Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080309900 | Method of making patterning device, patterning device for making patterned structure, and method of making patterned structure - A method and apparatus to fabricate a patterned structure using a template supported on a carrier. The method includes patterning a material to conform to the patterned structure. The patterned material is cured while remaining on the template. The carrier is removable during the curing process. The template is later removed from the patterned material to obtain the patterned structure. A patterning device is also provided, which is formed by a template and a carrier releasably attached to each other. The template and the carrier can be separated from each other when the patterning device is subjected to curing of the patterned structure. | 12-18-2008 |
20090034083 | Method of forming a microlens array and imaging device and system containing such a microlens array - Method of forming a microlens array and an imaging device and system containing such a microlens array. The microlens array is formed with a plurality of substantially gapless microlenses. A plurality of overlying portions are formed on the microlenses and have substantially the same curvature and/or height. | 02-05-2009 |
20090147379 | Microlenses with patterned holes to produce a desired focus location - A method, apparatus and system providing a microlens having a substantially flat upper surface and having a plurality of holes arranged in a pattern in a microlens material which produces a focal point at a desired location. | 06-11-2009 |
20100123209 | Apparatus and Method of Manufacture for Movable Lens on Transparent Substrate - A lens stack having a movable lens attached to a MEMS structure and method of fabricating the same. The method comprises attaching at least one MEMS structure to a transparent substrate. The method further comprises forming a movable lens in contact with the at least one MEMS structure. | 05-20-2010 |
20100177408 | METHOD OF FORMING LENS ARRAYS AND TRANSFERRING SUCH ONTO MOVABLE-MEMS STRUCTURES - Micro-electrical-mechanical (MEMS) wafers in which a lens is formed on a micro-electrical-mechanical structure. The micro-electrical-mechanical wafers can comprise a substrate, MEMS structures, and a lens array. A method of forming a micro-electrical-mechanical wafer comprises providing a substrate, forming a micro-electrical-mechanical structure on the substrate, forming a carrier, forming a lens array on the carrier, and transferring the lens array from the carrier onto the micro-electrical-mechanical structure. The lens array is placed above the micro-electrical-mechanical structure. | 07-15-2010 |
20110180695 | LAYERED LENS STRUCTURES AND METHODS OF PRODUCTION - A microlens structure includes lower lens layers on a substrate. A sputtered layer of glass, such as silicon oxide, is applied over the lower lens layers at an angle away from normal to form upper lens layers that increase the effective focal length of the microlens structure. The upper lens layers can be deposited in an aspherical shape with radii of curvature longer than the lower lens layers. As a result, small microlenses can be provided with longer focal length. The microlenses are arranged in arrays for use in imaging devices. | 07-28-2011 |
20120044339 | OPTO-FLUIDIC MICROSCOPE SYSTEM WITH EVALUATION CHAMBERS - An image sensor integrated circuit may contain image sensor pixels. A channel containing a fluid with particles such as cells may be formed on top of the image sensor. The image sensor pixels may form light sensors and imagers. The imagers may gather images of the cells or other particles as the fluid passes over the imagers. The channel may have multiple branches. Gating structures and other fluid control structures may control the flow of fluid through the channel branches. Portions of the channel may be used to form chambers. The chambers may each be provided with one or more light sensors, light sources, and color filters to alter the color of illumination form a light source, one or more reactants such as dyes, antigens, and antibodies, and heaters. The branches may route the fluid to respective chambers each of which has a different set of capabilities. | 02-23-2012 |
20120045103 | SYSTEM FOR TARGETING CELLS OR OTHER MATERIALS - An image sensor integrated circuit may contain image sensor pixels. A channel containing a fluid with particles such as cells may be formed on top of the image sensor. Some of the image sensor pixels may form a calibration sensor and some of the image sensor pixels may form an imager. As the fluid and particles flow through the channel at a flow rate, the calibration sensor may measures the flow rate and illumination intensity in the channel. Based on calibration data such as measured flow rate and measured illumination intensity, adjustments may be made to ensure that the imager acquires satisfactory image data. The adjustments may include flow rate adjustments, image acquisition data rate adjustments, and illumination adjustments. A processing unit in the channel may contain a laser or other component to destroy selected cells. A flared region in the channel may be used as a chromatograph. | 02-23-2012 |
