Tower Semiconductor has filed a patent for a method of manufacturing an optical unit. The method involves obtaining an intermediate optical unit with a semiconductor portion, a transparent organic layer, an array of organic microlenses, and a protective layer. The method also includes applying protective masks and etch processes to expose different regions of the transparent organic layer and bonding pads. The patent aims to improve the manufacturing process for optical units. GlobalData’s report on Tower Semiconductor gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Tower Semiconductor, solid state memory was a key innovation area identified from patents. Tower Semiconductor's grant share as of September 2023 was 85%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Method for manufacturing optical unit with organic microlenses
A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230268363A1) describes a method for manufacturing an optical unit that includes an array of organic microlenses. The method involves obtaining an intermediate optical unit that consists of a semiconductor portion, a transparent organic layer, the array of organic microlenses, and a protective layer. The semiconductor portion includes a substrate, bonding pads, and an image sensor pixel array, while the protective layer is divided into a first protective layer region and a second protective layer region. The first protective layer portion is deposited on the array of organic microlenses, and the second protective layer portion is deposited on a part of the upper layer of the transparent organic layer.
The method further includes applying a protective mask above the first protective layer region and removing the second protective layer region using a first etch process to expose a second region of the transparent organic layer. Subsequently, the second region of the transparent organic layer is removed using a second etch process to expose the bonding pads, and the protective mask is removed while maintaining the first protective layer portion.
The patent also describes a method for sensing radiation using the optical unit manufactured through the aforementioned process. The method involves focusing radiation onto an image sensor pixel array using the array of organic microlenses and sensing the radiation using the image sensor pixel array.
The optical unit described in the patent consists of an array of organic microlenses, a semiconductor portion, a transparent organic layer, and a protective layer. The manufacturing process for the optical unit is similar to the method described earlier, involving the deposition of the protective layer on the array of organic microlenses, the deposition of the first and second protective layer portions, and the removal of the second protective layer region and the second region of the transparent organic layer.
Overall, this patent presents a method for manufacturing an optical unit with an array of organic microlenses and a protective layer. The method allows for precise etching processes to expose bonding pads and maintain the integrity of the protective layer. The resulting optical unit can be used for sensing radiation, making it potentially valuable in various applications.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
