WO2008082025A1 - Module de lentille liquide et son procédé de production - Google Patents

Module de lentille liquide et son procédé de production Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2008082025A1
WO2008082025A1 PCT/KR2007/000243 KR2007000243W WO2008082025A1 WO 2008082025 A1 WO2008082025 A1 WO 2008082025A1 KR 2007000243 W KR2007000243 W KR 2007000243W WO 2008082025 A1 WO2008082025 A1 WO 2008082025A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
substrate
electrode
conductive
lens module
liquid
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/KR2007/000243
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Woo-Beom Choi
Sang-Won Seo
Ki-Ju Im
Original Assignee
Bnp Science
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from KR1020070000901A external-priority patent/KR100847802B1/ko
Priority claimed from KR1020070000898A external-priority patent/KR100847803B1/ko
Application filed by Bnp Science filed Critical Bnp Science
Publication of WO2008082025A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008082025A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B3/00—Simple or compound lenses
    • G02B3/12—Fluid-filled or evacuated lenses
    • G02B3/14—Fluid-filled or evacuated lenses of variable focal length

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a liquid lens module including a stable electrode, an insulator, and a homogeneous hydrophobic film, having excellent sealing performance, and easy in miniaturization, and a method for producing the same.
  • the electrowetting phenomenon means that in a state that a conductive liquid and a nonconductive liquid are in contact with each other on an electrode coated with an insulator, a voltage is applied to the electrode and the conductive liquid to control surface tension of the conductive liquid, thereby changing a contact angle of the conductive liquid and a shape of an interface between the two liquids.
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 In CeBIT 2004 held at Hanover, Germany, Phillips has shown a liquid lens as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • the liquid lens illustrated in FIG. 3 has a structure in which a substrate 10, a side wall 20, and an upper plate 30 are machined using transparent glass, and a lower electrode 40 and an intermediate electrode are formed along an outer circumference of the substrate 10 and the side wall 20, respectively.
  • the inner side of the side wall 20 is coated with an insulator 60 for generating an electrowetting phenomenon, on which insulator 60 a hydrophobic film 70 is coated.
  • the insulator 60 and the hydrophobic film 70 two liquids 80 and 90 are insulated from the intermediate electrode 50, and only the conductive liquid 80 is in contact with the end of the lower electrode 40.
  • One of the important issues in manufacturing such a liquid lens is an electrode and an insulator film. Since constant voltage should be continuously applied for the stable operation of the liquid lens, the material and the shape of the electrode should be considered as an important factor, and the material and the shape of the insulator capable of stably insulating the operational liquid from the metal electrode should be also considered as an important factor.
  • an electrode is formed with Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), transparent electrode material, by using glass as a basic material, and an insulator film and a hydrophobic film are then coated in order.
  • ITO Indium Tin Oxide
  • transparent electrode material by using glass as a basic material, and an insulator film and a hydrophobic film are then coated in order.
  • insulator film and a hydrophobic film it is difficult to form the ITO electrode, the insulator film, and the hydrophobic film on the vertical glass face, and the insulator film that is formed by coating has a degraded insulating characteristic.
  • an essential factor is to prevent an effluence of conductive/nonconductive liquids and an introduction of air bubbles into the liquids from outside.
  • a change in volume of the liquid according to a temperature makes the sealing of the liquid more difficult.
  • a pressure is generated in the liquid lens containing therein a liquid, causing cracks in the epoxy or breaking the liquid lens structure.
  • an optical function of the liquid lens such as spherical aberration and focus adjustment, has an important effect upon operational performance of the liquid lens.
  • the upper and lower glass substrates are formed flat so that they do not influence any optical characteristic at all.
  • an object of the present invention is to provide a reliable liquid lens module and a method for manufacturing the same through stably forming an electrode and an insulator film by using conductive silicon as a substrate material.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid lens module and a method for manufacturing the same, capable of realizing a complete sealing, i.e., a hermetic sealing, without using a separate fixing device through preventing the formation of air bubbles upon manufacturing the liquid lens module and sealing a substrate using the same material.
  • Still another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid lens module and a method for manufacturing the same capable of improving an optical characteristic of the lens through using a spherical and/or aspherical lens type upper substrate and/or a lower substrate.
  • Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid lens module and a method for manufacturing the same capable of improving stability and reliability thereof through sealing a liquid using a solid state o-ring to restrict the formation of air bubbles due to outgasing, and fixing a liquid lens structure using a separate packaging module.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide a mass production method of such a liquid lens module as above.
  • a method for manufacturing a liquid lens module including the steps of: providing a conductive intermediate substrate having, on its center, an opening; forming a first hydrophobic insulating layer on the surface of the intermediate substrate; providing a transparent lower substrate having, on its upper surface, a lower electrode; coating a second hydrophobic insulating layer on at least part of the upper surface of the lower electrode of the lower substrate; bonding the intermediate substrate and the lower substrate together through the connection between the first hydrophobic insulating layer of the intermediate substrate and the second hydrophobic insulating layer of the lower substrate; filling a conductive liquid and a non- conductive liquid into a space defined by the opening of the intermediate substrate and the upper surface of the lower substrate; providing a transparent upper substrate having, on its lower surface, an upper electrode; forming a metal bump on at least part of the lower surface of the upper electrode of the upper substrate; and bonding the upper substrate and the intermediate substrate together through the connection
