Integrated optics units and methods of manufacturing integrated optics units for use with microelectronic imagers

A method of packaging a plurality of optical devices for use in microelectronic imagers, comprising:

• providing a first substrate having a plurality of optics elements configured to manipulate radiation, wherein the first substrate is transmissive to a desired radiation and the optics elements are located at corresponding individual device sites of the first substrate to form a plurality of discrete optical devices;
• providing an imager workpiece comprising a second substrate having a plurality of individual dies with imaging sensors;
• forming a plurality of discrete stand-offs on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate;
• attaching the other of the first substrate and the second substrate to the stand-offs to space the first substrate apart from the second substrate by the stand-offs with each optical device being in optical communication with a corresponding imaging sensor;
• providing a third substrate, the third substrate having a second plurality of optics elements configured to manipulate radiation, wherein the third substrate is transmissive to a desired radiation and the second plurality of optics elements are located at corresponding individual device sites of the third substrate to form a second plurality of discrete optical devices;
• and
• attaching the third substrate on top of the first substrate.

A microelectronic imaging device assembly comprising:

• an optical device assembly comprising a first substrate comprising a first wafer that is transmissive to light and having a plurality optics elements configured to manipulate radiation and comprising lenses located on the first substrate at the individual device sites, wherein each lens has a curved surface to refract radiation, each optical device further comprises a filter, wherein the first substrate is transmissive to a desired radiation and the optics elements are located at corresponding individual device sites of the first substrate to form a plurality of discrete optical devices;
• an imager workpiece comprising a second substrate and a plurality of individual dies with imaging sensors;
• and
• a plurality of discrete stand-offs between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the first substrate is attached to one end of each stand-off and the second substrate is attached to another end of each stand-off such that an optics element is in optical communication with a corresponding imaging sensor.

An optical device assembly comprising:

• a first plurality of individual optical devices on a single first substrate, each individual optical device comprising an optics element configured to alter the direction of radiation passing through the optical device, the optics element of one optical device being separated from the optics element of an adjacent optical device by a first cutting lane, wherein the first substrate comprises a wafer which is transmissive to light and has a first side and a second side and the optics elements comprise molded lenses on the first side of the wafer at the individual device sites, wherein each lens has a curved surface to refract radiation;
• and
• a plurality of imaging units corresponding to the first plurality of optical devices on a single second substrate, each imaging unit comprising an image sensor and a stand-off, the stand-off of one imaging unit being separated from the stand-off of an adjacent imaging unit by a second cutting lane,
• wherein each optical device is attached to a corresponding imaging unit such that the optics element is spaced apart from the image sensor by the stand-off, and one end of the standoff is attached to the first substrate and another end of the standoff is attached to the second substrate.

An optical device assembly comprising:

• a first plurality of individual optical devices on a single first substrate, each individual optical device comprising an optics element configured to alter the direction of radiation passing through the optical device, the optics element of one optical device being separated from the optics element of an adjacent optical device by a first cutting lane, wherein the first substrate comprises a wafer which is transmissive to light and has a first side and a second side and the optics elements comprise etched lenses on the first side of the wafer at the individual device sites, wherein each lens has a curved surface to refract radiation;
• and
• a plurality of imaging units corresponding to the first plurality of optical devices on a single second substrate, each imaging unit comprising an image sensor and a stand-off, the stand-off of one imaging unit being separated from the stand-off of an adjacent imaging unit by a second cutting lane,
• wherein each optical device is attached to a corresponding imaging unit such that the optics element is spaced apart from the image sensor by the stand-off, and one end of the standoff is attached to the first substrate and another end of the standoff is attached to the second substrate.

An optical device assembly comprising:

• a first plurality of individual optical devices on a single first substrate, each individual optical device comprising an optics element configured to alter the direction of radiation passing through the optical device, the optics element of one optical device being separated from the optics element of an adjacent optical device by a first cutting lane, wherein the first substrate comprises a wafer which is transmissive to light and has a first side and a second side and the optics elements comprise etched lenses on the first side of the wafer at the individual device sites and a non-transmissive layer and the optics elements further comprise pin-hole apertures in the non-transmissive layer at the individual device sites, wherein each lens has a curved surface to refract radiation;
• and
• a plurality of imaging units corresponding to the first plurality of optical devices on a single second substrate, each imaging unit comprising an image sensor and a stand-off, the stand-off of one imaging unit being separated from the stand-off of an adjacent imaging unit by a second cutting lane,
• wherein each optical device is attached to a corresponding imaging unit such that the optics element is spaced apart from the image sensor by the stand-off, and one end of the standoff is attached to the first substrate and another end of the standoff is attached to the second substrate.

