US5605783A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Pattern transfer techniques for fabrication of lenslet arrays for solid state imagers
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1995-01-06
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Granted: 1997-02-25
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Expires: 2015-01-06
Abstract
Abstract A method for forming lenslets which collect light and focuses it onto photosensitive elements of an electronic imager includes providing a transparent lenslet-forming layer on a substrate or on layers on the substrate and forming a thin etch-stop layer on the transparent lenslet-forming layer and patterning the etch-stop layer so that the mask pattern corresponds to lenslets to be formed, The method further includes anisotropically plasma etching the transparent lenslet-forming layer according to the thin etch-stop mask pattern, removing the thin etch-stop mask, and thermally reflowing the patterned transparent layer to form the transparent lenslets.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph F. Revelli
- 👤 Jeffrey I. Hirsh
- 👤 Joseph Jech
- 👤 Douglas R. Robello
- 👤 Stephen P. Barry
- 👤 Alan C. G. Nutt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 02:54
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B3/00; G02B3/0006; G02B3/0012; G02B3/0018; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/122; G02B6/1221; G02B6/124; G02B6/1245; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/0005; G03F7/001; H; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/18; G02B2006/12083; G02B2006/12102; G02B2006/12166; G02B2006/12173; G02B2006/12176
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for forming lenslets which collect light and focus the light onto photosensitive elements of an electronic imager, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a transparent lenslet-forming layer which includes an organic material on a substrate or on layer(s) on the substrate; (b) forming a thin etch-stop layer which includes a photosensitive resin layer containing metallic elements on the transparent lenslet-forming layer and patterning the etch-stop layer to form a mask so that the patterned etch-stop layer corresponds to lenslets to be formed; (c) anisotropically plasma etching the transparent lenslet-forming layer according to the pattern in the etch-stop layer to form a patterned transparent layer; (d) removing the patterned etch-stop layer by a freon plasma followed by an oxygen plasma or a plasma containing freon and oxygen; and (e) thermally reflowing the patterned transparent layer to form the transparent lenslets.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for forming lenslets which collect light and focus the light onto photosensitive elements of an electronic imager, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a transparent lenslet-forming layer which includes an organic material on a substrate or on layer(s) on the substrate; (b) forming a thin etch-stop layer which includes a photosensitive resin layer containing metallic elements on the transparent lenslet-forming layer and patterning the etch-stop layer to form a mask so that the patterned etch-stop layer corresponds to lenslets to be formed; (c) anisotropically plasma etching the transparent lenslet-forming layer according to the pattern in the etch-stop layer to form a patterned transparent layer; (d) removing the patterned etch-stop layer by a freon plasma followed by an oxygen plasma or a plasma containing freon and oxygen; and (e) thermally reflowing the patterned transparent layer to form the transparent lenslets.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the transparent lenslet-forming layer is an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of: (a) polyacrylates; (b) polycarbonates; (c) polyesters; (d) polyolefins; (e) polystyrenes; (f) polyimides; (g) polyurethanes; (h) polyethers; (i) polyamides; (j) polysulphones; and (k) methacrylates.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for forming lenslets which collect light and focuses the light onto photosensitive elements of an electronic imager, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first thin etch-stop layer on a planarization/spacer layer formed on a substrate or layer(s) on a substrate and patterning a first thin photosensitive resin mask on the first thin etch-stop layer; (b) transferring by etching the pattern of the first thin photosensitive resin mask to the first thin etch-stop layer, and removing the first thin photosensitive resin mask; (c) providing a transparent lenslet-forming layer on the planarization/spacer layer; (d) forming a second thin etch-stop layer on the transparent lenslet-forming layer and patterning the second thin layer to form a second etch-stop mask pattern wherein the second mask pattern corresponds to lenslets to be formed; (e) anisotropically plasma etching the transparent lenslet-forming layer according to the second thin etch-stop mask pattern; (f) anisotropically plasma etching the planarization/spacer layer according to the first thin etch-stop mask pattern; (g) removing the exposed portions of the first thin etch-stop mask and the second thin etch-stop mask; and (h) thermally reflowing the patterned transparent lenslet-forming layer to form the transparent lenslets.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for forming lenslets which collect light and focuses the light onto photosensitive elements of an electronic imager, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first thin etch-stop layer on a planarization/spacer layer formed on a substrate or layer(s) on a substrate and patterning a first thin photosensitive resin mask on the first thin etch-stop layer; (b) transferring by etching the pattern of the first thin photosensitive resin mask to the first thin etch-stop layer, and removing the first thin photosensitive resin mask; (c) providing a transparent lenslet-forming layer on the planarization/spacer layer; (d) forming a second thin etch-stop layer on the transparent lenslet-forming layer and patterning the second thin layer to form a second etch-stop mask pattern wherein the second mask pattern corresponds to lenslets to be formed; (e) anisotropically plasma etching the transparent lenslet-forming layer according to the second thin etch-stop mask pattern; (f) anisotropically plasma etching the planarization/spacer layer according to the first thin etch-stop mask pattern; (g) removing the exposed portions of the first thin etch-stop mask and the second thin etch-stop mask; and (h) thermally reflowing the patterned transparent lenslet-forming layer to form the transparent lenslets.