  • a method for manufacturing a liquid lens module including the steps of: providing a conductive intermediate substrate having, on its center, an opening; forming an intermediate electrode on the upper surface of the conductive intermediate substrate; forming a first hydrophobic insulating layer on a region of the surface of the intermediate electrode excluding a region where the intermediate electrode is formed; providing a transparent lower substrate having, on its upper surface, a lower electrode; coating a second hydrophobic insulating layer on at least part of the upper surface of the lower electrode of the lower substrate; bonding the intermediate substrate and the lower substrate together through the connection between the first hydrophobic insulating layer of the intermediate substrate and the second hydrophobic insulating layer of the lower substrate; filling a conductive liquid and a nonconductive liquid into a space defined by the opening of the intermediate substrate and the upper surface of the lower substrate; providing a transparent upper substrate having, on its lower surface, an upper electrode; forming a metal bump on at least part of the lower surface of the upper
  • a method for manufacturing a liquid lens module including the steps of: providing a conductive substrate electrode having a center hole for storing therein a conductive liquid and a nonconductive liquid; forming an insulating layer on the surface of the conductive substrate electrode and coating thereon a hydrophobic layer; providing a transparent lower substrate having, on its upper surface, an electrode; hermetically bonding the lower surface of the conductive substrate electrode on the lower substrate; filling the conductive liquid and the nonconductive liquid into a liquid storage defined by the hole and the lower substrate; and hermetically bonding the transparent upper substrate on the upper surface of the conductive substrate electrode.
  • a method for manufacturing a liquid lens module including the steps of: providing a conductive substrate electrode having a center hole for storing therein a conductive liquid and a nonconductive liquid; forming an insulating layer on the surface of the conductive substrate electrode and coating thereon a hydrophobic layer; providing a transparent lower substrate having, on its upper surface, an electrode; hermetically bonding the lower substrate and the conductive substrate electrode together using a first packaging module such that an o-ring is provided on at least one surface of the lower substrate, maintaining the sealing; filling the conductive liquid and the non- conductive liquid into a liquid storage defined by the hole and the lower substrate; and hermetically bonding the upper substrate and the conductive substrate electrode together by fixing the upper substrate and the first packaging module together using a second packaging module such that an o-ring is provided on at least one surface of the upper substrate, maintaining the sealing.
  • a liquid lens module including: two transparent insulating substrates each having an electrode on one peripheral surface thereof excluding the center thereof, the substrates being arranged such that the electrodes confront each other; a conductive intermediate substrate bonded between the two insulating substrates and having a center opening; and a hydrophobic insulating layer formed on an inner side face of the opening of the intermediate substrate, wherein a conductive liquid and a nonconductive liquid are contained in a space defined by two insulating substrates and the conductive intermediate substrate.
  • a liquid lens module including: a conductive substrate electrode having a center hole; a transparent lower substrate having, on its upper surface, an electrode, and hermetically bonded on the lower surface of the conductive substrate electrode; and a transparent upper substrate hermetically bonded on the upper surface of the conductive substrate electrode.
  • the conductive intermediate substrate is a silicon substrate
  • the hydrophobic insulating layer is a parylene film or Teflon film
  • at least one of the upper and lower substrates is machined, on its center portion, into an aspherical lens
  • at least one of the upper and lower substrates is machined, on its center portion, into a spherical lens.
  • the reliable liquid lens module and the method for manufacturing the same are provided through stably forming the electrode and the insulating layer using conductive silicon as a substrate material.
  • the insulating layer and the hydrophobic layer are simultaneously formed using the hydrophobic insulating layer, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and obtaining homogeneous layer.
  • the sealing between the substrates are implemented by using the same materials, thereby realizing a complete sealing, i.e., a hermetic sealing, without using a separate fixing device.
  • aspherical lens type upper/lower substrates are used, thereby improving an optical characteristic of the lens.
  • the solid-state o-ring is used in sealing the liquid so as to restrict the generation of air bubbles due to outgasing, and a separate packaging module is used in fixing the liquid lens structure, thereby improving stability and reliability.
  • a silicon wafer is used as a substrate material so that the insulating layer and the hydrophobic layer are easily formed, which is suitable for mass production of the liquid lens module.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 are views illustrating a operation principle of a liquid lens
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 are views illustrating the construction of a conventional liquid lens
  • FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an optical characteristic of a spherical lens
  • FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an optical characteristic of an aspherical lens
  • FIG. 7 is a view illustrating the construction of a liquid lens module according to a first embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 8 is a process view of manufacturing an upper substrate of the liquid lens module according to the first embodiment
  • FIG. 9 is a process view of manufacturing an intermediate substrate of the liquid lens module according to the first embodiment
  • FIG. 10 is a process view of manufacturing a lower substrate of the liquid lens module according to the first embodiment
  • FIG. 11 is a process view of bonding the substrates of the liquid lens module according to the first embodiment
  • FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the construction of an aspherical liquid lens module according to the first embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the construction of an aspherical liquid lens module according to the first embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 13 is a view illustrating the construction of a liquid lens module according to a second embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 14 is a process view of manufacturing an intermediate substrate of the liquid lens module according to the second embodiment;
  • FIG. 15 is a process view of bonding the substrates of the liquid lens module according to the second embodiment;
  • FIG. 16 is a view illustrating the construction of an aspherical liquid lens module according to the second embodiment;
  • FIGS. 17 and 18 are exemplary plan views of the liquid lens modules according to the first and second embodiments;
