6, wherein the sensor and filter array has areas (6a, 6b, 6c) formed by adjacent sensor and filter elements (3, 5, 5a to 5d), and that the filter elements (5, 5a to 5d), due to the statistical or pseudo-static distribution in all areas (6a, 6b, 6c), have similar spectral passbands.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein all the areas (6a, 6b, 6c) have the same number of filter elements (5, 5a to 5d).

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The apparatus as recited in claim 7, further comprising a device configured to select the areas (6a, 20 6b, 6c) during the evaluation of the radiation examined.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the sensor and filter array comprises at least one first and one second section (7a, 7c), wherein the spectral passbands in the first section (7a) have a statistical or pseudostatistical distribution and the spectral passbands in the second section (7c) are centrally symmetric with respect to a preset point of the sensor and filter array compared to the first section.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the sensor and filter array comprises at least one first and one second section, wherein the spectral passbands in the first section have a statistical or pseudostatistical distribution and the spectral passbands in the second section are minor symmetric with respect to a preset line of the sensor and filter array compared to the first section.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the spectral passbands are assigned to the filter elements (5) so as to result in a rotationally symmetric distribution of the spectral passbands with respect to a preset point of the sensor and filter array.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein a linear distribution is overlapped to the statistical distribution so that in a preset point (14) of the areas near the sensor and filter array on average shorter wave passbands, and with increasing distances from the preset point (14), on average increasingly longer wave passbands, are assigned to the filter elements (Sa, Sb).

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the sensor and filter array contains at least forty filter elements (5, 5a to 5d) with different spectral pass bands.

### Claim 15 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the photoelectric sensor elements and the plurality of filter elements (3; 5, 5a to 5d) are arranged in a Cartesian way line by line and column by column.

### Claim 16 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the photoelectric sensor elements and the plurality of filter elements (3; 5, 5a to 5d) are arranged polar coordinate-like line by line and column by column.

### Claim 17 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the sensor and filter array (12, 17, 20a, to 20d) comprises a discoid substrate (2), in which the photoelectric sensor elements (5) (5) are arranged.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the discoid substrate (2) comprises a substantially plane parallel, plane or bent disc.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the discoid substrate (2) at the same time forms a substrate for the plurality of filter elements (5, 5a to 5d).

### Claim 20 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the plurality of filter elements (5a to 5d) comprises Fabry Perot filter elements.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the plurality of filter elements (5a to 5d) comprises two DBR minors (26, 27) and cavity sections arranged between the DBR mirrors (26, 27) which have different respective optical lengths (28a to 28d).

### Claim 22 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the sensor and filter array is produced via at least one of CCD technology and CMOS technology.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the plurality of filter elements (5) are applied on a surface (2b) of the discoid substrate (2) that has no electric lines (4).

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein the discoid substrate (2) at least in the area of the photoelectric sensor elements (3) has a thickness that is selected depending on a penetration depth of the radiation.

### Claim 25 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein a width of spectral ranges of the plurality of filter elements (5, 5a to 5d) is up to 4 nm in the visible area, more than 10 nm in the near infra-red, and up to 10 nm with larger wavelengths in excess thereof.

### Claim 26 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the photoelectric sensor elements and the plurality of filter elements (3; 5, 5a to 5d) have a lateral size of at most 100 mm.

### Claim 27 (depends on 17)

The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the discoid substrate (2) is provided with a hole which is configured to house a light source (14, 22a to 22d).

### Claim 28 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the apparatus is arranged to detect the radiation remitted or transmitted by the object (11, 18, 21).

### Claim 29 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the radiation the apparatus is arranged to detect is a fluorescence radiation, a phosphorescence radiation, or a scattered radiation irradiated by the object.

### Claim 30 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises a substrate comprising a plurality of photo elements 5a sensitive to the radiation to be detected and a substrate with a plurality of applied miniaturized Fabry Perot filter elements 2a, each of which are permeable to at least one spectral range selected from a plurality of different spectral ranges of the radiation to be detected, wherein the substrate or the Fabry Perot filter elements 2a is configured to form a window 10 of a housing of an optoelectronic component.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The apparatus as recited in claim 30, wherein the plurality of filter elements are applied on a side of the substrate facing the plurality of photo elements so that the Fabry Perot filter elements are arranged inside the optoelectronic component so as to be closer to the plurality of photo elements and to be protected against environmental influences.

### Claim 32 (depends on 30)

The apparatus as recited in claim 30, wherein, on the substrate of the Fabry Perot filter elements, further optical components selected from at least one of micro lens arrays, a light guide and a diaphragm are completely or partially applied.

