Microlenses, and especially microlens arrays (MLA), are commonly used as stand-alone optical components, for beam homogenization and shaping. Or integrated as wafer-level optics (WLO), either on top of light sources for beam shaping, or on top of light or image sensors as light concentrators. Many techniques are available to originate the microlens shape: laser ablation, grayscale lithography, two photon absorption, etc. One common way is to pattern photoresist pillars by photolithography and to melt (reflow) them. We report new advances in thermal reflow mastering addressing its intrinsic limitations and expanding the design capabilities of reflow-based MLAs.
The need for free-form micro-optics (FFMO) is constantly growing in well-established business segments including flatpanel displays, solid-state illumination, thin-film solutions for security/anti-counterfeiting applications, AR/VR wearables, and automotive headlights. However, the high access barriers to pre-commercial production capabilities prevent companies, especially SMEs, from exploiting the FFMO technology in commercial products and hinder further innovation. To lower the barrier to access FMOA technology, CSEM and their partners have established the PHABULOuS Pilot Line. PHABULOuS offers a unique one-stop shop for all requests for prototyping and manufacturing of free-form microoptics services, from pilot to full-scale production. To mature the FMOA technology, the Pilot Line members have developed high precision origination techniques complemented by industry-fit, high-throughput up-scaling technologies for the cost-effective production of large-area FFMO. At the core of these technologies is Step & Repeat UV imprinting. The method has been successfully demonstrated in the PHABULOuS project for high precision upscaling of rigid small masters to flexible tools with 600 x 300 mm2 dimensions using a standard UV-NIL stepper modified for this purpose. Since there is currently no commercial Step & Repeat machine on the market able to replicate free-form micro-structures on large area with the required precision, CSEM has developed a high precision S&R UV-replication platform designed specifically to this purpose. Combined with the expertise in design and optical simulation, origination, and electroforming, the newly developed Step&Repeat capabilities at CSEM will strengthen the PHABULOuS Pilot Line offerings.
Microlenses, and especially microlens arrays (MLA), are commonly used as stand-alone optical components, for beam homogenization and shaping. Or integrated as wafer-level optics (WLO), either on top of light sources for beam shaping (e.g., on micro-LED or vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser – VCSEL), or on top of light or image sensors as light concentrators. In the latter case, each microlens of the MLA, also known in the photography domain as On-Chip Lens (OCL), redirects the light to the active volume of the pixel located underneath. This increases the external quantum efficiency (EQE) by increasing the pixel effective fill-factor, especially for front-illuminated image sensors and their limited fill-factors. We report various MLA optimizations and the concentration factors achieved when addressing challenges encountered with advanced photon detectors such as single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) or silicon photon multiplier (SiPM). For example: substrate size and type (wafer, bare or packaged die), optical transmission range from NUV to NIR, microlens geometrical parameter space (diameters from micrometers to millimeters) and stability to temperature, vibrations and irradiation (UV, gamma and proton).
Freeform micro-optical arrays (FMOAs) can overcome some limitations of rotationally symmetric optical components. The manufacturability assessment for FMOA designs containing many freeform elements is demanding. We present computer-aided design (CAD) tools that analyze FMOA designs for manufacturing constraints. They 1) extract the height (Sag) and 2) local slope while highlighting areas beyond manufacturing limits, 3) extract the minimum tool radius and 4) convert CADs into ray traceable solids using NURBS for performance comparison of the actual micro-structure to the design. Critical parameters can be identified early, reducing time-consuming and costly adjustments later.
Silicon-based single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) implemented in front-side illuminated arrays and imagers have often suffered from fill factor limitations. The corresponding reduced sensitivity can be sometimes traded off with longer acquisition times thanks to SPAD’s noiseless read-out. The use of SPADs can however be critically affected in many applications, especially when photon-starved, or when several photons need to be detected in coincidence. The fill factor loss can be recovered by employing microlens arrays, which are difficult to build with relatively large pitch (> 10 μm) and low native SPAD fill factor (as low as 10%). To address these challenges, we have developed several generations of refractive microlenses by photoresist reflow used to fabricate molds. These structures were used to imprint UV-curable hybrid polymer microlenses on SPAD arrays. Replications were successfully carried out on large SPAD arrays with very thin residual layers (~10 μm), as required for higher numerical aperture (NA > 0.25). Replications were also carried out for the first time in a multi-chip operation regime at the wafer reticle level. By optimizing the lens sag and residual layer thickness, concentration factors (CFs) within 15-20% of the theoretical maxima were obtained for the smaller arrays (32×32 and 512×1). The spectral response was flat above 400 nm. CF values up to 4.2 with good uniformity were measured on large 512×512 arrays with 16 μm pixel pitch and a native fill factor of 10.5%. This result was confirmed by simulations when using the actual measured lens shape. We thus demonstrated good spectral and spatial uniformity and high CF, while moving to higher NAs and larger sensor sizes with respect to previous work.
Microlenses replicated on front-illuminated single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) or back-illuminated CMOS image sensor are found to be stable to temperature variations, exposure to humidity, mechanical shocks and vibrations, as well as irradiation by gamma rays (for space applications). They highly improve the effective fill-factor, on front-illuminated SPAD-based image sensors, and the parasitic light sensitivity on a back-illuminated CMOS image sensor. Their broad transmission spectrum from NUV to NIR, combined with the wide geometrical space available to fabricate microlenses on various active substrates (wafer or die down to 2×2 mm2), make them suitable to a wide range of quantum photonics applications.
Photonics integration continues to be a main driver for innovation in multiple aspects, including wafer-scale integration, new materials, sub-micron alignment of components and protection from harsh environment. We show cost-effective fabrication technologies of micro-optical components by UV wafer-scale replication into chemically stable polymers. Furthermore, for simplified fiber coupling and packaging, a novel 90° optical interconnect is presented, integrated with self-alignment structures. Replicated, space compliant microlenses on packaged CMOS imagers show improved light sensitivity by a factor 1.8. A laser based, low stress bonding process is explored to generate wafer-scale hermetic enclosures for harsh environment applications ranging from space to implants.
Single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) are direct photon-to-digital detectors that enable scalable arrays with Poisson-limited signal-to-noise ratio and picosecond timing resolution. However, SPAD detectors require a guard-ring structure to prevent lateral edge breakdown. The guard ring, in addition to pixel electronics, reduces the sensitive area within the pixel, often below 50%. We present the simulation, design and characterization of microlens structures to increase the effective fill factor and SPAD photon detection efficiency. The main challenges in designing microlenses for SPADs are a relatively large SPAD pitch and a low native fill factor, requiring high microlens efficiency over a wide angular distribution of light. In addition, we addressed the requirements of several designs in the same technology, featuring native fill factors which range from 10.5% to 28%, by carrying out the microlens fabrication at wafer reticle level. The fabrication process starts with creating a photoresist microlens master, used to fabricate a mould for microlens imprints. After dispensing a UV curable hybrid polymer on top of the SPAD array, the mould is used to imprint the microlens array shape, and then cured with UV exposure. By using microlenses, we were able to increase the initial fill factor to more than 84% effective fill factor for a 28.5 μm pixel pitch. We also explore the influence of the passivation layer on the SPAD photon detection efficiency.
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