US5079130A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Partially or fully recessed microlens fabrication
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1990-05-25
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Granted: 1992-01-07
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Expires: 2010-05-25
Abstract
Abstract Partially recessed microlenses (31, 32; FIG. 3) are made in a substrate (10) by a technique including the steps of forming a hard-baked patterned layer (21, 22, 64, FIG. 2) on a surface of the substrate, this patterned layer having at least one island portion (21, 22) surrounded by an auxiliary portion (64), and simultaneously etching this hard-baked patterned layer and the substrate to remove at least a portion of the thickness of the hard-baked layer. The island portions are located at areas overlying where microlenses are desired. The volume of the auxiliary portions of the hard-baked patterned layer is advantageously significantly greater than that of the island portions. Full recessed microlenses (31, 32; FIG. 6) are made by adding a step in the above technique, namely, the step of forming another hard-baked patterned layer (94) covering only the auxiliary portions of the above-mentioned patterned layer prior to the etching.
Inventors
- 👤 Gustav E. Derkits, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 04:09
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B3/00; G02B3/0006; G02B3/0012; G02B3/0018; B; B29; B29D; B29D11/00; B29D11/00009; B29D11/00365; H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/24; H10P50/246; G02B3/0037; G02B3/0056
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A method of forming an at least partially recessed lens in a prescribed portion of a substrate, the lens having a prescribed perimeter, comprising the steps of: (a) forming and baking a first patterned layer overlying a surface of the substrate to a temperature above which deformation of the first patterned layer to a minimal surface occurs, the first patterned layer having both an island portion overlying the prescribed portion of the substrate and an auxiliary portion surrounding the island portion, whereby the island portion of the first patterned layer becomes a hard-baked island portion of the first patterned layer having the prescribed perimeter and a prescribed volume and the auxiliary portion of the first patterned layer becomes a hard-baked auxiliary portion of the first patterned layer surrounding the hard-baked island thereof and having a larger volume than the prescribed volume; and (b) subjecting both the substrate and the hard-baked island and auxiliary portions of the first patterned layer simultaneously to an etching simultaneously with a gaseous chemical species and an energetic ion species sufficient to remove at least a portion of the thicknesses of both the hard-baked island and the auxiliary portions of the first patterned layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
198 words
A method of forming an at least partially recessed lens in a prescribed portion of a substrate, the lens having a prescribed perimeter, comprising the steps of: (a) forming and baking a first patterned layer overlying a surface of the substrate to a temperature above which deformation of the first patterned layer to a minimal surface occurs, the first patterned layer having both an island portion overlying the prescribed portion of the substrate and an auxiliary portion surrounding the island portion, whereby the island portion of the first patterned layer becomes a hard-baked island portion of the first patterned layer having the prescribed perimeter and a prescribed volume and the auxiliary portion of the first patterned layer becomes a hard-baked auxiliary portion of the first patterned layer surrounding the hard-baked island thereof and having a larger volume than the prescribed volume; and (b) subjecting both the substrate and the hard-baked island and auxiliary portions of the first patterned layer simultaneously to an etching simultaneously with a gaseous chemical species and an energetic ion species sufficient to remove at least a portion of the thicknesses of both the hard-baked island and the auxiliary portions of the first patterned layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 in which the first patterned layer is a first patterned resist layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 in which the substrate is essentially InP.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 3 in which the etching is implemented by glow discharge of CCl 2 F 2 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 in which the substrate is essentially GaAs.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 5 in which the etching is implemented by glow discharge of CCl 2 F 2 or a mixture of CCl 2 F 2 and O 2 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method of forming a fully recessed lens in a prescribed portion of a substrate, the lens having a prescribed perimeter, the method comprising the steps of claim 1 wherein, prior to step (b) thereof, a second hard-baked patterned layer is formed covering the hard-baked auxiliary portions of the first patterned layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7 in which the first or second patterned layer, or both, is a patterned resist layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 8 in which the substrate is essentially InP.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 9 in which the etching is implemented by glow discharge of CCl 2 F 2 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 8 in which the substrate is essentially GaAs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 11 in which the etching is implemented by glow discharge of CCl 2 F 2 or a mixture of CCl 2 F 2 and O 2 .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 in which the substrate is essentially quartz.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 13 in which the etching is implemented by glow discharge of CCl 2 F 2 .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 in which the material of first patterned layer is essentially a resist and in which the volume of resist in the first patterned resist layer associated with the island exceeds the volume of resist contained in the island itself.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 15 in which the etching step is reactive ion etching.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 15 in which the etching step is chemically assisted ion beam etching.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4389482A
Cited
US4530736A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-01-06 | 1995-07-08 | 1996-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-01-06 | 1999-07-08 | 2000-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-01-06 | 2003-07-08 | 2004-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |