Optical sensor
AssigneeMaxim Integrated Products, Inc.
InventorVitali Souchkov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated circuit device includes an active semiconductor substrate comprising an array of photodiodes. The integrated circuit device also includes a dielectric layer disposed adjacent to the active semiconductor substrate proximate to the array of photodiodes. The dielectric layer has a first side adjacent to the active semiconductor substrate and a second side opposite from the active semiconductor substrate. The dielectric layer includes a layer of at least substantially opaque material. The layer of at least substantially opaque material defines an aperture configured to permit electromagnetic radiation incident upon the second side of the dielectric layer to reach the array of photodiodes.
Claims20
An integrated circuit device forming a pinhole camera, the integrated circuit device comprising:
- an array of photodiodes on an active semiconductor substrate;
- a dielectric layer disposed adjacent to the active semiconductor substrate proximate to the array of photodiodes, the dielectric layer having a first side immediately adjacent to the active semiconductor substrate and a second side opposite from the active semiconductor substrate, the dielectric layer configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation therethrough;
- a front-end epoxy layer disposed on the second side of the dielectric layer, the front-end epoxy layer and the dielectric layer having at least approximately the same index of refraction;
- and
- a layer of substantially opaque material disposed between the dielectric layer and the front-end epoxy layer, the layer of substantially opaque material defining an aperture that permits electromagnetic radiation incident upon a surface of the front-end epoxy layer to reach the array of photodiodes to form a plurality of image spots on the array of photodiodes, the plurality of image spots having a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of object spots on an object located within a field of view of the pinhole camera.
A method of forming a pinhole camera, the method comprising:
- forming an array of photodiodes on an active semiconductor substrate;
- forming a dielectric layer adjacent to the active semiconductor substrate proximate to the array of photodiodes, the dielectric layer having a first side immediately adjacent to the active semiconductor substrate and a second side opposite from the active semiconductor substrate, the dielectric layer configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation therethrough;
- forming a front-end epoxy layer on the second side of the dielectric layer, the front-end epoxy layer and the dielectric layer having at least approximately the same index of refraction;
- and
- forming a layer of substantially opaque material between the dielectric layer and the front-end epoxy layer, the layer of substantially opaque material defining an aperture that permits electromagnetic radiation incident upon a surface of the front-end epoxy opposite the array of photodiodes of the front-end epoxy layer to reach the array of photodiodes to form a plurality of image spots on the array of photodiodes, the plurality of image spots having a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of object spots on an object located within a field of view of the pinhole camera.
An integrated circuit device forming a plurality of pinhole cameras, the integrated circuit device comprising:
- a first array of photodiodes and a second array of photodiodes on an active semiconductor substrate;
- a dielectric layer disposed adjacent to the active semiconductor substrate proximate to the first array of photodiodes and the second array of photodiodes, the dielectric layer having a first side immediately adjacent to the active semiconductor substrate and a second side opposite from the active semiconductor substrate, the dielectric layer configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation therethrough;
- a front-end epoxy layer disposed on the second side of the dielectric layer, the front-end epoxy layer and the dielectric layer having at least approximately the same index of refraction;
- and
- a layer of substantially opaque material disposed between the dielectric layer and the front-end epoxy layer, the layer of substantially opaque material defining a first aperture that permits electromagnetic radiation incident upon a surface of the front-end epoxy layer opposite the first array of photodiodes to reach the first array of photodiodes to form a first plurality of image spots on the first array of photodiodes, the layer of substantially opaque material defining a second aperture that permits electromagnetic radiation incident upon the second side of the dielectric layer to reach the second array of photodiodes to form a second plurality of image spots on the second array of photodiodes, the first plurality of image spots and the second plurality of image spots each having a one-to-one correspondence with a first plurality of object spots and a second plurality of object spots, respectively, on an object located within a field of view of the plurality of pinhole cameras.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.