  • FIG. 19 is a view illustrating the construction of a liquid lens module according to a third embodiment of the invention; [50] FIG.
  • FIG. 20 is a process view of manufacturing the liquid lens module according to the third embodiment;
  • FIG. 21 is a view illustrating the construction of an aspherical liquid lens module according to the third embodiment;
  • FIG. 22 is a view illustrating the construction of a liquid lens module according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;
  • FIG. 23 is a process view of manufacturing the liquid lens module according to the fourth embodiment;
  • FIG. 24 is a view illustrating the construction of an aspherical liquid lens module according to the fourth embodiment;
  • FIGS. 25 to 29 are views illustrating the modified constructions of the liquid lens module according to the fourth embodiment;
  • FIGS. 30 and 31 are exemplary plan views of the liquid lens modules according to the third and fourth embodiments.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates an optical characteristic of a spherical lens
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an optical characteristic of an aspherical lens.
  • an optical characteristic is determined by only a curvature of an interface between the liquids so that it is not easy to regulate the optical characteristic.
  • the present invention forms a lens having a wide-angle function, a close up function or the like by using a spherical or aspherical lens type upper and/or lower substrate instead of using a flat type upper and/or substrate, thereby facilitating the regulation of the optical characteristic of the liquid lens.
  • a spherical lens 110 as illustrated in FIG. 5 a spherical aberration occurs so that upon the transmission of light, light passing through the periphery of the lens forms a focal point shorter than that of light passing through the center of the lens. Due to the spherical aberration, light does not concentrate upon one point and scatter through the periphery thereof, thereby making an image unclear.
  • spherical lens 110 type upper and/or lower substrate instead of using the flat type upper/lower substrate of the conventional liquid lens, such a spherical aberration may occur according to a curvature of the spherical surface, so that an aspherical lens type upper/lower substrate is preferably used.
  • the aspherical lens 120 when used in a small glass substrate or synthetic resinous substrate, the aspherical lens 120 can be manufactured by a known injection molding method or a known hot press forming method using a die suitable for the respective materials. In the case of a precise lens, it can be machined using a computer-controlled aspherical grinder.
  • An aspherical lens having a shape different from that illustrated in FIG. 6, a machining method thereof, forming methods of a wide-angle lens and a close up lens, and the like are known in public, so the detailed description thereof will be omitted in the present specification.
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the construction of a liquid lens module according to a first embodiment of the invention.
  • the liquid lens module is illustrated in a perpendicularly sectional view.
  • the liquid lens module in FIG. 7 is a combination of an upper substrate structure
  • the upper substrate structure 200 includes an upper substrate 210 made of an insulating material, such as glass, a junction layer 220 formed by depositing a material, such as Cr, Ti, or the like, onto the upper substrate 210, an upper electrode layer 230 formed by depositing a material, such as Au, Sn, or the like, onto the junction layer 220, and a metal bump 240 made of such as Au, Sn, or the like, formed on the upper electrode layer 230 for the conductive connection with a intermediate substrate 310.
  • the upper substrate structure 200 is connected with the intermediate structure 300 while being inverted.
  • the intermediate substrate structure 300 is configured such that a junction layer 320 for the connection with the metal bump 240 and an intermediate electrode layer 330 are formed in order on the silicon-like intermediate substrate 310, onto which an insulating layer is easily deposited, and a hydrophobic insulating layer 340, such as parylene, is coated on the side face and the under face of the intermediate substrate 310.
  • the lower substrate structure 400 is configured to include a lower substrate 410 made of an insulating material, such as glass, a junction layer 420 formed by depositing a material, such as Cr, Ti, or the like, onto the lower substrate 410, a lower electrode layer 430 formed by depositing a material, such as Au, Sn, or the like, onto the junction layer 420, and a hydrophobic insulating layer 440, such as parylene, formed on the lower electrode layer 430.
  • a lower substrate 410 made of an insulating material, such as glass
  • a junction layer 420 formed by depositing a material, such as Cr, Ti, or the like
  • a lower electrode layer 430 formed by depositing a material, such as Au, Sn, or the like
  • a hydrophobic insulating layer 440 such as parylene
  • the metal bump 240 serves to provide a vertical space for containing a sufficient amount of liquids required for a smooth operation such as regulation in a focal distance of the liquid lens module, and to electrically connect the upper electrode layer 230 of the upper substrate structure 200, the intermediate electrode layer 330 of the intermediate substrate structure 300, and the main body of the intermediate substrate 310 with each other.
  • the under face of the upper electrode layer 230 of the upper substrate structure 200 is separated from the upper face of the intermediate electrode layer 330 of the intermediate substrate structure 300 by the metal bump 240, so that it is easy to install a wire (not shown) for power supply on the under face of the upper electrode layer 230.
  • a space defined by the upper electrode layer 230 formed on the outer portion, i.e., the periphery, of the upper substrate 210, and a space defined by the lower electrode layer 430 formed on the outer portion, i.e., the periphery, of the lower substrate 410 form optical paths having the same size, the sectional diameter of the optical path via which light passes through the liquid lens being called an effective- lens portion in the present specification.
  • the 300 and the lower substrate structure 400 are hermetically bonded to each other using the hydrophobic insulating layers 340 and 440 made of a material having both the insulation property and the hydrophilic property, such as parylene, stably bonded to the intermediate substrate 310 and the lower electrode 440, so that a manufacturing process is simplified because it needs not to separately form an insulating layer and a hydrophobic layer, a homogeneous layer can be formed on an inner wall of the liquid lens structure by one process, and a hermetically sealed compact liquid lens module can be formed because the hydrophobic insulating layers 340 and 440 can be stably and easily bonded to each other.
  • the hydrophobic insulating layers 340 and 440 made of a material having both the insulation property and the hydrophilic property, such as parylene
