Increasing demand from consumers to integrate camera modules into electronic devices, such as cell phones, has driven
the cost of camera modules down very rapidly. Now that most cell phones include at least one camera, consumers are
starting to ask for better image quality - without compromising on the cost.
Wafer level optics has emerged over the past few years as an innovative technology enabling simultaneous
manufacturing of thousands of lenses, at the wafer level. Using reflow-compatible materials to manufacture these lenses
permits a reduction in the cost and size of camera module, thus answering the market demand for lowering the cost. But
what about image quality?
The author will present image quality analysis that was conducted for both VGA and megapixel camera resolutions.
Comparison between conventional camera modules and wafer level camera modules shows wafer level technology
brings equivalent, if not better, image quality performance compared to conventional camera modules.
The yield of solid state camera modules declines with increasing imager resolution. The easiest means of compensating for this trend is to package the imager die before they are assembled into camera modules. The packaging is preferably accomplished at the wafer level. The package cover is a sheet of glass that forms part of the optical train of the solid state camera. This paper discusses the properties required of the glass and describes a computer model that was constructed to provide quantitative insight into its effect on the optical performance of image sensors. The study corroborates practical measurements that the cover glass has no significant effect on the low light sensitivity of a typical camera module. The cover glass does introduce some reflection losses and minor image aberrations, but these can be managed through the combination of attention to the design of the total optical path and making the cover glass as thin as possible.
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