Thin optoelectronic modules with apertures and their manufacture

Method for manufacturing optical devices comprising an active optical component each, the active optical components being optical components for emitting or sensing light of a particular range of wavelengths, the method comprising:

• providing an initial wafer comprising the active optical components and a wafer-size substrate;
• applying a clear encapsulation to the active optical components comprising applying across the substrate a clear encapsulation material which is translucent to light of the particular range of wavelengths;
• applying onto a surface of the clear encapsulation an opaque coating material which is photostructurable;
• producing an opaque coating on the surface of the clear encapsulation which is opaque for light of the particular range of wavelengths and which defines a multitude of apertures, each aperture being associated with one of the active optical components and aligned with respect to the respective associated active optical component, wherein the producing the opaque coating comprises structuring the opaque coating material;
• producing a wafer-level arrangement of intermediate products, each intermediate product having side walls and comprising a portion of the clear encapsulation and one of the active optical components, the producing the wafer-level arrangement of intermediate products comprising producing trenches, wherein the trenches extend through the clear encapsulation material and establish the side walls;
• applying an opaque encapsulation to the intermediate products, comprising applying to the wafer-level arrangement of intermediate products an opaque encapsulation material, thereby filling the trenches, and hardening the opaque encapsulation material, the opaque encapsulation material being opaque to light of the particular range of wavelengths;
• producing singulated optical modules, comprising cutting through the opaque encapsulation material present in the trenches, the singulated optical modules comprising one of the intermediate products each, at least one side wall of each respective intermediate product being covered by a respective portion of the opaque encapsulation material.