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US 7,608,875 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for blocking light to peripheral circuitry of an imager device
AssigneeAptina Imaging Corporation
InventorsZhaohui Yang, Ulrich C. Boettiger
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Abstract
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed which provide imager devices having a light blocking material layer formed over peripheral circuitry outside a pixel cell array.
Claims28
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a die;
- a pixel cell array formed in association with a semiconductor substrate incorporated on the die;
- a plurality of microlenses formed over a first material layer and the pixel cell array;
- peripheral circuitry formed in association with the die and electrically connected to the pixel cell array;
- a frame element forming a perimeter around the peripheral circuitry, the frame element having at least one recess defined by at least two portions of the frame element;
- and
- a substantially opaque material formed within the frame element recess and over the at least two portions to form an interface between the frame element and the substantially opaque material.
4 more elements
An imager processor system, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- an integrated circuit, comprising;
- a die;
- a pixel cell array formed in association with a semiconductor substrate incorporated on the die;
- circuitry formed in association with the die and electrically connected to the pixel cell array;
- a frame element formed by a first mesa and a second mesa, the first and second mesas defining at least one via having a bottom surface substantially planar to a bottom surface of at least one microlens of a plurality of microlenses formed over the pixel cell array, the first and second mesas forming a perimeter around the circuitry;
- and
- a substantially opaque material formed within the via and over portions of the first and second mesas to form an interface between the frame element and the substantially opaque material.
6 more elements
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a die having a pixel array and peripheral circuitry;
- a frame element forming a perimeter around the peripheral circuitry, the frame element having at least one recess defined by at least two portions of the frame element;
- and
- a substantially opaque material formed within the frame element recess and over the at least two portions to form an interface between the frame element and the substantially opaque material, the substantially opaque material being over the peripheral circuitry but not the pixel array.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.