IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,170,509
Granted Patent B2
US 10,170,509 · App. 15/428,869 · Granted Jan 1, 2019

Optical filter array

Inventor: Georg J. Ockenfuss (Santa Rosa, CA)
Assignee: VIAVI Solutions Inc.
H01L27/14621G01J3/26G01J3/2803G01J3/36G02B5/201G02B5/26G02B5/285H01L31/02165G01J2003/2826
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,170,509
App. No.
15/428,869
Filed
Feb 9, 2017
Granted
Jan 1, 2019
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2899
USPC
257/432
Abstract

A device may include a filter array disposed on a substrate. The filter array may include a first mirror disposed on the substrate. The filter array may include a plurality of spacers disposed on the first mirror. A first spacer, of the plurality of spacers, may be associated with a first thickness. A second spacer, of the plurality of spacers, may be associated with a second thickness that is different from the first thickness. A first channel corresponding to the first spacer and a second channel corresponding to the second spacer may be associated with a separation width of less than approximately 10 micrometers (μm). The filter array may include a second mirror disposed on the plurality of spacers.

Claims (92)

1. A device, comprising:

a first mirror disposed on a substrate;

a plurality of spacers disposed on the first mirror,

a first spacer, of the plurality of spacers, being associated with a first thickness,

a second spacer, of the plurality of spacers, being associated with a second thickness that is different from the first thickness;

a first sensor element corresponding to the first spacer; and

a second sensor element corresponding to the second spacer,

a separation width between the first sensor element and the second sensor element being less than approximately 10 micrometers (μm); and

a second mirror disposed on the plurality of spacers,

the second mirror including a first slanted side and a second slanted side, and

the second slanted side being on an opposite side of the second mirror from the first slanted side.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second mirror is aligned with the first sensor element, the second sensor element, and a third sensor element.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spacers are deposited onto the substrate using at least one of:

a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process,

a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, or

a lift-off process.

4. The device of claim 1 ,

wherein the first thickness or the second thickness is selected to pass through a particular spectral range of light, and

wherein the particular spectral range of light includes at least one of:

an ultraviolet (UV) spectral range,

a visible spectral range,

a near infrared (NIR) spectral range,

a mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) spectral range, or

a low-wavelength infrared (LWIR) spectral range.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a silicon-based detector or an indium gallium arsenide (InGaAS)-based detector.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a hyperspectral imaging sensor with less than a threshold quantity of channels.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first mirror or the second mirror is a metal mirror including a silver layer or an aluminum layer.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first mirror or the second mirror is a quarterwave stack including a low refractive index material and a high refractive index material,

the low refractive index material including at least one of:

a magnesium fluoride (MgF2) layer, or

a silicon oxide (SiO2) layer.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first mirror or the second mirror is a quarterwave stack including a low refractive index material and a high refractive index material,

the high refractive index material including at least one of:

a hydrogenated silicon (Si:H) layer,

a niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) layer,

a tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) layer,

a titanium dioxide (TiO2) layer, or

a hafnium dioxide (HfO2) layer.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spacers include at least one of:

a hydrogenated silicon (Si:H) layer,

a niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) layer,

a tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) layer,

a titanium dioxide (TiO2) layer, or

a hafnium oxide (HfO2) layer.

11. A device, comprising:

a mirror;

a first spacer disposed on the mirror;

a second spacer disposed on the mirror;

a first sensor element corresponding to the first spacer;

a second sensor element corresponding to the second spacer;

a separation width between the first sensor element and the second sensor element being less than approximately 10 micrometers (μm); and

a different mirror disposed on the first spacer and the second spacer,

the different mirror including a first slanted side and a second slanted side, and

the second slanted side being on an opposite side of the different mirror from the first slanted side.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the different mirror is aligned with the first sensor element and the second sensor element.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein the mirror or the different mirror is a metal mirror including a silver layer or an aluminum layer.

14. The device of claim 11 ,

wherein the mirror or the different mirror is a quarterwave stack including a low refractive index material and a high refractive index material, and

wherein the low refractive index material includes at least one of:

a magnesium fluoride (MgF2) layer, or

a silicon oxide (SiO2) layer.

15. The device of claim 11 ,

wherein the mirror or the different mirror is a quarterwave stack including a low refractive index material and a high refractive index material, and

wherein the high refractive index material includes at least one of:

a hydrogenated silicon (Si:H) layer,

a niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) layer,

a tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) layer,

a titanium dioxide (TiO2) layer, or

a hafnium dioxide (HfO2) layer.

16. The device of claim 11 ,

wherein the first spacer includes a first thickness,

wherein the second spacer includes a second thickness,

wherein the first thickness or the second thickness is selected to pass through a particular spectral range of light, and

wherein the particular spectral range of light includes at least one of:

an ultraviolet (UV) spectral range,

a visible spectral range,

a near infrared (NIR) spectral range,

a mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) spectral range, or

a low-wavelength infrared (LWIR) spectral range.

17. The device of claim 11 , wherein the device is a silicon-based detector or an indium gallium arsenide (InGaAS)-based detector.

18. The device of claim 11 , further comprising at least one of:

a blocker layer disposed on the mirror; or

a protective layer disposed on the mirror.

19. The device of claim 11 , wherein the first spacer and the second spacer include at least one of:

a hydrogenated silicon (Si:H) layer,

a niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) layer,

a tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) layer,

a titanium dioxide (TiO2) layer, or

a hafnium oxide (HfO2) layer.

20. The device of claim 11 ,

wherein the mirror is disposed on a substrate, and

wherein a set of photodiodes are positioned in the substrate.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 73189/0873 Recorded May 28, 2026
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 075642/0381 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2025
From: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC; INERTIAL LABS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 073571/0137 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 21, 2025
From: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 073189/0873 →
TERMINATIONS OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 052729, FRAME 0321 Recorded Jan 5, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; RPC PHOTONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058666/0639 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2020
From: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; 3Z TELECOM, INC.; ACTERNA LLC; ACTERNA WG INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LLC; JDSU ACTERNA HOLDINGS LLC; OPTICAL COATING LABORATORY, LLC; RPC PHOTONICS, INC.; TTC INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052729/0321 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2017
From: OCKENFUSS, GEORG J.
To: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 041218/0581 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62294999 · Feb 12, 2016
Related Publication 20170236861A1 · Aug 17, 2017
Cited By (5)
US 12,243,887 US 12,298,545 US 12,298,546 US 12,490,526 US 12,517,290