Development of an ultraviolet imprinting process for integrating a microlens array onto an image sensor

We analyzed the feasibility of using a UV imprinting process to integrate a microlens array onto an image sensor. A simulated wafer-scale image sensor chip array was fabricated for the implementation. A microlens array with a side length of 4.63 mu m, a sag height of 1.416 mu m, and a residual-layer thickness of 1.15 mu m was integrated onto the simulated image sensor. The standard deviations of the sag height and the residual-layer thickness were less than 0.038 mu m and less than 0.164 mu m, respectively, in whole-wafer-scale samples. The measured beam spot size (FWHM) at the imaging plane was 1.19 mu m, with a uniform intensity distribution and pitch in the array. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.