  • the first embodiment of the present invention uses, as the hydrophobic insulating layers 340 and 440, parylene, i.e., poly-crystal amorphous linear polymer having excellent deposition characteristic, insulating characteristic, hydrophobic property, and layer homogeneity, similar known materials having above properties may be also used.
  • parylene i.e., poly-crystal amorphous linear polymer having excellent deposition characteristic, insulating characteristic, hydrophobic property, and layer homogeneity
  • similar known materials having above properties may be also used.
  • Parylene is a coating agent suitable for coating of a thin film having excellent insulator property, gas barrier property, and mechanical property.
  • the parylene is composed of fine solid powders to have excellent adhesion property so that it is well- adhered to silicon or metal, has excellent insulating property, hydrophobic property, and surface-protection function, provides uniform coating throughout overall coating face without forming of pin holes, and is a harmless inactive material, thereby providing functions of electrical insulation, moisture-proof, chemical isolation, mechanical protection, lubrication enhancement, surface protection and the like.
  • the parylene coating is possible in room temperature, thermal stress applied to a structure upon coating is minimized, and the mechanical stress applied to the structure is also minimized due to low curability.
  • the parylene is a transparent material which does not absorb light, so that it is suitable for optical application.
  • FIG. 8 is a process view of manufacturing the upper substrate of the liquid lens module according to the first embodiment.
  • the upper substrate 210 is firstly prepared by machining a transparent insulating material like glass, and the upper electrode layer 230 is formed by deposition of a metal material, such as Au, on the upper substrate 210 (Sl 10).
  • a metal material such as Au
  • metal, such as Cr, Ti or the like, having excellent adhesion property with glass is previously deposited to form the junction layer 220, on which electrode metal (Au) is then deposited again to form the upper electrode layer 230.
  • the metal bump 240 made of Au, Sn or the like, preferably the same material as the upper electrode layer 230, is formed on the upper electrode layer 230.
  • the bump material is plated (S130) by using a patterned photoresist 235 (S120), and the photoresist 235 is removed (S 140), or otherwise, a known method such as a screen printing using a patterned screen (not shown) can be used.
  • the shape of the metal bump 240 is not limited, it is preferable in view of manufacturing process that it be a simple shape such as a rectangular or circular strip having a radius between the edge of the upper substrate 210 and the effective-lens portion 215 on the center of the upper substrate 210.
  • the metal bump 240 is illustrated to be a rectangular structure (S 170).
  • the photoresist 245 having a pattern corresponding to the effective-lens portion 215 is formed on the upper electrode layer 230 as an anti-etching layer (S 150), and the center portions of the opaque junction layer 220 and the upper electrode layer 230 are removed by the size corresponding to the effective-lens portion 215, thereby forming the upper substrate structure 200 with the junction layer 220 and the upper electrode layer 230 formed on only the periphery thereof (S 160 and S 170).
  • FIG. 9 is a process view of manufacturing the intermediate substrate of the liquid lens module according to the first embodiment.
  • the material for the intermediate substrate 310 is a material, such as Si, that is capable of stably forming thereon an insulating layer and a hydrophobic layer, is a conductive material that prevents a change in property of the lens structure even upon continuous application of operational voltage to the lens structure, so that it can reliably operate, and is a material having the excellent machinability and suitable for mass production.
  • an opening is formed on the center of the intermediate substrate 310 by means of an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) method, a drilling method, a sandblasting method, or the like (S210).
  • ICP inductively coupled plasma
  • the opening of the intermediate substrate 310 is preferably made larger than the effective-lens portion 215.
  • a native oxide may be formed on the surface of the intermediate substrate 310, hindering the connection with a metal layer, the native oxide should be removed by means of a wet etching method using hydrogen fluoride (HF) or buffered oxide etchant (BOE).
  • HF hydrogen fluoride
  • BOE buffered oxide etchant
  • metal such as Au
  • the intermediate electrode layer 330 S220
  • the metal having the excellent adhesion property such as Cr, Ti, or the like, may be previously deposited to form the junction layer 320.
  • FIG. 10 is a process view of manufacturing the lower substrate of the liquid lens module according to the first embodiment.
  • the junction layer 420 and the lower electrode layer 430 should be firstly formed on the lower substrate 410 made of a conductive material. This process may be performed by the etching method using the photoresist process similar in the upper substrate 210, or the lift-off method to be described below.
  • the lower substrate 410 made of a transparent insulating material like glass is prepared, the photoresist 415 having an effective-lens portion pattern is applied onto the lower substrate 410 (S310), on which, if required, a metal layer, such as Cr, Ti, or the like, having excellent adhesion property with the lower substrate 410 is previously deposited to form the junction layer 420, on which the electrode metal such as Au or the like is deposited to form the upper electrode layer 330 (S320), and the photoresist 415 is lift-off (S330).
  • a metal layer such as Cr, Ti, or the like
  • a material such as parylene, stably adhered to the lower substrate 410, the junction layer 420, and the lower electrode layer 433 and having both the insulating property and the hydrophobicity is coated by deposition or the like to thus form the hydrophobic insulating layer 440 (S340), and the hydrophobic insulating layer 440 within the effective-lens portion 215 is patterned using the photoresist 445 (S350), thereby forming the lower substrate structure 400 (S360, S370).
  • the hydrophobic insulating layer 440 should be patterned so as to properly expose the upper surface of the lower electrode layer 430 in consideration of such as the wire connection for power application to the lower electrode layer 430.
  • FIG. 11 is a process view of bonding the substrates of the liquid lens module according to the first embodiment.
  • the upper substrate structure 200 the intermediate substrate structure
  • the hydrophobic insulating layer 440 of the lower substrate structure 400 and the hydrophobic insulating layer 340 of the intermediate substrate structure 300 are bonded together in hot pressing type by applying both heat and pressure (S410).
  • S410 heat and pressure
  • the inside of the structure is treated to have hydrophilicity with surface modification using hydrophilic gas plasma such as oxygen (S410).
  • electrolytic aqueous solution 500 like water and nonelectrolytic aqueous solution 600 like oil are sequentially injected (S420).
