Method of forming a permanent carrier and spacer wafer for wafer level optics and associated structure
AssigneeAptina Imaging Corporation
InventorRickie C. Lake
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A carrier wafer for wafer level fabrication of imager structures comprising a substrate with trenches corresponding to locations of imager arrays on an imager wafer. A method of fabricating such a carrier wafer and a method of fabricating an imager module employing such a carrier wafer are also provided.
Claims25
A method of forming an imager structure, the method comprising:
- etching trenches in a carrier substrate;
- filling the trenches at least partially with a dissolvable material;
- bonding an imager wafer to the carrier substrate, the imager wafer comprising imager arrays, each imager array being associated with and aligned within a respective trench and being spaced from the carrier substrate;
- and
- removing the dissolvable material.
A method of forming an imager structure, the method comprising:
- etching trenches in a first wafer, the trenches forming perimeters around inner areas corresponding to imager arrays on an imager wafer;
- placing a dissolvable material in the trenches;
- applying a bonding material to outer areas of at least one of the first wafer and the imager wafer;
- aligning the first wafer and the imager wafer, such that the imager arrays are aligned within the perimeters of the trenches;
- bonding the first wafer and the imager wafer;
- processing a backside of the imager wafer;
- and
- removing the dissolvable material and portions of the first wafer within a periphery of the trenches.
A carrier wafer comprising:
- a substrate having a thickness;
- a plurality of trenches etched to form perimeters around a plurality of areas on the, substrate, the trenches corresponding to respective perimeters of imager arrays on an imager wafer, the trenches having a depth less than the thickness of the substrate;
- and
- a dissolvable material within the trenches.
An intermediate structure for use in fabrication, the intermediate structure comprising:
- a substrate having a thickness;
- and
- at least one trench etched in the substrate corresponding to a location of a component on a separate structure, the at least one trench encircling a volume of the substrate.
An intermediate structure for use in imager module fabrication, the intermediate structure comprising:
- a substrate having a thickness;
- and
- at least one trench etched in the substrate, the at least one trench encircling a volume of the substrate, wherein the at least one trench is circular-shaped.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.