### Claim 33 (depends on 30)

The apparatus as recited in claim 30, wherein the substrate of the filter elements completely or partially comprises further optical functions selected from a bandpass filter or a lowpass filter which is assigned to all or to a spatially adjacent part of the Fabry Perot filter elements.

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein a thickness of the substrate of the Fabry Perot filter elements used as the window is selected so as to be advantageous for a function of the further optical components or for a function of the optoelectronic component for a large wavelength range.

### Claim 35 (depends on 30)

The apparatus as recited in claim 30, wherein a definitive attribution is determined after an assembly, the definitive attribution being considered in processing signals of the plurality of photo elements by electronic means with a corresponding evaluation circuit or evaluation logic or an analysis program.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The apparatus as recited in claim 35, wherein the definitive attribution resulting from the assembly is ascertained, is stored in an electronic circuit inside the substrate of the photo elements or a further substrate inside the housing and, in the output of signals, is considered by the optoelectronic component, so that one type of standardized output takes place for all components.

### Claim 37 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the apparatus is formed as a chip with a size of a few square millimeters and at least one thousand photoelectric sensor elements and filter elements (3, 5).

### Claim 38 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the plurality of filter elements (5, 5a to 5d) and the photoelectric sensor elements (3) assigned thereto are united to form a one-piece sensor (12, 17, 20a to 20d) which is placed on the object (11, 18, 21).

### Claim 39 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the apparatus is provided by the process of:
designing an optical filter (2) comprising filter elements (2a to 2e);
designing a substrate for the filter elements 10 comprising optical functions 10a contained therein, and further applying optic components including at least one of micro lens arrays 3, a light guide or a diaphragm 4;
designing a further substrate (5) comprising sensor elements Sa-Se contained therein;
arranging a first DBR minor 11 on a side of the substrate 10;
arranging a layer of a cavity material on the first DBR mirror 11;
structuring at least one of a thickness and a refractive index of the layer 12 depending on a design of the filter elements so as to obtain a structured layer;
depositing a second DBR minor 13 on the structured layer;
assembling in a housing 6 so that photo elements or the substrate with the photo elements as well as the filter elements or the substrate of the filter elements are incorporated in a component,
wherein,
an assignment of the photo elements to the filter elements takes place via assembly or is influenced by tolerances, and
a definitive attribution is determined and is considered in processing signals of the photo elements by electronic means via a corresponding evaluation circuit or evaluation logic or an analysis program, or
the assignment resulting from the assembly is determined, is stored in an electronic circuit inside the substrate of the photo elements or in a further substrate inside the housing and is considered by the component during the output of the signals.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The apparatus as recited in claim 39, further comprising integrating into the apparatus at least one directional or non-directional light source with different emission widths and areas.

### Claim 41 (depends on 39)

The apparatus as recited in claim 39, further comprising integrating into the apparatus one or more seats for optical fibers or fibers so that a location from a light exit point to a light entry point or filter is provided by the component.

### Claim 42 (depends on 39)

The apparatus as recited in claim 39, further comprising combining the apparatus with a correspondingly flat spectrally sensitive sensor with a wireless or a non-contact power supply and a similar data transmission so that the combination is implantable into a human body.

### Claim 43 (depends on 39)

The apparatus as recited in claim 39, further comprising combining the apparatus with a light source.

### Claim 44 (depends on 39)

The apparatus as recited in claim 39, further comprising combining the apparatus with an indicator which reversibly reacts to ambient conditions such as to a pH value.

### Claim 45 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the apparatus is provided as a unit in a hermetically sealed housing.

### Claim 46 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the apparatus is resistant to an aggressive media.

### Claim 47 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the apparatus further comprises an integrated memory.

### Claim 48 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the apparatus further comprises a unit of energy transfer, data transmission and data processing integrated into a metering unit.

### Claim 49 (depends on 50)

The apparatus as recited in claim 50, wherein the unit of energy transfer, data transmission and data processing is configured to control the metering unit.

### Claim 50 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the unit of energy transfer, data transmission and data processing is configured to provide a dosage plan.

### Claim 51 (depends on 52)

The apparatus as recited in claim 52, wherein the dosage plans is displayable on a display.

### Claim 52 (depends on 6)

A method of using the apparatus as recited in claim 6 for a computer tomographic analysis, the method comprising:
providing the apparatus; and
using the apparatus for a computer tomographic analysis.

### Claim 53 (depends on 6)

A method of using the apparatus as recited in claim 6 to determine a remission spectra of human skin, the method comprising:
providing the apparatus;
applying the apparatus to human skin; and
using the apparatus to determine a remission spectra of the human skin.