  • the injection amounts of the electrolytic and nonelectrolytic aqueous solutions 500 and 600 should be regulated so as to smoothly implement a focus control function of the liquid lens.
  • the nonelectrolytic aqueous solution 600 should be injected by sufficient amount in consideration of natural leakage upon the connection of the upper substrate structure 200.
  • the metal bump 240 of the upper substrate structure 200 and the intermediate electrode layer 330 of the intermediate substrate structure 300 are bonded together by bonding using a home metal heat diffusion phenomenon, thereby forming the liquid lens module (S430).
  • FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the construction of an aspherical liquid lens module according to the first embodiment of the invention.
  • the aspherical liquid lens module of FIG. 12 is different from the liquid lens module of FIG. 7 in that aspherical lens type upper and lower substrates 212 and 412, in which the center portion (corresponding to the effective-lens portion) of the insulating material like glass is aspherically machined, are used. Meanwhile, those skilled in the art may machine the upper and lower substrates 212 and 412 in a wide- angle lens type or a close up lens type in consideration of an optical characteristic, and if needed, may adapt a spherical lens.
  • FIG. 13 is a view illustrating the construction of a liquid lens module according to a second embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 14 is a process view of manufacturing an intermediate substrate of the liquid lens module according to the second embodiment.
  • the structure and the manufacturing process of the upper substrate structure 200 and the lower substrate structure 400 are similar to those of the first embodiment, so the description will hereafter made of the manufacturing process of only the intermediate substrate structure 300.
  • a hydrophobic insulating layer 342 is formed on the surface of the intermediate substrate 310 using a material able to be easily deposited on the intermediate substrate 310 (S520).
  • a silicon intermediate substrate 310 as the hydrophobic insulating layer 342, parylene easily applicable to silicon is a suitable material. As described before, the parylene has many advantages such as having excellent step coverage, particularly, so that it forms a uniform hydrophobic layer even on the side wall of the silicon intermediate substrate 310.
  • a dry film photoresist (DFP) 345 having a fine passage pattern is applied as an anti-etching layer (S530), and the parylene hydrophobic insulating layer 342 cor- responding to the fine passage is removed (S540), thereby forming the intermediate substrate structure 300 with the hydrophobic insulating layer 342 having the passage for the metal bump coated thereon (S550).
  • DFP dry film photoresist
  • FIG. 15 is a process view of bonding the substrates of the liquid lens module according to the second embodiment.
  • the hydrophobic insulating layer 440 of the lower substrate structure 400 and the hydrophobic insulating layer 342 of the intermediate substrate structure 300 are bonded together (S610).
  • the inside of the structure is treated to have hydrophilicity with surface modification using hydrophilic gas plasma such as oxygen.
  • electrolytic aqueous solution 500 like water and nonelectrolytic aqueous solution 600 like oil are sequentially injected (S420).
  • the injection amounts of the electrolytic and nonelectrolytic aqueous solutions 500 and 600 should be regulated so as to smoothly implement a focus control function of the liquid lens.
  • the nonelectrolytic aqueous solution 600 should be injected by sufficient amount in consideration of natural leakage upon the connection of the upper substrate structure 200.
  • the metal bump 240 of the upper substrate structure 200 is inserted into the fine passage of the hydrophobic insulating layer 342 deposited on the intermediate substrate 310, and the metal bump 240, the intermediate substrate 310, and the hydrophobic insulating layer 342 are bonded together using, for example, a heat-diffusion process, thereby forming the liquid lens module (S630).
  • FIG. 16 is a view illustrating the construction of an aspherical liquid lens module according to the second embodiment.
  • the aspherical liquid lens module of FIG. 16 is different from the liquid lens module of FIG. 13 in that aspherical lens type upper and lower substrates 212 and 412, in which the center portion (corresponding to the effective-lens portion) of the insulating material like glass is aspherically machined, are used. Meanwhile, those skilled in the art may machine the upper and lower substrates 212 and 412 in a wide- angle lens type or a close up lens type in consideration of an optical characteristic, and if needed, may adapt a spherical lens.
  • FIGS. 17 and 18 are exemplary plan views of such liquid lens modules.
  • the upper and lower substrates 210 and 410 of the liquid lens module may be made into various shapes such as, for example, a rectangle, a circle or the like.
  • the effective-lens portion 215 of the lens is made circular in character. This is similar to the machined lens type upper and lower substrates including the aspherical lens type upper and lower substrates 212 and 412 illustrated in FIG. 16.
  • FIG. 19 is a view illustrating the construction of a liquid lens module according to a third embodiment of the invention.
  • the liquid lens module of FIG. 19 is manufactured in such a manner that an insulating layer (e.g., silicon oxide) 1130 and a hydrophobic layer (e.g., Teflon film or parylene film) 1140 are formed on a silicon substrate 1100 having a center hole for containing therein a conductive liquid 1000 like water and a nonconductive liquid 1050 like oil, forming an intermediate substrate, a lower electrode 1160 is formed on a lower substrate 1150 made of a transparent insulating material like glass and the lower glass substrate 1150 is bonded to a silicon substrate 1100, an intermediate substrate, a conductive liquid 1000 and a nonconductive liquid 1050 are sequentially injected, and an upper glass substrate 1170 is bonded to the upper portion of the silicon substrate 1100, thereby forming the liquid lens module.
  • an insulating layer e.g., silicon oxide
  • a hydrophobic layer e.g., Teflon film or parylene film
  • FIG. 20 is a process view of manufacturing the liquid lens module according to the third embodiment.
  • a hole 1120 is formed on the silicon substrate 1100, and the insulating layer
  • the insulating layer 1130 is preferably a silicon oxide (SiO2) formed by thermal oxidation of the silicon substrate 1100.
  • the hydrophobic layer 1140 such as a Teflon film or a parylene film, is coated on the insulating layer 1130 (Sl 110).
  • water of the conductive liquid does not contact the side wall of the hole 1120 coated with the hydrophobic layer 1140, but contacts only the hydrophilic lower glass substrate 1150, thereby maintaining a constant shape.
  • the hydrophobic layer 1140 can be obtained by dipping or spray coating using a Teflon coating solution manufactured by Du Pont or 3M.
