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US 7,583,862 B2Granted
Packaged microelectronic imagers and methods of packaging microelectronic imagers
AssigneeAptina Imaging Corporation
InventorsMark E. Tuttle, William M. Hiatt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microelectronic imager having an imaging unit and an optics unit attached to the imaging unit, and methods for packaging microelectronic imagers. In one embodiment, the imaging unit can include a microelectronic die with an image sensor and a plurality of external contacts electrically coupled to the image sensor and a first referencing element fixed to the imaging unit. The optics unit can include an optic member and a second referencing element fixed to the optics unit. The second referencing element is seated with the first referencing element at a fixed, preset position in which the optic member is situated at a desired location relative to the image sensor.
Claims18
A microelectronic imager, comprising:
- an imaging unit including a microelectronic die with an image sensor and a first referencing element fixed to the imaging unit, wherein the first referencing element comprises a first alignment component for horizontal alignment and a first stop component for vertical alignment, the first alignment and first stop components being at a first reference location relative to the image sensor on the die;
- and
- an optics unit having an optic member and a second referencing element fixed to the optics unit, wherein the second referencing element comprises a second alignment component for horizontal alignment and a second stop component for vertical alignment, the second alignment and second stop components being at a second reference location relative to the optic member and the second referencing element being seated and in direct contact with the first referencing element at a fixed, preset position in which the optic member is situated at a desired location relative to the image sensor, wherein the entirety of the optics unit is within a vertical periphery of the first alignment component.
A microelectronic imager, comprising:
- a microelectronic die having an image sensor and a plurality of contacts electrically coupled to the image sensor;
- a first referencing element fixed relative to the die, the first referencing element having a first alignment component at a lateral distance from the image sensor and a first stop component spaced apart from the image sensor along an axis normal to the image sensor by separation distance;
- an optics unit having an optic member;
- and
- a second referencing element connected to the optics unit, the second referencing element having a second alignment component engaged with the first alignment component to align the optic member with the image sensor and a second stop component engaged with the first stop component to space the optic member apart from the image sensor by a desired distance, wherein the first alignment component is located entirely within an innermost vertical periphery of the second alignment component.
2 more elements
A microelectronic imager, comprising:
- an imaging unit including (a) a microelectronic die having an image sensor and a plurality of external contacts electrically connected to the image sensor, (b) a cover mounted above the microelectronic die, and (c) a first referencing element adjacent to the cover, wherein the first referencing element is adjacent to a top side of the cover and the microelectronic die is attached to a bottom side of the cover;
- and
- an optics unit including an optic member and a second referencing element adjacent to the optics unit and seated and in direct contact with the first referencing element, the first and second referencing elements being configured to align the optic member with the image sensor and space the optic member apart from the image sensor by a desired distance when the first and second referencing elements are seated together.
A microelectronic imager, comprising:
- an imaging unit including (a) a microelectronic die with an image sensor and a plurality of external contacts electrically coupled to the image sensor, and (b) a cover attached by a lower surface of the cover to an upper surface of the microelectronic die, wherein the cover comprises a first interface area at a set reference position relative to the image sensor;
- and
- an optics unit having an optic member and a first stand-off section adjacent to the optics unit, the first stand-off section having a second interface area at a set reference position relative to the optic member, and the first interface area being seated with the second interface area to connect the cover with the first stand-off section in a configuration in which the optic member is at a desired location relative to the image sensor.
A method of packaging an imager, comprising:
- providing an imaging unit having (a) a microelectronic die with an image sensor and a plurality of external contacts electrically coupled to the image sensor, (b) a first stand-off adjacent to an upper surface of the die, (c) a cover adjacent to an upper surface of the first stand-off, and (d) a first referencing element adjacent to an upper surface of to the cover and having a first interface feature at a set reference position relative to the image sensor;
- providing an optics unit having an optic member and a second referencing element fixed to the optics unit, the second referencing element having a second interface feature at a set reference position relative to the optic member;
- and
- attaching the second referencing element to the first referencing element by seating the second interface feature with the first interface feature in a predetermined position in which the optic member is at a desired location relative to the image sensor.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.