Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L27/00—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate
  • H01L27/14—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation
  • H01L27/144—Devices controlled by radiation
  • H01L27/146—Imager structures
  • H01L27/14601—Structural or functional details thereof
  • H01L27/14618—Containers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L2924/00—Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
  • H01L2924/0001—Technical content checked by a classifier
  • H01L2924/0002—Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
  • H04N23/50—Constructional details
  • H04N23/54—Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
  • H04N23/57—Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices

Definitions

• Image sensors are electronic devices that convert optical images into digital signals and are often used with digital cameras.
• some image sensors include an array of photodetectors that capture light and outputs a representative signal.
• Some types of image sensors include charge coupled device (CCD) sensors and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensors.
• CCD charge coupled device
• CMOS complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor
• Figure 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary image sensor.
• Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary imager die that may be used in the image sensor of Figure 1.
• Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary circuit board that may be used in the image sensor of Figure 1.
• Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another exemplary image sensor.
• Figure 5 illustrates possible dimensions of various components of the image sensor.
• An exemplary image sensor includes an imager die, a circuit board, and an optical layer.
• the circuit board is flip-chip bonded to the imager die.
• the optical layer is adhered to the circuit board and has a first portion configured to refract light differently than a second portion. Both the first portion and the second portion are integrally formed with the optical layer.
• the image sensor may further include a stiffener disposed between the circuit board and to the optical layer.
• the circuit board may be formed from a flexible material and include a plurality of bumps that are configured to bond to bonding pads on the imager die during the flip-chip bonding process.
• Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary image sensor 100.
• the image sensor 100 may take many different forms and include multiple and/or alternate components and facilities. While an exemplary image sensor 100 is shown in Figure 1, the exemplary components illustrated in the Figures are not intended to be limiting. Indeed, additional or alternative components and/or implementations may be used.
• the drawings represent the various examples, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated to better illustrate and explain an innovative aspect of an example.
• the image sensor 100 includes an imager die 105, a circuit board 110, an optical layer 115, at least one adhesive layer 120, an optical lens 125, and a heat sink 130.
• the imager die 105 may include an integrated circuit die formed from a
• the imager die 105 may take the form of a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel sensor.
• CMOS complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor
• the circuit board 110 which may be flip-chip bonded to the imager die 105, may include a printed circuit board 110 configured to support various types of surface mount technology, such as chips, resistors, capacitors, etc.
• the circuit board 110 may further include conductive pathways, also called traces, connecting various components.
• the circuit board 110 defines an opening to allow light to pass to the imager die 105.
• the circuit board 110 is formed from a flexible material and has a thickness of approximately 0.5 mils to 2 mils. An example circuit board 110 is discussed in greater detail below with reference to Figure 3.
• the optical layer 115 may be adhered to the circuit board 110.
• the optical layer 115 may include glass, a transparent ceramic or plastic, or any other material that is generally transparent to visible light.
• the optical layer 115 may have a first portion 135 and a second portion 140, each configured to refract light differently. Both the first portion 135 and second portion 140 may be integrally formed with the optical layer 115.
• the first portion 135 is optically aligned with the image die.
• the first portion 135 may define an integrally formed lens 145 configured to direct light to the imager die 105.
• the first portion 135 may further include or define a filter to only allow light having certain characteristics (e.g., wavelength, etc.).
• the filter may be disposed on the first portion 135 along an optical path between the first portion 135 and the imager die 105, or alternatively, the first portion 135 may be formed from a material that can filter certain wavelengths of light.
• Adhesive layers 120 may be used to attach various components of the image sensor 100 to one another. As illustrated, a first adhesive layer 120 may be used to adhere the circuit board 110 to the optical layer 115, and in particular, at least the second portion 140 of the optical layer 115. Another adhesive layer 120 may be used to further help adhere the imager die 105 to the circuit board 110.
• the optical lens 125 may be disposed on the optical layer 115. As illustrated, the optical lens 125 is optically aligned with the integrally formed lens 145 and is configured to direct visible light toward the imager die 105 through the first portion 135 of the optical layer 115. In one possible implementation, the optical lens 125 is disposed on the optical layer 115 via an ultraviolet cure bond using, e.g., a 6-axis or precise feature alignment process.
• the heat sink 130 may be disposed on the imager die 105 and include any device configured to dissipate heat generated during operation of the image sensor 100.
• the heat sink 130 may include a plurality of fins that draw heat generated by the imager die 105. Airflow through the fins removes heat from the image sensor 100.
• the heat sink 130 may have a bobbin- like configuration.
• the heat sink 130 may have generally circular sections stacked upon one another, each section having a different radius than the adjacent sections.
