The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 11, 2005
Filed:
Apr. 28, 2003
Ming Fang, Plano, TX (US);
Fuchao Wang, Plano, TX (US);
Hai Ding, Carrollton, TX (US);
STMicroelectronics, Inc., Carrollton, TX (US);
Abstract
A microlens of an inorganic material having a relatively high index of refraction is formed with a convex lower surface for refracting light from above through an underlying spacer layer to converge on a photodiode therebelow. The microlens and photodiode may be replicated in an array of such elements along with color filters and CMOS circuit elements on a semiconductor chip to provide an image sensor. The spacer layer, which has a relatively low refractive index, is subjected to a selective isotropic etch through an opening in an etch mask to define a concave surface that forms an interface with the convex lower surface of the microlens upon subsequent conformal deposition of the material of the microlens.