초록 ▼

A technique for assembling camera modules that includes attaching optical elements, such as an optics stack, directly to the upper surface of an image sensor. A housing may be provided to partially surrounded the optics stack. Alternatively, the housing can be provided by a transfer molding process.

A technique for assembling camera modules that includes attaching optical elements, such as an optics stack, directly to the upper surface of an image sensor. A housing may be provided to partially surrounded the optics stack. Alternatively, the housing can be provided by a transfer molding process. This technique can be applied in array processing scenario and solder balls can be attached to the bottom of the image sensor to provide an efficiently-produced and low cost camera module.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A camera module assembly, comprising: an image sensor having a top surface, including an active sensor area, and a bottom surface having a set of bond pads formed on the bottom surface, the top surface of the image sensor having an inner region and an outer region, the inner region of the top sur

1. A camera module assembly, comprising: an image sensor having a top surface, including an active sensor area, and a bottom surface having a set of bond pads formed on the bottom surface, the top surface of the image sensor having an inner region and an outer region, the inner region of the top surface including the active sensor area and a peripheral area around the active sensor area and within the outer region; andan optics stack including a plurality of lens elements, the optics stack having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the optics stack being bonded directly to the inner region of the top surface of the image sensor without a focusing operation, wherein a focus of the image sensor is achieved solely through the direct attachment of the optics stack to the top surface of the image sensor, and wherein a vertical position of the optics stack is established solely via placement of the optics stack on the top surface of the image sensor; anda unitary housing bonded directly to the outer region of the top surface of the image sensor and bonded directly to a portion of the top surface of the optics stack; and wherein the image sensor is an integrated circuit die. 2. A camera module assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing is formed from a molding material partially encapsulating the optics stack and defining an opening through the molding material to allow light to pass therethrough to the optics stack. 3. The camera module as defined in claim 1, wherein the camera module is free of moving parts. 4. The camera module as defined in claim 1, further comprising a set of solder balls, each of the solder balls being attached to a respective one of the bond pads. 5. A method for producing camera modules, comprising: providing a silicon wafer including a plurality of image sensors, each of the image sensors having a top surface, including an active sensor area, and a bottom surface having a set of bond pads formed thereon, the top surface of each image sensor having an inner region and an outer region, the inner region of the top surface including the active sensor area and a peripheral area around the active sensor and within the outer region;coupling a plurality of optics stacks thereto, including coupling an optics stack directly to the top surface of each of the image sensors, each optics stack having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of each optics stack being bonded directly to the inner region of a top surface of a respective one of the image sensors;encapsulating the assembly of image sensors and optics stacks with transfer molding, leaving a plurality of openings, with an opening corresponding to each optics stack through the transfer molding defining a physical hole in each case to allow light to pass therethrough, the step of transfer molding including applying molten molding material directly on the outer regions of the top surfaces of the image sensors and a portion of the top surfaces of the optics stacks to create a unitary housing for each combination of images sensors and optical stacks; andsingulating the assembly into separate camera modules. 6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the wafer includes conductive vias therethrough, and wherein solder balls are attached to the vias at an exterior surface of the wafer. 7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the vias extend from the exterior surface of the wafer to the circuitry of the image sensors. 8. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the step of transfer molding is carried out after the step of coupling the plurality of optics stacks to the wafer. 9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the step of attaching the solder balls to the bond pads is carried out after the step of transfer molding. 10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the step of singulating the assembly into separate camera modules is carried out after the step of attaching the solder balls to the bond pads. 11. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein each optic stack includes one or more lens elements, wherein each lens element is located a designated distance from the image sensor, and where each designated distance has a tolerance of no more than 5 μm. 12. A method for producing camera modules, comprising: providing an image sensor having a top surface, including an active sensor area, and a bottom surface having a set of bond pads formed thereon, the top surface further including an inner region and an outer region;providing an optics stack including a plurality of lens elements affixed together, each optics stack having a top surface and a bottom surface;attaching the bottom surface of the optics stack directly to the inner region of the top surface of the image sensor without a focusing operation;providing molding material; andapplying the molding material in a molten state directly to the outer region of the top surface of the image sensor and at least a portion of the top surface of the optics stack to create a unitary housing for the image sensor and optical stack; andwherein the image sensor is an integrated circuit die. 13. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein the step of providing an image sensor includes forming a set of vias through the image sensor, each via extending from the top surface of the image sensor to the bond pads formed on the bottom surface of the image sensor. 14. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the step of applying the molding material is carried out after the step of attaching the bottom surface of the optics stack to the inner region of the top surface of the image sensor. 15. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising attaching solder balls to the bond pads after the step of applying the molding material.