Imager system comprising lens composed of a plurality of material layers
View Patent ↗An apparatus, system and method are disclosed for a manufactured imager system. The apparatus, system and method may include an imager comprising a plurality of photosites divisible into a plurality of subsections, and at least one wafer-level lens additively composed of a plurality of material layers successively deposited directly upon the imager to achieve a predetermined optical performance for each of the plurality of subsections. The material layers may comprise one or more of a photopolymer, a thermoplastic resin, a low temperature melting glass, and a glass sheet, and may be uniform or non-uniform.
1. An imager system, comprising:
an imager comprising a plurality of photosites divisible into a plurality of subsections; and
one wafer-level lens additively composed of a successive plurality of material layers, directly coupled to the imager to achieve a predetermined optical performance for each of the plurality of subsections, wherein each successive one of the successive plurality of material layers is characterized by:
a first optical signature of an activated one of the imager responsive to a focal target and resultant from a previous one of the successive plurality of layers; and
a different thickness and chemical composition from the previous one of the successive plurality of layers, the activated imager having a second optical signature responsive to the focal target, the second optical signature being indicative of a combination of the first optical signature and the different thickness and chemical composition, and better approaching the predetermined optical performance than the first optical signature.
2. The imager system of claim 1 , further comprising a casing capable of at least substantially physically encasing the imager.
3. The imager system of claim 2 , the casing further substantially encasing the wafer level lens.
4. The imager system of claim 2 , wherein the casing comprises a filter.
5. The imager system of claim 4 , wherein the filter comprises glass.
6. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein the material layers comprise one or more of a photopolymer and a thermoplastic resin.
7. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein the material layers comprise one or more of a low temperature melting glass and a glass sheet.
8. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein a subset of the material layers comprise uniform material layers.
9. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein a subset of the material layers comprise non-uniform material layers.
10. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein the additive composition comprises at least one of a dispensed, a sprayed, or an extruded composition.
11. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein the additive composition comprises at least one of a laminated and a curable adhesive composition.
12. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined optical performance comprises a focal length of the wafer level lens relative to each of the plurality of subsections.
13. The imager system of claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) communicatively coupled to the imager for conveying operational signals.
14. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein a subset of the successive plurality of material layers comprise one of a viscous photopolymer, a low temperature melting glass, or a thermoplastic resin.
15. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein the viscous photopolymer comprises a mixture of monomers, oligomers, and photo initiators.