Image pickup module, method for manufacturing image pickup module, and imaging device

A method for manufacturing an image pickup module, the image pickup module including:

• a color separation prism that is configured to separate incident light into a plurality of light beams corresponding to a plurality of color components and includes a plurality of emission surfaces configured to emit the plurality of light beams in different directions;
• and a plurality of image pickup elements that are provided corresponding to the plurality of emission surfaces and are configured to convert the plurality of light beams emitted from the plurality of emission surfaces into image pickup signals, wherein:
• each of the plurality of image pickup elements includes a facing surface facing a corresponding one of the plurality of emission surfaces in an optical axis direction of the light beam emitted from the corresponding one of the plurality of emission surfaces, the facing surface including an image pickup region and an outer peripheral region outside the image pickup region, and each of the plurality of image pickup elements is fixed to the color separation prism with an adhesive interposed between the outer peripheral region and the corresponding one of the plurality of emission surfaces;
• and
• at least one of the plurality of emission surfaces includes a distance increasing portion that faces the outer peripheral region of a corresponding one of the plurality of image pickup elements and is formed such that, in the optical axis direction, a facing distance from the distance increasing portion to the outer peripheral region is greater than a facing distance from the at least one of the plurality of emission surfaces to the image pickup region, the method comprising:
• positioning each of the plurality of image pickup elements with respect to the corresponding one of the plurality of emission surfaces;
• and
• applying an adhesive to each of facing spaces between the plurality of emission surfaces and the plurality of image pickup elements, laterally in a direction intersecting the optical axis direction.

An imaging device comprising:

• an image pickup module including:
• a color separation prism that is configured to separate incident light into a plurality of light beams corresponding to a plurality of color components and includes a plurality of emission surfaces configured to emit the plurality of light beams in different directions;
• a plurality of image pickup elements that are provided corresponding to the plurality of emission surfaces and are configured to convert the plurality of light beams emitted from the plurality of emission surfaces into image pickup signals,
• wherein:
• each of the plurality of image pickup elements includes a facing surface facing a corresponding one of the plurality of emission surfaces in an optical axis direction of the light beam emitted from the corresponding one of the plurality of emission surfaces, the facing surface including an image pickup region and an outer peripheral region outside the image pickup region, and each of the plurality of image pickup elements is fixed to the color separation prism with an adhesive interposed between the outer peripheral region and the corresponding one of the plurality of emission surfaces;
• and
• at least one of the plurality of emission surfaces includes a distance increasing portion that faces the outer peripheral region of a corresponding one of the plurality of image pickup elements and is formed such that, in the optical axis direction, a facing distance from the distance increasing portion to the outer peripheral region is greater than a facing distance from the at least one of the plurality of emission surfaces to the image pickup region;
• and
• a processing portion configured to output a video signal based on the image pickup signals output from the plurality of image pickup elements of the image pickup module.