IP Library Granted Patent US 8,351,120
Granted Patent B2
US 8,351,120 · App. 12/882,623 · Granted Jan 8, 2013

Optical device having extented depth of field and fabrication method thereof

Assignees: VisEra Technologies Company Limited; OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,351,120
App. No.
12/882,623
Granted
Jan 8, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for designing an optical device which includes a lens and a microlens array is disclosed. A point spread function (PSF) of the lens including rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients is formulated, wherein the PSF presents various spherical spot sizes. A virtual phase mask having phase coefficients is provided and the phase coefficients are added to the PSF of the lens, such that the various spherical spot sizes are homogenized. The virtual phase mask is transformed into a polynomial function comprising high and low order aberration coefficients. A surface contour of the lens is determined according to the rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients and the low order aberration coefficients, and a sag height of each microlens in the microlens array is determined according to the high order aberration coefficients. An optical device using the design method is also disclosed.

Claims (27)

1. A method for designing an optical device comprising a lens and a microlens array, comprising:

formulating a point spread function of the lens comprising rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients, wherein the point spread function presents various spherical spot sizes;

providing a virtual phase mask having phase coefficients and adding the phase coefficients to the point spread function of the lens, such that the various spherical spot sizes are homogenized;

transforming the virtual phase mask into a polynomial function comprising high and low order aberration coefficients;

determining a surface contour of the lens according to the rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients and the low order aberration coefficients; and

determining a sag height of each microlens in the microlens array according to the high order aberration coefficients.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polynomial function is Zernike polynomials.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formulated point spread function further comprises residual non-rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the sag height of each microlens in the microlens array is determined according to the high order aberration coefficients and the residual non-rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the lens faces an image focal plane.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the lens faces an object plane.

7. An optical device, comprising:

an image sensor device including a microlens array thereon; and

a lens module including a lens disposed above the image sensor device,

wherein the lens has a surface contour determined according to rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients and low order aberration coefficients, and

wherein each microlens in the microlens array has a sag height determined according to high order aberration coefficients.

8. The optical device of claim 7 , wherein the rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients are obtained by formulating a point spread function of the lens comprising rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients, wherein the point spread function presents various spherical spot sizes.

9. The optical device of claim 8 , wherein the high and low order aberration coefficients are obtained by the steps of:

providing a virtual phase mask having phase coefficients and adding the phase coefficients to the point spread function of the lens, such that the various spherical spot sizes are homogenized; and

transforming the virtual phase mask into a polynomial function comprising the high and low order aberration coefficients.

10. The optical device of claim 9 , wherein the polynomial function is Zernike polynomials.

11. The optical device of claim 8 , wherein the formulated point spread function further comprises residual non-rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients.

12. The optical device of claim 11 , wherein the sag height of each microlens in the microlens array is determined according to the high order aberration coefficients and the residual non-rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients.

13. The optical device of claim 7 , wherein the surface contour of the lens is configured as a rotationally symmetrical contour.

14. The optical device of claim 13 , wherein the surface configured as the rotationally symmetrical contour faces an image focal plane of the optical device.

15. The optical device of claim 13 , wherein the surface configured as the rotationally symmetrical contour faces an object plane of the optical device.

16. The optical device of claim 7 , wherein a surface contour of the microlens array is configured as a non-rotationally symmetrical contour.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 026563 FRAME 0895. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNEES ARE OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND VISERA TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LIMITED. Recorded Aug 11, 2011
From: VISERA TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LIMITED
To: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; VISERA TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 026736/0545 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2011
From: VISERA TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LIMITED
To: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 026563/0895 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 15, 2010
From: DENG, JAU-JAN; KAO, YU-SHU; HSU, YUN-CHIANG
To: VISERA TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 024993/0095 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120062997A1 · Mar 15, 2012