  • the conductive silicon is used as a substrate material so that the difficulties in forming an electrode can be overcome, and a stable insulating layer is formed by a thermal oxidation process, which is proved to be a stable process as one of the semiconductor processes, so that a constant voltage is continuously applied, thereby stably operating the liquid lens.
  • the silicon substrate 1100 of the intermediate substrate which is the only conductive element except the lower substrate 1160, serves as an electrode and constitutes the side wall of the liquid lens module. Accordingly, the silicon substrate 1100 may be called a silicon substrate electrode 1100 in view of its functional side, which is intermittently used in the present specification and claims.
  • the lower electrode 1160 is formed on the lower substrate 1150 made of glass
  • the lower glass substrate 1150 having the lower electrode 1160 is bonded to the silicon substrate 1100 (Sl 130).
  • the conductive liquid 1000 and the nonconductive liquid 1050 are sequentially injected (Sl 140), and the upper glass substrate 1170 is bonded to the upper portion of the silicon substrate 1100, thereby forming the liquid lens module (Sl 150).
  • FIG. 21 is a view illustrating the construction of an aspherical liquid lens module according to the third embodiment.
  • the aspherical liquid lens module of FIG. 21 is different from the liquid lens module of FIG. 19 in that aspherical lens type upper and lower substrates 1172 and 1152, in which the center portion (corresponding to the effective-lens portion) of the insulating material like glass is aspherically machined, are used. Meanwhile, those skilled in the art may machine the upper and lower substrates 1172 and 1152 in a wide- angle lens type or a close up lens type in consideration of an optical characteristic, and if needed, may adapt a spherical lens.
  • the glass substrates 1250 and 1290 and the silicon substrate 1200 are sealed using cured epoxy o-rings 1270 and 1280 like thermosetting epoxy or UV epoxy so as to prevent the generation of air bubbles.
  • the cured solid epoxy o-rings 1270 and 1280 are formed on the junction between the two substrates.
  • FIG. 23 is a process view of manufacturing the liquid lens module according to the fourth embodiment.
  • a hole 1220 is formed on the silicon substrate 1200, and an insulating layer
  • a silicon oxide is formed on the silicon substrate 1200 having the hole 1220 by a thermal oxidation process, and a hydrophobic layer 1240 is coated on the insulating layer 1230 on the inner side wall of the hole 1220 (S 1210).
  • a lower electrode 1260 is formed on the lower glass substrate 1250 (S 1220).
  • the o-ring 1270 is formed on the lower electrode 1260 so as to seal a liquid (S 1230).
  • the o-ring may be a conventional rubber o-ring, an urethane o-ring, or an epoxy o-ring formed by dispensing or screen-printing and curing epoxy.
  • the lower glass substrate 1250 having the o-ring formed thereon and the silicon substrate 1200 are bonded and firstly fixed together by using a first packaging module 1300 (S 1240).
  • the silicon substrate 1200 itself serves as an electrode, so that it needs not to install a separate electrode.
  • a conductive liquid 1000 and a nonconductive liquid 1050 are sequentially injected into a liquid storage, i.e., the hole 1220 (S 1250).
  • the nonconductive liquid 1050 is injected such that the surface thereof comes to protrude upward convexedly from the surface of the silicon substrate 1200 due to surface tension of the liquid.
  • the upper glass substrate 1290 having thereon the o-ring 1280 covers the silicon substrate 1200 while pushing the nonconductive liquid so as not to generate air bubbles, and the upper glass 1290 and the silicon substrate 1200 are secondarily fixed together so as to prevent the liquid in the liquid lens from flowing out by using a second packaging module 1310.
  • FIG. 24 is a view illustrating the construction of an aspherical liquid lens module according to the fourth embodiment.
  • the aspherical liquid lens module of FIG. 24 is different from the liquid lens module of FIG. 22 in that aspherical lens type upper and lower substrates 1292 and 1252, in which the center portion (corresponding to the effective-lens portion) of the insulating material like glass is aspherically machined, are used. Meanwhile, those skilled in the art may machine the upper and lower substrates 1292 and 1252 in a wide- angle lens type or a close up lens type in consideration of an optical characteristic, and if needed, may adapt a spherical lens.
  • FIGS. 22 and 24 illustrate that the upper glass 1290, 1292 is provided, on its both upper and lower surfaces, with the o-rings 1280, and the lower glass substrate 1250, 1252 is provided, on its upper surface, with the o-ring 1270
  • the arrangement of the o-rings and the machined shape of the substrate may be modified into those illustrated in FIGS. 25 to 28 so long as the liquid can be sealed, and the inside structure of the silicon substrate 1200 may also be formed as that illustrated in FIG. 29.
  • FIG. 25 illustrates that the flat type upper substrate 1290 and the flat type lower substrate 1250 each are provided, on both upper and lower surfaces, with the o-rings 1270 and 1280
  • FIG. 26 illustrates that the flat type upper substrate 1290 is provided, on its lower surface, with the o-ring 1280, and the aspherical lens type lower substrate 1252 is provided, on its both upper and lower surfaces, with the o-rings 1270
  • FIG. 27 illustrates that the aspherical lens type upper substrate 1292 is provided, on its both upper and lower surfaces, with the o-ring 1280, and the aspherical lens type lower substrate 1252 is bonded thereto in a heat press forming type without using the o-ring
  • the aspherical lens type upper substrate 1294 is bonded in a heat press forming type without using the o-ring, and the flat type lower substrate 1250 is provided, on its both upper and lower surfaces, with the o-ring 1270.
  • the flat type lower substrate 1250 is provided, on its both upper and lower surfaces, with the o-ring 1270.
  • Those skilled in the art can modify the machined shape of the upper and lower substrates and the arrangement of the o-ring in a different form from those illustrated in the drawings.
  • FIGS. 30 and 31 illustrate that as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the inner wall of the silicon substrate is formed inclined so that the side wall of the hole 1120, 1220 having thereon the insulating layer 1130, 1230 and the hydrophobic layer 1140, 1240 can be viewed through the effective-lens portion
  • the present invention is not limited thereto, but the viewing can be changed according to the size or the inclined angle of the hole 1120, 1220 of the silicon substrate 1200.
  • the liquid lens is one applying the operation of the eye lens of human beings which controls a focal point using a change in its shape.
  • the liquid lens has a simple structure without a mechanical driving unit so that it is reliable, is suitable for mass production, has a rapid response speed, has low power consumption, and can be made smaller in order of a few millimeters or less.
  • the liquid lens is applicable to various fields, such as digital cameras, camera phones, endoscopes, security systems, optical recorders, or the like.