20120045787 | FLEXIBLE MICRO-CARRIER SYSTEM - Micro-carrier systems may be used to carry and identify sample materials through an analysis system. Analysis systems may include an image sensor integrated circuit containing image sensor pixels. A channel containing a fluid with particles such as cells may be formed on top of the image sensor. Micro-carriers may be used to carry the cells in the fluid. Micro-carriers may have identifier regions and active regions. Identifier regions may include coded information identifying cells, fluid samples, or other materials carried in the active region. Active regions may carry reagents, trapping agents, cells or other sample materials. Active regions may be formed on a surface of a micro-carrier or may be formed in a cavity inside the micro-carrier. Micro-carriers may include magnetic control structures that can be used to guide, rotate, accelerate or position micro-carriers. | 02-23-2012 |
20120147228 | IMAGING SYSTEMS WITH OPTICAL CROSSTALK SUPPRESSION STRUCTURES - An imaging system may include an image sensor and lenses on a substrate. The lenses may focus light onto the image sensor. The imaging system may include multiple optical channels, each of which directs light at a particular wavelength or range of wavelengths to a particular region of the image sensor. The imaging system may include optical crosstalk suppression structures that reduce or minimize optical crosstalk between the optical channels. The optical crosstalk suppression structures may include, for each optical channel, at least a pair of matching color filters. The color filters may keep any light that leaks between optical channels from reaching the image sensor. | 06-14-2012 |
20120188421 | IMAGING SYSTEMS WITH ARRAYS OF ALIGNED LENSES - An imaging system may include an array of lenses, each of which is aligned over a respective one of a plurality of imaging pixels. The array of lenses may be formed in two layers. The first layer may include a first set of non-adjacent lenses and centering structures between the first lenses. The centering structures may be aligned with the first set of lenses as part of a mask design with a high level of accuracy. The second layer may include a second set of lenses, each of which is formed on a respective one of the centering structures. Forming the second set of lenses may include a reflow process in which surface tension forces center the second set of lenses on their respective centering structures, thereby aligning the second set of lenses with the first set of lenses with a high level of accuracy. | 07-26-2012 |
20120194719 | IMAGE SENSOR UNITS WITH STACKED IMAGE SENSORS AND IMAGE PROCESSORS - An image sensor unit has stacked imager and processor integrated circuits. The imager may have an image sensor pixel array on its front surface. Processor die may be mounted back-to-back with respective imagers on a wafer. A photodefinable dielectric film may cover the rear surface of the wafer. Metal traces in the photodefinable dielectric and through-silicon vias in each imager may be used to interconnect the processing circuitry on the front surface of a processor to the image sensor pixel array on the front surface of the imager. Openings may be formed in the photo definable dielectric to allow solder balls to form electrical connections with the metal traces. A cavity may be formed in a photo definable dielectric layer or an imager to accommodate the processor. The processor may also be mounted in a cavity in a separate silicon standoff structure before attaching the standoff structure to the imager. | 08-02-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120044341 | OPTOFLUIDIC MICROSCOPE SYSTEM-ON-CHIP - An integrated circuit may contain image sensor pixels. Channels containing a fluid with samples such as cells may be formed on top of the image sensor. Control circuitry may be formed on the integrated circuit. The image sensor pixels may form light sensors and imagers. Portions of the channel may have multiple chambers such as fluorescence detection chambers. Gating structures and other fluid control structures may control the flow of fluid through the channels and chambers. Portions of the channel may be used to form chambers. The chambers may each be provided with one or more light sensors, light sources, and color filters to alter the color of illumination form a light source, one or more reactants such as dyes, antigens, and antibodies, and heaters. The control circuitry may be configured to control the imagers, the gating structures, the fluid control structures, the light source, the heaters, etc. | 02-23-2012 |
