Proximity sensor package having one or more grooves in a module cap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10473764-B2
Application number	US-201715445319-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2017
Priority date	Feb 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A sensor package may include a source configured to emit a signal, a detector configured to receive a first reflection of the signal, and an isolator disposed between the source and the detector, where a surface of the isolator has one or more grooves configured to direct a second reflection of the signal away from the detector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor package, comprising:
an attachment pad;
a source attached to the attachment pad and configured to emit a signal;
a detector attached to the attachment pad and configured to receive a first reflection of the signal;
an optical encapsulant encapsulating the attachment pad, the source, and the detector, the optical encapsulant comprising an exposed outer surface of the sensor package;
a first aperture disposed over the source and extending completely through the optical encapsulant to the outer surface, the first aperture comprising first sidewalls extending away from a major surface of the source; and
a second aperture disposed over the detector and extending completely through the optical encapsulant to the outer surface, the second aperture comprising second sidewalls extending away from a major surface of the detector, wherein the optical encapsulant comprises an isolator disposed between the source and the detector, a surface of the isolator having a plurality of grooves configured to direct a second reflection of the signal away from the detector, wherein each of the plurality of grooves comprises a first groove sidewall parallel to the first sidewalls of the first aperture and a second groove sidewall oriented at an acute angle with the first groove sidewall.

2. The sensor package of claim 1 , wherein the signal comprises an optical signal.

3. The sensor package of claim 1 , wherein the detector comprises a photo-detector.

4. The sensor package of claim 1 , wherein the first reflection of the signal comprises a reflection of the signal off an object external to the sensor package.

5. The sensor package of claim 1 , further comprising a window and an airgap disposed between the window and the plurality of grooves of the isolator.

6. The sensor package of claim 5 , wherein the second reflection comprises a reflection of the signal off a surface of the window directed towards the detector, the source, and the isolator.

7. The sensor package of claim 5 , wherein the window comprises a cover glass of a device.

8. The sensor package of claim 5 , wherein a nearest point of each of the plurality of grooves to the window is a first distance, wherein a farthest point of each of the plurality of grooves to the window is a second distance, wherein a surface of the optical encapsulant in a periphery region of the optical encapsulant is farther than the first distance.

9. The sensor package of claim 8 , wherein the surface of the optical encapsulant in the periphery region is nearer than the second distance.

10. A device, comprising:
a sensor package, comprising:
an optical source configured to emit a beam of photons;
an optical detector configured to receive a reflection of the beam of photons off an object external to the device;
a module cap encompassing the optical source and the optical detector and defining an exterior surface of the sensor package, the module cap having a central portion disposed between the optical source and the optical detector and a peripheral portion disposed around the optical source and the optical detector, the central portion of the module cap having at least one surface directed away from the optical detector;
a first aperture extending completely through the module cap and aligned with the optical source, the first aperture defining an emission cone of the sensor package; and
a second aperture extending completely through the module cap and aligned with the optical detector, the second aperture defining a field-of-view of the sensor package, wherein a maximum thickness of the central portion of the module cap is higher than a maximum thickness of the peripheral portion of the module cap, wherein the central portion of the module cap comprises a plurality of grooves.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein an angle subtended between a surface normal of the at least one surface and a plane occupied by the optical source is less than 90 degrees.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one surface of the module cap comprises a saw-tooth surface.

13. The device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one surface comprises a plurality of surfaces, and wherein surface normals of the plurality of surfaces are parallel.

14. The device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one surface of the module cap is configured to direct a parasitic beam of photons away from the optical detector.

15. The device of claim 14 , further comprising a cover glass and an airgap disposed between the cover glass and the sensor package, wherein the parasitic beam of photons comprises a reflection of the beam of photons off a surface of the cover glass facing the sensor package.

16. The device of claim 10 , further comprising at least one of a cell phone, a game console, a digital tablet, a laptop computer, an infant-monitoring device, or a motion-activated camera.

17. A method of forming a sensor package, the method comprising:
attaching a source to an attachment pad, the source configured to emit a beam of radiation, over a substrate;
attaching a detector to the attachment pad, detector configured to receive a first reflection of the beam of radiation, over the substrate; and
encapsulating the attachment pad, the source, the detector with an optical encapsulant while forming a first aperture and a second aperture, the optical encapsulant comprising an isolation structure between the source and the detector, the isolation structure comprising a plurality of grooves comprising one or more surfaces having a one or more surface normals directed away from the detector, wherein the first aperture extends completely through the optical encapsulant to an exposed outer surface of the sensor package, the first aperture comprising first sidewalls extending away from a major surface of the source, wherein the second aperture extends completely through the optical encapsulant to the outer surface of the sensor package, the second aperture comprising second sidewalls extending away from a major surface of the detector, wherein each of the plurality of grooves comprises a first groove sidewall parallel to the first sidewalls of the first aperture and a second groove sidewall oriented at an acute angle with the first groove sidewall.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more surfaces of the isolation structure are configured to direct one or more second reflections of the beam of radiation away from the detector.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein an angle subtended between the one or more surface normals and a plane occupied by the source is less than about 90 degrees.

20. The method of claim 17 , the method further comprising disposing the sensor package in a device, the sensor package being configured to detect a presence of an object within a vicinity of the device.

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Townsend Christopher

Classifications

• G01S7/4813 Primary

  Housing arrangements · CPC title

• G01S17/04

  Systems determining the presence of a target · CPC title

• G01S17/08

  for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48) · CPC title

• G01S7/4811 Primary

  common to transmitter and receiver · CPC title

• G01S17/026

  Physics · mapped topic