Ams Sensors Singapore Pte. Ltd.

Heptagon Micro Optics Pte. Ltd.

Heptagon Photonics Pte. Ltd.

Nicola Spring

Hartmut Rudmann

Robert Lenart

Mario Cesana

Jukka Alasirnio

Bojan Tesanovic

Alexander Bietsch

Stephan Heimgartner

Matthias Gloor

Ville Kettunen

Martin Lukas Balimann

Markus Rossi

Jens Geiger

Qichuan Yu

Philippe Bouchilloux

Uros Markovic

Simon Gubser

Ji Wang

Bassam Hallal

Tobias Senn

Kam Wah Leong

Hakan Karpuz

Jürgen Soechtig

Alexander Bietesch

Diane Morgan

Sebastiano Lazzi Gazzini

Tesanovic Bojan

A method of manufacturing a plurality of optical elements includes providing a first wafer () having lower alignment features () arranged on a first surface of the substrate, providing a second wafer () comprising, on a replication side, a plurality of replication sections, each replication section defining a surface structure of one of the optical elements, the second wafer () further comprising upper alignment features () protruding, on the replication side, further than an outermost feature of the replication sections, depositing liquid droplets () on the first side of the first wafer (), and bringing the second wafer () and the first side of the first wafer () together, with liquid droplets () between the first wafer () and the second wafer (), the upper alignment features () contacting the liquid droplets () on the lower alignment features () on the first side of the first wafer (), and thereby causing the second wafer () to align with the first wafer () by capillary action.

Wafer alignment features

A method of manufacturing a plurality of optical elements (), the method comprising providing a first wafer () having hardened replication material forming optical elements () on a first side of the first wafer (), providing a second wafer () having hardened replication material forming optical elements () on a first side of the second wafer (), depositing liquid droplets () on the first side of the first wafer () between the optical elements () aligning the first side of the first wafer () with the first side of the second wafer (), and bringing the two wafers () together such that the liquid droplets () on the first side of the first wafer () adhere to the first side of the second wafer ().

Method of manufacturing a plurality of optical elements and product thereof

The method for manufacturing optical light guide elements comprises providing a plurality of initial bars, each initial bar extending along a respective initial-bar direction from a first bar end to a second bar end and having a first side face extending from the first bar end to the second bar end, the first side face being reflective; positioning the initial bars in a row with their respective initial-bar directions aligned parallel to each other and with their respective first surfaces facing towards a neighboring one of the initial bars; and fixing the plurality of initial bars with respect to each other in the position to obtain a bar arrangement.

Manufacture of optical light guides

Fabricating light guide elements includes forming a first portion of the light guide element using a replication technique (), and forming a second portion of the light guide element using a photolithographic technique (). Use of replication can facilitate formation of more complex-shaped optical elements as part of the light guide element. The replication process sometimes results in the formation of a 'yard,' or excess replication material, which may lead to light leakage if not removed or smoothed over. In some instances, at least part of the yard portion is embedded within the second portion of the light guide element, thereby resulting in a smoothing over of the yard portion.

Optical light guides and methods of manufacturing the same

A method of manufacturing a plurality of optical elements () comprising the steps of providing a substrate (), and a tool () comprising a plurality of replication sections (), each defining a surface structure of one of the optical elements (), the tool () further comprising at least one contact spacer portion (), aligning the tool () and the substrate () with respect to each other and bringing the tool () and a first side of the substrate () together, with replication material () between the tool () and the substrate (), the contact spacer portion () contacting the first side of the substrate (), and thereby causing the spacer portion () to adhere to the first side of the substrate (), hardening the replication material (), wherein the substrate () has yard line features () around at least a portion of the replication sections (), the yard line features () containing the replication material () on a first side of the yard line with respect to the tool () and the substrate ().

Yard control features

Techniques for controlling the flow of replication material (e.g., epoxy) during the formation of replicated optical elements include providing a transparent substrate () onto which the optical elements are to be replicated. The substrate () includes a structured UV curable shield () adhering to its surface. The UV curable shield (), in turn, has openings () that expose portions of the surface of the transparent substrate () for replication of the optical elements. During the replication process, excess replication material (A) may flow onto the UV curable shield (), which subsequently can be cured so as to facilitate the release and removal of the shield () along with the excess replication material (A).

Replicating optical elements onto a substrate

Optoelectronic modules exhibiting relatively small thickness and methods for their manufacture are disclosed. The optoelectronic modules include substrates and transparent covers. Each optoelectronic module includes a transparent substrate on which an optoelectronic component is mounted. The optoelectronic component can be sensitive to and/or operable to generate a particular wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. The transparent substrate is transmissive to the particular wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. In some instances, the transparent substrate is composed, at least partially of glass.

