Laser package with high precision lens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11942757-B2
Application number	US-202117152026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2021
Priority date	Sep 17, 2018
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to optical systems and methods for their manufacture. An example method includes coupling a first surface of a light-emitter substrate to a reference surface of a carrier substrate. The method also includes registering a mold structure with respect to the reference surface of the carrier substrate. Furthermore, the method includes using the mold structure to form an optical material over at least a portion of the light-emitter substrate. The optical material is shaped according to a shape of the mold structure and includes at least one registration feature. The method also includes coupling an optical lens element to the optical material such that the optical lens element is registered to the at least one registration feature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing, the method comprising:
coupling a first surface of a light-emitter substrate to a reference surface of a carrier substrate;
registering a mold structure with respect to the reference surface of the carrier substrate;
forming an optical material over at least a portion of the light-emitter substrate using the mold structure registered with respect to the reference surface, wherein the optical material is shaped according to a shape of the mold structure, and wherein the optical material comprises at least one registration feature; and
coupling an optical lens element to the optical material such that the optical lens element is registered to the at least one registration feature and an optical axis of the optical lens element extends through the optical material to the light-emitter substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling the first surface of the light-emitter substrate to the reference surface of the carrier substrate comprises at least one of: wire bonding, bump bonding, or application of a conductive adhesive.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light-emitter substrate comprises at least one laser diode junction.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one laser diode junction is located at a known distance from the first surface.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein coupling the optical lens element to the optical material comprises aligning the at least one laser diode junction with the optical axis of the optical lens element.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one laser diode junction and the optical axis of the optical lens element are aligned within a tolerance value, wherein the tolerance value is less than ten microns as measured between the optical axis of the optical lens element and at least one of: an emission axis of the laser diode junction, an emission plane of the laser diode junction, or a known distance from the first surface of the light-emitter substrate.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one laser diode junction and the optical axis of the optical lens element are aligned such that a pointing axis of the at least one laser diode junction is positioned within a desired angle range with respect to the optical axis of the optical lens element.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one laser diode junction and the optical axis of the optical lens element are aligned such that a pointing axis of the at least one laser diode junction is positioned within a desired cone with respect to the optical axis of the optical lens element.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical lens element comprises a fast axis collimating (FAC) lens.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one registration feature comprises at least one three-dimensional feature, wherein the three-dimensional feature comprises at least one of: a ridge, a slot, an insert, an indent, a dimple, a hole, a post, a Vernier scale, a registration mark, or a mating feature.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one registration feature is at a known distance with respect to at least one of the reference surface or the first surface.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling the optical lens element to the optical material such that the optical lens element is registered to the at least one registration feature comprises:
registering a second mold structure to the at least one registration feature; and
forming the optical lens element using the second mold structure registered to the at least one registration feature.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier substrate comprises a backside surface opposite the reference surface, further comprising coupling the backside surface of the carrier substrate to a further substrate.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the backside surface of the carrier substrate is coupled to the further substrate using spacers, wherein the spacers are configured to maintain at least one of a desired height or a desired orientation of the carrier substrate with respect to the further substrate.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the spacers comprise plastic core solder balls configured to, after melting, maintain the desired height or the desired orientation between the carrier substrate and the further substrate.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the further substrate comprises a control circuit.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming an optical material over at least a portion of the light-emitter substrate comprises applying at least one of: a UV thermosetting material, an epoxy material, or a thermoplastic material over the at least a portion of the light-emitter substrate.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after forming the optical material over at least the portion of the light-emitter substrate, removing the mold structure.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling the optical lens element to the optical material such that the optical lens element is registered to the at least one registration feature comprises coupling the optical lens element to the optical material by way of an optically-transparent adhesive material.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling the optical lens element to the optical material such that the optical lens element is registered to the at least one registration feature comprises coupling the optical lens element to the optical material by way of a mechanical coupling.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Karplus Paul
• Last Matthew

Classifications

• H01S5/02326 Primary

  Arrangements for relative positioning of laser diodes and optical components, e.g. grooves in the mount to fix optical fibres or lenses · CPC title

• H01S5/0206

  Substrates, e.g. growth, shape, material, removal or bonding; (specific crystal orientation H01S5/3202) · CPC title

• H01S5/02234 Primary

  Resin-filled housings; the housings being made of resin · CPC title

• H01S5/02253

  using lenses · CPC title

• H01S5/02355

  Fixing laser chips on mounts · CPC title