A method of packaging a plurality of optical devices for use in microelectronic imagers, comprising:

• providing a first substrate comprising a first wafer that is transmissive to light and having a plurality of optics elements configured to manipulate radiation and which comprise molded lenses formed on the first substrate at the individual device sites, wherein each lens has a curved surface to refract radiation, wherein the first substrate is transmissive to a desired radiation and the optics elements are located at corresponding individual device sites of the first substrate to form a plurality of discrete optical devices;
• providing an imager workpiece comprising a second substrate having a plurality of individual dies with imaging sensors;
• forming a plurality of discrete stand-offs on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate;
• and
• attaching the other of the first substrate and the second substrate to the stand-offs to space the first substrate apart from the second substrate by the stand-offs with each optical device being in optical communication with a corresponding imaging sensor.

A method of packaging a plurality of optical devices for use in microelectronic imagers, comprising:

• providing a first substrate comprising a first wafer that is transmissive to light and having a plurality of optics elements configured to manipulate radiation and which comprise etched lenses formed on the first substrate at the individual device sites, wherein each lens has a curved surface to refract radiation, wherein the first substrate is transmissive to a desired radiation and the optics elements are located at corresponding individual device sites of the first substrate to form a plurality of discrete optical devices;
• providing an imager workpiece comprising a second substrate having a plurality of individual dies with imaging sensors;
• forming a plurality of discrete stand-offs on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate;
• and
• attaching the other of the first substrate and the second substrate to the stand-offs to space the first substrate apart from the second substrate by the stand-offs with each optical device being in optical communication with a corresponding imaging sensor.

A method of packaging a plurality of optical devices for use in microelectronic imagers, comprising:

• providing a first substrate having a plurality of optics elements configured to manipulate radiation, wherein the first substrate is transmissive to a desired radiation and the optics elements are located at corresponding individual device sites of the first substrate to form a plurality of discrete optical devices, wherein said providing said first substrate comprises forming a plurality of lenses separate from the first substrate and attaching one of the plurality of lenses to the first substrate at each individual device site, wherein the lenses have a curved surface to refract radiation;
• providing an imager workpiece comprising a second substrate having a plurality of individual dies with imaging sensors;
• forming a plurality of discrete stand-offs on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate;
• and
• attaching the other of the first substrate and the second substrate to the stand-offs to space the first substrate apart from the second substrate by the stand-offs with each optical device being in optical communication with a corresponding imaging sensor.

A method of packaging a plurality of optical devices for use in microelectronic imagers, comprising:

• providing a first substrate having a plurality of optics elements configured to manipulate radiation, wherein the first substrate is transmissive to a desired radiation and the optics elements are located at corresponding individual device sites of the first substrate to form a plurality of discrete optical devices, wherein said providing said first substrate comprises forming a plurality of lenses separate from the first substrate and attaching one of the plurality of lenses to the first substrate at each individual device site, wherein the lenses have a curved surface to refract radiation;
• providing an imager workpiece comprising a second substrate having a plurality of individual dies with imaging sensors;
• forming a plurality of discrete stand-offs on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate;
• and
• attaching the other of the first substrate and the second substrate to the stand-offs to space the first substrate apart from the second substrate by the stand-offs with each optical device being in optical communication with a corresponding imaging sensor.

A microelectronic imaging device assembly comprising:

• an optical device assembly comprising a first substrate comprising a first wafer that is transmissive to light and having a plurality optics elements configured to manipulate radiation and comprising molded lenses located on the first substrate at the individual device sites, wherein each lens has a curved surface to refract radiation, each optical device further comprising a filter, wherein the first substrate is transmissive to a desired radiation and the optics elements are located at corresponding individual device sites of the first substrate to form a plurality of discrete optical devices;
• an imager workpiece comprising a second substrate and a plurality of individual dies with imaging sensors;
• and
• a plurality of discrete stand-offs between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the first substrate is attached to one end of each stand-off and the second substrate is attached to another end of each stand-off such that an optics element is in optical communication with a corresponding imaging sensor.

A microelectronic imaging device assembly comprising:

• an optical device assembly comprising a first substrate comprising a first wafer that is transmissive to light and having a plurality optics elements configured to manipulate radiation and comprising etched lenses located on the first substrate at the individual device sites, wherein each lens has a curved surface to refract radiation, each optical device further comprising a filter, wherein the first substrate is transmissive to a desired radiation and the optics elements are located at corresponding individual device sites of the first substrate to form a plurality of discrete optical devices;
• an imager workpiece comprising a second substrate and a plurality of individual dies with imaging sensors;
• and
• a plurality of discrete stand-offs between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the first substrate is attached to one end of each stand-off and the second substrate is attached to another end of each stand-off such that an optics element is in optical communication with a corresponding imaging sensor.