Image pickup apparatus and method for manufacturing the same

#The present disclosure generally relates to an image pickup apparatus, and more particularly relates to an image pickup apparatus which includes an image pickup device and an optical system.

#With the rapid development of digitalization of information, digitalization in image processing is increasingly required. In digital cameras in particular, solid-state image pickup devices, such as Charge Coupled Devices (CCD) and Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensors, have been mainly provided on imaging planes instead of films.

#In image pickup apparatuses including CCDs or CMOS sensors, an image of an object is optically taken by an optical system and is extracted by an image pickup device in a form of an electric signal. Such apparatuses may be used in digital still cameras, video cameras, digital video units, personal computers, mobile phones, PDAs, image inspection apparatuses, industrial cameras used for automatic control, and the like.

#Embodiments of the present disclosure are hereinafter described in conjunction with the following figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements. The figures are provided for illustration and depict exemplary embodiments of the disclosure. The figures are provided to facilitate understanding of the disclosure without limiting the breadth, scope, scale, or applicability of the disclosure. The drawings are not necessarily made to scale.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of an existing image pickup apparatus and traces of light ray bundles.

#FIG. 2A illustrates spot images formed on a light-receiving surface of an image pickup device in the image pickup apparatus shown in FIG. 1 when a focal point is displaced by 0.2 mm (Defocus=0.2 mm).

#The following description is presented to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the embodiments of the disclosure. The following detailed description is exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosure or the application and uses of the embodiments of the disclosure. Descriptions of specific devices, techniques, and applications are provided only as examples. Modifications to the examples described herein will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other examples and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. The present disclosure should be accorded scope consistent with the claims, and not limited to the examples described and shown herein.

#Embodiments of the invention are described herein in the context of one practical non-limiting application, namely, a zoom system of a digital camera. Embodiments of the disclosure, however, are not limited to such digital camera applications, and the techniques described herein may also be utilized in other applications of optical systems. For example, embodiments may be applicable to optical lithography.

#As would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this description, these are merely examples and the embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to operating in accordance with these examples. Other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.