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the transparent lenslet-forming layer includes an organic material and the second thin etch-stop includes a photosensitive resin layer containing metallic elements wherein photosensitive resin layer is removed by a freon plasma followed by an oxygen plasma or by a plasma containing freon and oxygen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the transparent lenslet-forming layer is an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of: (a) polyacrylates; (b) polycarbonates; (c) polyesters; (d) polyolefins; (e) polystyrenes; (f) polyimides; (g) polyurethanes; (h) polyethers; (i) polyamides; (j) polysulphones; and (k) methacrylates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the transparent lenslet-forming layer includes an organic material and the first thin etch-stop layer includes inorganic material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the first thin etch-stop layer is a material selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon, germanium, titanium, and organometallic glasses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the first etch-stop layer is deposited by RF sputtering, thermal evaporation, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, or spin-on glass techniques.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
210 words
A method for forming lenslets which collect light and focuses the light onto photosensitive elements of an electronic imager, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first thin etch-stop layer on a planarization/spacer layer formed on a substrate or layer(s) on a substrate and patterning a first thin photosensitive resin mask on the first thin etch-stop layer; (b) transferring by etching the pattern of the first thin photosensitive resin mask to the first thin etch-stop layer, and removing the first thin photosensitive resin mask; (c) providing a transparent lenslet-forming layer on the planarization/spacer layer; (d) forming a second thin etch-stop layer on the transparent lenslet-forming layer and patterning a second thin photosensitive resin layer on the second thin etch-stop layer wherein the pattern corresponds to lenslets to be formed; (e) transferring by etching the pattern of the second thin photosensitive resin mask to the second thin etch-stop layer; (f) anisotropically plasma etching the transparent lenslet-forming layer according to the second thin etch-stop mask pattern; (g) anisotropically plasma etching the planarization/spacer layer according to the first thin etch-stop mask pattern; (h) removing the exposed portions of the first thin etch-stop mask and the second thin etch-stop mask; and (i) thermally reflowing the patterned transparent lenslet-forming layer to form the transparent lenslets.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
210 words
A method for forming lenslets which collect light and focuses the light onto photosensitive elements of an electronic imager, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first thin etch-stop layer on a planarization/spacer layer formed on a substrate or layer(s) on a substrate and patterning a first thin photosensitive resin mask on the first thin etch-stop layer; (b) transferring by etching the pattern of the first thin photosensitive resin mask to the first thin etch-stop layer, and removing the first thin photosensitive resin mask; (c) providing a transparent lenslet-forming layer on the planarization/spacer layer; (d) forming a second thin etch-stop layer on the transparent lenslet-forming layer and patterning a second thin photosensitive resin layer on the second thin etch-stop layer wherein the pattern corresponds to lenslets to be formed; (e) transferring by etching the pattern of the second thin photosensitive resin mask to the second thin etch-stop layer; (f) anisotropically plasma etching the transparent lenslet-forming layer according to the second thin etch-stop mask pattern; (g) anisotropically plasma etching the planarization/spacer layer according to the first thin etch-stop mask pattern; (h) removing the exposed portions of the first thin etch-stop mask and the second thin etch-stop mask; and (i) thermally reflowing the patterned transparent lenslet-forming layer to form the transparent lenslets.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the transparent lenslet-forming layer includes an organic material and the thin etch-stop includes inorganic material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the transparent lenslet-forming layer is an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of: (a) polyacrylates; (b) polycarbonates; (c) polyesters; (d) polyolefins; (e) polystyrenes; (f) polyimides; (g) polyurethanes; (h) polyethers; (i) polyamides; (j) polysulphones; and (k) methacrylates.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second thin etch-stop layers are materials selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon, germanium, titanium, and organometallic glasses.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the first and second thin etch-stop layers are deposited by RF sputtering, thermal evaporation, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, or spin on glass techniques.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for forming lenslets which collect light and focuses the light onto photosensitive elements of an electronic imager, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a transparent lenslet-forming layer on a substrate or on layer(s) on the substrate, wherein the transparent lenslet-forming layer is an evaporated or spin-on low molecular weight organic layer; (b) forming a thin etch-stop layer on the transparent lenslet-forming layer and patterning the etch-stop layer to form a mask so that the patterned etch-stop layer corresponds to lenslets to be formed; (c) anisotropically plasma etching the transparent lenslet-forming layer according to the pattern in the etch-stop layer to form a patterned transparent layer; (d) removing the patterned etch-stop layer; and (e) thermally reflowing the patterned transparent layer to form the transparent lenslets.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for forming lenslets which collect light and focuses the light onto photosensitive elements of an electronic imager, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a transparent lenslet-forming layer on a substrate or on layer(s) on the substrate, wherein the transparent lenslet-forming layer is an evaporated or spin-on low molecular weight organic layer; (b) forming a thin etch-stop layer on the transparent lenslet-forming layer and patterning the etch-stop layer to form a mask so that the patterned etch-stop layer corresponds to lenslets to be formed; (c) anisotropically plasma etching the transparent lenslet-forming layer according to the pattern in the etch-stop layer to form a patterned transparent layer; (d) removing the patterned etch-stop layer; and (e) thermally reflowing the patterned transparent layer to form the transparent lenslets.
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