Abstract

L'invention concerne un module de lentille liquide qui inclut une électrode stable, un isolant, et un film hydrophobe homogène, présentant d'excellentes performances en matière d'étanchéité et facile à miniaturiser, et son procédé de fabrication. Le module de lentille liquide inclut : deux substrats isolants transparents, chacun comportant une électrode sur une surface périphérique de celui-ci à l'exclusion de son centre, le centre de son autre surface étant usiné dans une lentille asphérique, les substrats étant disposés de sorte que les électrodes soient l'une face à l'autre ; un substrat conducteur intermédiaire collé entre les deux substrats isolants et comportant un orifice central ; et une couche isolante hydrophobe formée sur une face latérale interne de l'orifice du substrat intermédiaire, dans laquelle un liquide conducteur et un liquide non conducteur sont contenus dans un espace défini par deux substrats isolants et le substrat intermédiaire.
PCT/KR2007/000243 2007-01-04 2007-01-15 Module de lentille liquide et son procédé de production WO2008082025A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
KR10-2007-0000898 2007-01-04
KR1020070000901A KR100847802B1 (ko) 2007-01-04 2007-01-04 비구면 액체 렌즈 및 그 제조 방법
KR10-2007-0000901 2007-01-04
KR1020070000898A KR100847803B1 (ko) 2007-01-04 2007-01-04 액체 렌즈 및 액체 렌즈 제조 방법

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2008082025A1 true WO2008082025A1 (fr) 2008-07-10

Family

ID=39588682

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/KR2007/000243 WO2008082025A1 (fr) 2007-01-04 2007-01-15 Module de lentille liquide et son procédé de production