Optoelectronic modules having transparent substrates and method for manufacturing the same

An optoelectronic module assembly includes an optoelectronic module. The module includes: an active optoelectronic component in or on a mounting substrate, an optical sub-assembly, and a spacer disposed between the mounting substrate and the optical sub-assembly so as to establish a particular distance between the active optoelectronic component and the optical sub-assembly. The optoelectronic module assembly also includes a recessed substrate including first and second surfaces, wherein the second surface is in a plane closer to the optical sub-assembly than is the first surface. The optoelectronic module is mounted on the first surface. The second surface is for mounting other components.

Optoelectronic module assembly and manufacturing method

Molded circuit substrates include a conductive layer surrounded by an insulating sidewall. The insulating sidewall further provides a structural component for an electronic module into which the molded circuit substrate is incorporated. Accordingly, the molded circuit substrates can permit better performance, reduce electronic module thickness, and reduce fabrication costs. Methods for fabricating molded circuit substrates can facilitate precise positioning of insulating sidewalls, insulating partitions, electrical contacts and other components.

Molded circuit substrates

Optical stack assemblies and fabrication techniques thereof. The optical stack assembly includes first and second sub-assemblies, each of which include a substrate and a sub-structure fixed to the respective substrate. Each sub-structures includes a respective first edge feature and a respective second edge feature that project away from the substrate of that sub-structure, each second edge feature being disposed laterally closer to an outer periphery of the respective sub-structure than the first edge feature of the same sub-structure. The first edge feature of the first sub-structure is in direct contact with the first edge feature of the second sub&#xac;structure, while the second edge feature of the first sub-structure and the second edge feature of the second sub-structure are attached to one another by adhesive. At least one of the first or second sub-structures includes an optical element on a same side of the sub-structure as the first and second edge features of that sub-structure. The optical element stack assembly further includes a spacer laterally surrounding, and moulded to, the first and second sub-assemblies.

Optical element stack assemblies

Optoelectronic modules, such as proximity sensors, two-dimensional and three-dimensional cameras, structured- or encoded-light emitters, and projectors include optical assemblies and active optoelectronic components that are light sensitive or emit light. The optical assemblies are aligned to the active optoelectronic components via alignment spacers and adhesive. The alignment spacers include surfaces operable to limit the lateral migration of adhesive thereby preventing the contamination of the active optoelectronic components with adhesive. In some instances, small optoelectronic module footprints can be maintained without compromising the integrity of the adhesive.

Optoelectronic modules with alignment spacers and methods for assembling the same

An optical device () includes two prism bodies () and four side panels (-) attached to both prism bodies (). A cavity () is thereby enclosed. A first reflector () can be present at a first side face () of the first prism body (), and a second reflector () can be present at a second side face () of the second prism body (). At least one of the prism bodies () and/or at least one of the side panels (-) can be at least in part made of a non-transparent dielectric material such as a printed circuit board. In some implementations, an optoelectronic component () can be attached to the respective constituent of the optical device ().

Wafer-level optical device having light guide properties

The invention relates to wafer-level manufacturing of optical devices such as modules comprising micro-lenses. In one aspect, passive optical components such as truncated lenses are manufactured by providing a substrate on which a multitude of precursor optical structures is present; and removing material from each of said multitude of precursor optical structures. Another aspect comprises a method for manufacturing a device comprising a set of at least two passive optical components, said method comprising the steps of using a tool obtained by carrying out the steps of manufacturing a precursor tool having a replication surface; and modifying said replication surface by removing material from said precursor tool. An yet another aspect comprises a method for manufacturing a device comprising a set of at least two passive optical components, wherein the method comprises the step of using a master comprising a replication surface comprising, for each of said passive optical components, a first portion describing a shape corresponding to the shape of at least a portion of the respective passive optical component, wherein the master comprises, in addition, at least one protruding portion protruding from at least one of said first portions of said replication surfaces.

Manufacture of truncated lenses, of pairs of truncated lenses and of corresponding devices

Fabricating optical devices can include mounting a plurality of singulated lens systems over a substrate, adjusting a thickness of the substrate below at least some of the lens systems to provide respective focal length corrections for the lens systems, and subsequently separating the substrate into a plurality of optical modules, each of which includes one of the lens systems mounted over a portion of the substrate. Adjusting a thickness of the substrate can include, for example, micro-machining the substrate to form respective holes below at least some of the lens systems or adding one or more layers below at least some of the lens systems so as to correct for variations in the focal lengths of the lens systems.

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Wangen, Switzerland

Nicola Spring