• the heat sink 130 may include a thermally conductive liquid or gel to help dissipate heat generated by the imager die 105 or other components used in accordance with the image sensor 100.
• An example of the thermally conductive liquid may include chlorofluorocarbon.
• Figure 2 illustrates features and components of an exemplary imager die 105.
• the imager die 105 includes a support substrate 205, a photodetector array 210 with a plurality of photodetectors 215, and multiple bonding pads 220.
• the imager die 105 may include other components not illustrated in Figure 2.
• the photodetector array 210 is disposed on the support substrate 205.
• the photodetector array 210 includes a plurality of photodetectors 215 arranged in rows and columns. Each photodetector 215 is configured to generate electrical signals consistent with light received.
• other electronic components such as amplifiers, resistors, etc., may be used in conjunction with the photodetector array 210.
• the bonding pads 220 may be formed from, e.g., aluminum, gold, solder, silver, epoxy, or an anisotropic conductive film and may facilitate the flip-chip bonding process used to connect the imager die 105 to the circuit board 110.
• the bonding pads 220 may be configured to adhere to corresponding sections of the circuit board 110 through, e.g., a thermosonic bonding or soldering process.
• Figure 3 illustrates features and components of an exemplary circuit board 110.
• the circuit board 110 may be formed from a flexible material and have at least one dimension larger than the imager die 105.
• the circuit board 110 and imager die 105 may have substantially the same width, but the circuit board 110 may have a longer length.
• the circuit board 110 illustrated in Figure 3 includes a plurality of bumps 305, an aperture 310, and surface mounted technology components 315.
• the bumps 305 may be formed from a material configured to facilitate the flip-chip bonding between the circuit board 110 and the imager die 105.
• the bumps 305 may be formed from various materials such as gold, silver, solder, epoxy, or an anisotropic conductive film.
• the bumps 305 may be configured to align with the bonding pads 220 of the imager die 105 during the flip-chip bonding process.
• the bumps 305 may bond to the bonding pads 220 following a thermosonic bonding or soldering process. Once bonded, the bumps 305 provide an electrical connection between the imager die 105 and the circuit board 110. Traces (not shown) may allow electrical signal to travel from the imager die 105 to the surface mount technology components on the circuit board 110.
• the aperture 310 defined by the circuit board 110 may allow light to pass to the imager die 105, and particularly, to the photodetector array 210.
• the aperture 310 may be optically aligned with the first portion 135 of the optical layer 115, which as discussed above defines an integrally formed lens 145, and the optical lens 125.
• Figure 4 illustrates an exemplary cross-sectional view of a different image sensor 100.
• a stiffener 405 is adhered to the circuit board 110 and the optical layer 115.
• the stiffener 405 may be configured to provide structural support to the image sensor 100.
• the stiffener 405 may be formed from a metal, an FR-4 grade glass-reinforced epoxy laminate sheet, or any other material configured to structurally support at least a portion of the circuit board 110.
• an adhesive layer 120 may be disposed between the stiffener 405 and the circuit board 110.
• the stiffener 405 defines an opening 410 that is optically aligned with the optical path from the optical layer 115 to the imager die 105. This way, the stiffener 405 allows light to pass from the first portion 135, including the integrally formed lens 145, of the optical layer 115 to the photodetector array 210 of the imager circuit.
• Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates example thicknesses of some of the components of the image sensor 100.
• the dimensions presented in Figure 5 are examples only.
• the optical layer 115 may have a thickness of approximately 16 mils and the imager die 105 may have a thickness of approximately 8 mils.
• the two adhesive layers 120 may each have a thickness ranging from approximately 0.5 mils to 2 mils.
• the circuit board 110 may have a thickness of approximately 0.5 mils to 2 mils.
• the bonding layer may have a thickness of approximately 0.2 mils to 2 mils.
• Each bump 305 prior to the flip-chip bonding process, may have a thickness of approximately 0.5 mils to 2 mils.
• the bump 305 may also be approximately 1.5 mils to 6 mils wide.
• the image sensor may incorporate computing systems and/or
• Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted from computer programs created using a variety of programming languages and/or technologies, including, without limitation, and either alone or in combination, JavaTM, C, C++, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, etc.
• a processor e.g., a microprocessor
• receives instructions e.g., from a memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes these instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein.
• Such instructions and other data may be stored and transmitted using a variety of computer-readable media.
• a computer-readable medium also referred to as a processor-readable
• Non- volatile media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory.
• Volatile media may include, for example, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes a main memory.
• Such instructions may be transmitted by one or more transmission media, including coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus coupled to a processor of a computer.
• Computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Solid State Image Pick-Up Elements (AREA)
• Wire Bonding (AREA)
• Cooling Or The Like Of Semiconductors Or Solid State Devices (AREA)

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• 2012
  • 2012-08-20 WO PCT/US2012/051573 patent/WO2013028616A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2012-08-20 KR KR1020147007313A patent/KR20140083993A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2012-08-20 JP JP2014526271A patent/JP2014527722A/ja active Pending
  • 2012-08-20 EP EP12768926.3A patent/EP2745324A2/en not_active Withdrawn

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