20120200749 | IMAGERS WITH STRUCTURES FOR NEAR FIELD IMAGING - An imaging system may include an image sensor configured to image materials at near field imaging ranges from the image sensor. Near field imaging ranges may be on the scale of 1-10 pixel sizes from the image sensor. The materials being imaged may be fluorescent materials that emit radiation at fluorescent wavelengths when the materials are exposed to radiation at excitation wavelengths. The image sensor may include color filter materials that block radiation at excitation wavelengths while transmitting radiation at fluorescent wavelengths. The image sensor may include light guides that reduce cross-talk between pixels and improve localization of emitted radiation, thereby allowing the image sensor to determine which pixel(s) is (are) located beneath the materials being imaged. The light guides may include may include sloped sidewalls and may include reflective sidewalls, which may improve radiation collection (e.g., efficiency) and localization of emitted radiation. | 08-09-2012 |
20120273695 | HIGH RESOLUTION FLUORESCENCE DETECTION SYSTEM - A compact image sensor for imaging radiation emitted by fluorescing objects exposed to excitation light is disclosed. The compact image sensor includes a light guide defining a longitudinal axis for channeling radiation emitted by the fluorescing object; a reflective surface defined on the light guide that is oriented at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the light guide to reflect the excitation light away from a detector of the image sensor; and the detector positioned at an end of the light guide for imaging radiation emitted by the fluorescing object. Also disclosed is a fluorescence imaging system for imaging radiation emitted by a fluorescing object to be imaged by compact image sensor and a method of fluorescence imaging. | 11-01-2012 |
20120273906 | DIELECTRIC BARRIERS FOR PIXEL ARRAYS - Pixel arrays are provided for image sensors that have barriers between color filters in an array of color filters. Color filter barriers may be formed from a transparent or semi-transparent material. Color filter barriers may be formed from a low refractive index material. Color filters may be etched and color filter barrier material may be formed in the etched regions of the color filters. If desired, a layer of color filter barrier material may be etched to form open regions and color filter material may be formed in the open regions of the color filter barrier material. An image sensor may be a front-side illuminated image sensor or a back-side illuminated image sensor. | 11-01-2012 |
20120326256 | SPECTRALLY TUNED PLASMONIC LIGHT COLLECTORS - Electronic devices may be provided with imaging modules that include plasmonic light collectors. Plasmonic light collectors may be configured to exploit an interaction between incoming light and plasmons in the plasmonic light collector to alter the path of the incoming light. Plasmonic light collectors may include one or more spectrally tuned plasmonic image pixels configured to preferentially trap light of a given frequency. Spectrally tuned plasmonic image pixels may include plasmonic structures formed form a patterned metal layer over doped silicon layers. Doped silicon layers may be interposed between plasmonic structures and a reflective layer. Plasmonic image pixels may be used to absorb and detect as much as, or more than, ninety percent of incident light at wavelengths ranging from the infrared to the ultraviolet. Plasmonic image pixels that capture light of different colors may be arranged in patterned arrays to form imager modules or imaging spectrometers for optofluidic microscopes. | 12-27-2012 |
20140055654 | BACKSIDE ILLUMINATED IMAGE SENSORS WITH STACKED DIES - An image sensor unit may have a backside-illuminated imager and an image co-processor stacked together. The image co-processor may be mounted in a cavity in a permanent carrier. The permanent carrier may include fluid channels that allow cooling fluid to flow past the image co-process and past the imager, thereby removing excess heat generated by the image sensor unit during operation. | 02-27-2014 |
20150054962 | IMAGING SYSTEMS WITH STACKED IMAGE SENSORS - An imaging system may include a first image sensor die stacked on top of a second image sensor die. A pixel array may include first pixels having photodiodes in the first image sensor die and second pixels having photodiodes in the second image sensor die. The first pixels may be optimized to detect a first type of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., visible light), whereas the second pixels may be optimized to detect a second type of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared light). Light guide channels may be formed in the first image sensor die to help guide incident light to the photodiodes in the second image sensor substrate. The first and second image sensor dies may be bonded at a wafer level. A first image sensor wafer may be a backside illumination image sensor wafer and a second image sensor wafer may be a front or backside illumination image sensor wafer. | 02-26-2015 |