TIR imaging lens, image capturing system having the same, and associated methods

1. A method of manufacturing lenses, the method comprising:

creating a wafer-level master;

overmolding the wafer-level master to form a daughter replica;

casting a polymer lens shapes onto a silicon wafer having a resistivity between 0.1 and 100 Ωm using the daughter replica;

transferring the polymer lens shapes into the wafer; and

singulating the wafer to create individual dies with a lens thereon.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein creating the wafer-level master includes machining a metal substrate.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein machining includes diamond turning.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein creating the wafer-level master includes machining perturbed lens shapes into the wafer-level master such that the transferred lens shape in silicon best meets a desired lens shape.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising, before singulating, forming die features on the wafer, at least one die feature being on the individual die.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the die features include at least one of a die alignment mark, a wafer alignment mark, and a die identifier.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising, before casting the polymer lens shapes, patterning die features in photoresist on a surface of the wafer to have polymer lens shapes cast thereon.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising transferring the die features into the wafer.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein transferring the die features occurs during transferring the polymer lens shapes.

10. The method as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising, after casting the polymer lens shapes and before transferring, patterning die features on a surface of the wafer having the polymer lens shapes thereon.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein patterning includes:

depositing a hard mask on the surface of the wafer; and

patterning the hard mask.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein patterning includes providing a photoresist pattern on the hard mask and etching the hard mask.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising removing polymer while not affecting the hard mask until the wafer is exposed.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising removing the hard mask and the photoresist.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein singulating includes etching.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising, after transferring but before singulating, providing a coating on the wafer.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the coating is one of an antireflective coating and a short wave cut filter.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein coating includes coating both surfaces of the wafer.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising, after providing the coating and before singulating, forming aperture stops on the lenses.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 , wherein forming aperture stops includes patterning chrome.

21. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising, before casting, measuring a resistivity of the wafer.

22. The method as claimed in claim 1 , continuing the method when the wafer has a resistivity between 1 and 10 Ωm.

23. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising, before singulating, forming aperture stops on the lenses.

24. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein singulating creates circular dies.

25. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein singulating creates non-circular dies.