Micron-scale lens array having diffracting structures
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorKenneth A. Goldberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A novel micron-scale lens, a microlens, is engineered to concentrate light efficiently onto an area of interest, such as a small, light-sensitive detector element in an integrated electronic device. Existing microlens designs imitate the form of large-scale lenses and are less effective at small sizes. The microlenses described herein have been designed to accommodate diffraction effects, which dominate the behavior of light at small length scales. Thus a new class of light-concentrating optical elements with much higher relative performance has been created. Furthermore, the new designs are much easier to fabricate than previous designs.
Claims14
A microlens array, comprising:
- a block of transparent material, the block having a first planar surface;
- and
- a plurality of diffracting structures disposed on the first planar surface of the block, each diffracting structure of the plurality of diffracting structures having a first surface and a second surface, the first and the second surfaces being substantially parallel to one another and being substantially parallel to the first planar surface of the block.
A light detector array, comprising:
- a block of transparent material, the block having a first planar surface and a second planar surface, the first and second planar surfaces being essentially parallel and separated by a distance;
- a plurality of diffracting structures disposed on the first planar surface of the block, each diffracting structure of the plurality of diffracting structures having a first surface and a second surface, the first and the second surfaces being substantially parallel to one another and being substantially parallel to the first planar surface of the block;
- and
- a light detector pixel array adjacent the second planar surface of the block.
A microlens array, comprising:
- a block of transparent material, the block having a first planar surface, a second planar surface, and a third planar surface, the first and third planar surfaces being essentially parallel and separated by a first fixed distance, the second and third planar surfaces being essentially parallel and separated by a second fixed distance;
- a first diffracting structure disposed on the first planar surface of the block;
- and
- a second diffracting structure disposed on the second planar surface of the block.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.