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2008082025A1 (fr)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101858996A (zh) * 2009-04-02 2010-10-13 索尼公司 液体透镜装置及其制造方法
US8427755B2 (en) 2009-08-31 2013-04-23 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Fluidic lens and method of manufacturing the same
US8599490B2 (en) 2009-09-03 2013-12-03 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Liquid lens
US9030751B2 (en) 2010-10-05 2015-05-12 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Fluidic lens
US9405045B2 (en) 2010-10-29 2016-08-02 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Optical apparatus
CN110226117A (zh) * 2017-01-26 2019-09-10 Lg伊诺特有限公司 液体透镜、相机模块以及包含该模块的光学设备
US10895670B2 (en) 2017-01-17 2021-01-19 Lg Innotek Co., Ltd. Camera module including liquid lens and optical device comprising same
US11392008B2 (en) * 2017-01-06 2022-07-19 Lg Innotek Co., Ltd. Liquid lens
US11409182B2 (en) * 2017-01-24 2022-08-09 Lg Innotek Co., Ltd. Liquid lens and camera module and optical apparatus comprising same

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2001249282A (ja) * 2000-03-03 2001-09-14 Canon Inc 光学素子、可変パワー構造を有する光学素子等をレンズ素子に内蔵する光学系および撮影装置
JP2006065045A (ja) * 2004-08-27 2006-03-09 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd 光学素子、レンズユニット、および撮像装置
JP2006525547A (ja) * 2003-05-06 2006-11-09 コーニンクレッカ　フィリップス　エレクトロニクス　エヌ　ヴィ エレクトロウェッティング・モジュール

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2001249282A (ja) * 2000-03-03 2001-09-14 Canon Inc 光学素子、可変パワー構造を有する光学素子等をレンズ素子に内蔵する光学系および撮影装置
JP2006525547A (ja) * 2003-05-06 2006-11-09 コーニンクレッカ　フィリップス　エレクトロニクス　エヌ　ヴィ エレクトロウェッティング・モジュール
JP2006065045A (ja) * 2004-08-27 2006-03-09 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd 光学素子、レンズユニット、および撮像装置

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101858996A (zh) * 2009-04-02 2010-10-13 索尼公司 液体透镜装置及其制造方法
US8427755B2 (en) 2009-08-31 2013-04-23 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Fluidic lens and method of manufacturing the same
US8599490B2 (en) 2009-09-03 2013-12-03 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Liquid lens
US9030751B2 (en) 2010-10-05 2015-05-12 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Fluidic lens
US9405045B2 (en) 2010-10-29 2016-08-02 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Optical apparatus
US11392008B2 (en) * 2017-01-06 2022-07-19 Lg Innotek Co., Ltd. Liquid lens
US10895670B2 (en) 2017-01-17 2021-01-19 Lg Innotek Co., Ltd. Camera module including liquid lens and optical device comprising same
US11333804B2 (en) 2017-01-17 2022-05-17 Lg Innotek Co., Ltd. Camera module including a liquid lens enabling adjustment of a focal length and an optical device including the camera module
US11409182B2 (en) * 2017-01-24 2022-08-09 Lg Innotek Co., Ltd. Liquid lens and camera module and optical apparatus comprising same
CN110226117A (zh) * 2017-01-26 2019-09-10 Lg伊诺特有限公司 液体透镜、相机模块以及包含该模块的光学设备
US11347127B2 (en) * 2017-01-26 2022-05-31 Lg Innotek Co., Ltd. Liquid lens

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
WO2008082025A1 (fr) Module de lentille liquide et son procédé de production
KR100847804B1 (ko) 액체 렌즈 및 액체 렌즈 제조 방법
JP4760426B2 (ja) 光学素子およびレンズアレイ
KR101360545B1 (ko) 조정 가능한 렌즈의 제조 방법
CN100439968C (zh) 电润湿法小室
US7580195B2 (en) Optical lens and method of manufacturing the same
US8100592B2 (en) Housing for variable lens
US20070247724A1 (en) Liquid lens with curved contact surface
KR100674866B1 (ko) 가변 초점 렌즈 및 그 제조 방법
US20090169806A1 (en) Display and fabricating method thereof
JP2009518676A (ja) 流体フォーカスレンズにおける溶液流の防止
KR100847802B1 (ko) 비구면 액체 렌즈 및 그 제조 방법
CN100478734C (zh) 电湿单元和制造电湿单元的方法
US20120073740A1 (en) Method for Making an Electrowetting Device
JP2007225779A (ja) 光学素子及びその製造方法
JP2008276177A (ja) 液体レンズ用の光軸位置合せ装置
KR100847803B1 (ko) 액체 렌즈 및 액체 렌즈 제조 방법
KR100992090B1 (ko) 액체 렌즈 및 그의 제조 방법
CN109073793B (zh) 液体透镜及其加工方法、成像模组
KR20100109730A (ko) 액체렌즈 및 그의 제조방법
KR100771346B1 (ko) 액체 렌즈 모듈용 자외선 경화 지그
KR100843371B1 (ko) 액체 렌즈 모듈
KR20090084424A (ko) 액체 렌즈 및 그의 제조 방법
KR20070008921A (ko) 액체렌즈 및 그 구동방법
KR20060126146A (ko) 액체렌즈의 제작방법

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 07700968

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 07700968

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1