IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,468,128
Granted Patent B2
US 12,468,128 · App. 17/974,726 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Lens assembly, imaging apparatus including the lens assembly, and electronic apparatus including the lens assembly

Inventors: Hyunsung Park (Suwon-si, KR); Seunghoon Han (Seoul, KR); Hyeonsoo Park (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
G02B13/0055G02B1/002G02B5/1809G02B13/0035G02B13/0045G02B2207/101
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 12,468,128
App. No.
17/974,726
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a lens assembly, an image apparatus including the same, and an electronic apparatus including the lens assembly. The lens assembly includes a first refractive lens, a second refractive lens, and a meta lens arranged between the second refractive lens and an image plane, wherein the first refractive lens, the second refractive lens, and the meta lens are arranged from an object side to an image side.

Claims (56)

1 . A lens assembly comprising:

a first refractive lens;

a second refractive lens; and

a plurality of meta lenses arranged between the second refractive lens and an image plane,

wherein the second refractive lens is provided between the first refractive lens and the plurality of meta lenses,

wherein, among the first refractive lens and the second refractive lens, the first refractive lens is provided closest to an object,

wherein the first refractive lens has a positive refractive power and is configured to output first light, and

wherein the second refractive lens has a negative refractive power and is configured to receive the first light from the first refractive lens, correct secondary chromatic aberration in the first light, and output second light with the secondary chromatic aberration corrected in the first light,

wherein the plurality of meta lenses comprise a first meta lens and a second meta lens spaced apart from the first meta lens, and

wherein each of the first meta lens and the second meta lens comprises a plurality of nanostructures configured to receive the second light from the second refractive lens, correct primary chromatic aberration in the second light, and output third light with the primary chromatic aberration corrected in the second light.

2 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first refractive lens comprises a first dispersion material, and

wherein the second refractive lens comprises a second dispersion material.

3 . The lens assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first refractive lens comprises a plastic material having an Abbe number of 45 or more and 65 or less.

4 . The lens assembly of claim 3 , wherein the second refractive lens comprises a plastic material having an Abbe number of 25 or more and 45 or less.

5 . The lens assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second refractive lens comprises a plastic material having an Abbe number of 25 or more and 45 or less.

6 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one third refractive lens configured to focus the third light on the image plane.

7 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spacer provided between the first meta lens and the second meta lens.

8 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an optical element configured to bend the second light or the third light.

9 . The lens assembly of claim 8 , wherein the optical element is a prism.

10 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures of each of the first and second meta lenses are formed in an array, and

wherein each of the plurality of nanostructures has a dimension less than an operating wavelength and has a width, which varies according to a position in the array.

11 . The lens assembly of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first and second meta lenses comprises

the plurality of nanostructures and a peripheral material configured to surround the plurality of nanostructures, and

an effective refractive index of each of the plurality of nanostructures is greater than or less than an effective refractive index of the peripheral material.

12 . The lens assembly of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first and second meta lenses comprises:

a layer comprising the plurality of nanostructures, and

a peripheral material configured to surround the plurality of nanostructures in a single layer or in two or more layers.

13 . The lens assembly of claim 10 , wherein each of the first and second meta lenses further comprises a peripheral material, and

wherein a difference between a first refractive index of the plurality of nanostructures and a second refractive index of the peripheral material of the plurality of nanostructures is 0.5 or more.

14 . The lens assembly of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures are provided to have the first refractive index less than the second refractive index of the peripheral material, and

wherein the plurality of nanostructures include SiO2 or air.

15 . The lens assembly of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures comprises at least one of c-Si, p-Si, a-Si, III-V compound semiconductor, SiC, TiO2, TiSiOx, or SiN, and

wherein the plurality of nanostructures are provided to have a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the peripheral material.

16 . The lens assembly of claim 15 , wherein the III-V compound semiconductor comprises at least one of GaP, GaN or GaAs.

17 . An imaging apparatus comprising:

a lens assembly; and

an image sensor configured to convert an optical image formed by the lens assembly into an electrical signal,

wherein the lens assembly comprises:

a first refractive lens,

a second refractive lens, and

a plurality of meta lenses arranged between the second refractive lens and an image plane,

wherein the second refractive lens is provided between the first refractive lens, and the plurality of meta lenses,

wherein, among the first refractive lens and the second refractive lens, the first refractive lens is provided closest to an object,

wherein the first refractive lens has a positive refractive power and is configured to output first light, and

wherein the second refractive lens has a negative refractive power and is configured to receive the first light from the first refractive lens, correct secondary chromatic aberration in the first light, and output second light with the secondary chromatic aberration corrected in the first light,

wherein the plurality to meta lenses comprise a first meta lens and a second meta lens spaced apart from the first meta lens, and

wherein each of the first meta lens and the second meta lens comprises a plurality of nanostructures configured to receive the second light from the second refractive lens, correct primary chromatic aberration in the second light, and output third light with the primary chromatic aberration corrected in the second light.

18 . An electronic apparatus comprising

a camera comprising: a lens assembly comprising a first refractive lens, a second refractive lens, and a plurality of meta lenses arranged between the second refractive lens and an image plane; and

an image sensor configured to convert an optical image formed by the lens assembly into an electrical signal,

wherein the second refractive lens is provided between the first refractive lens and the plurality of meta lenses,

wherein, among the first refractive lens and the second refractive lens, the first refractive lens is provided closest to an object,

wherein the first refractive lens has a positive refractive power and is configured to output first light, and

wherein the second refractive lens has a negative refractive power and is configured to receive the first light from the first refractive lens, correct secondary chromatic aberration in the first light, and output second light with the secondary chromatic aberration corrected in the first light,

wherein the plurality to meta lenses comprise a first meta lens and a second meta lens spaced apart from the first meta lens, and

wherein each of the first meta lens and the second meta lens comprises a plurality of nanostructures configured to receive the second light from the second refractive lens, correct primary chromatic aberration in the second light, and output third light with the primary chromatic aberration corrected in the second light.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2022
From: PARK, HYUNSUNG; HAN, SEUNGHOON; PARK, HYEONSOO
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 061563/0403 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0077081 · Jun 23, 2022 · national
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63272441 · Oct 27, 2021
Related Publication 20230127423A1 · Apr 27, 2023
References Cited (18)
US 11454808B2 · Park · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11747524B2 · Park · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20070070510A1 · Sato · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20070153387A1 · Pawlowski · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20120026384A1 · Yamada · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20130250438A1 · Hsieh · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20160316180A1 · Han et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20200174163A1 · Han · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200249429A1 · Han · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200264343A1 · Han · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210028215A1 · Devlin · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210132256A1 · Park et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210149081A1 · Groever · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20240411059A1 · Mattinson · 2024 [cited by examiner]
CN 110488394B · 2019 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020210052177A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2021170417A1 · 2021 [cited by examiner]
Cuillerier, et al., “Toward Hybrid Refractive and Metalens Design,” International Optical Design Conference 2021, edited by Peter P. Clark, Richard N. Pfisterer, Henning Rehn, Simon Thibault, Proc. of SPIE vol. 12078, 1… [cited by examiner]