Optical sensor arrangement and method of producing an optical sensor arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9684074-B2
Application number	US-201415101893-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2014
Priority date	Dec 5, 2013
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

An optical sensor arrangement, in particular an optical proximity sensor arrangement comprises a three-dimensional integrated circuit further comprising a first layer comprising a light-emitting device, a second layer comprising a light-detector and a driver circuit. The driver circuit is electrically connected to the light-emitting device and to the light-detector to control the operation of the light-emitting device and the light-detector. A mold layer comprising a first light-barrier between the light-emitting device and the light-detector configured to block light from being transmitted directly from the light-emitting device to the light-detector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical proximity sensor arrangement, comprising a three-dimensional integrated circuit further comprising:
a first layer comprising a light-emitting device, a second layer comprising a light-detector and a driver circuit electrically connected to the light-emitting device and to the light-detector and configured to control the operation of the light-emitting device and the light-detector and wherein the second layer comprises a second light barrier further comprising through silicon vias designed into a substrate, and
a mold layer comprising a first light-barrier between the light-emitting device and the light-detector configured to block light from being transmitted directly from the light-emitting device to the light-detector.

2. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the mold layer comprises an optically opaque mold material.

3. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the mold layer comprises a wafer-level mold structure.

4. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the mold layer is at least partially connected to a main surface of the second layer and comprises a first aperture to which the first layer is attached such that light from the light-emitting device can be emitted through the first aperture.

5. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein the mold layer comprises a second aperture to which the light-detector is attached such that light can reach the light-detector to be detected.

6. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises the substrate into which the light-detector and the driver circuit are integrated.

7. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the substrate comprises an active interposer, in particular connected to a redistribution layer or an embedded wafer level ball grid array.

8. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting device is electrically connected to the second layer by means of a metallization structured topology, a bond wire or a redistribution layer.

9. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein
the first layer is stacked onto the main surface of the second layer or
the first layer is embedded into a recess formed in the second layer or
the first layer is stacked onto a further main surface of the second layer opposite to the main surface and wherein the first aperture extends through the second layer.

10. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the light-detector and/or light-emitting device are covered by an optical element and wherein the optical element is a lens and/or zone plate, in particular a nano-imprinted lens.

11. A method of producing an optical proximity sensor arrangement, comprising the steps of:
integrating a light-emitting device into a first layer,
integrating a light-detector and a driver circuit into a second layer wherein the second layer comprises a second light barrier further comprising through silicon vias designed into a substrate,
electrically connecting the light-emitting device to the driver circuit and to the light-detector,
molding a mold layer comprising a first light-barrier between the light-emitting device and the light-detector configured to block light from being transmitted directly from the light-emitting device to the light-detector and
integrating the first layer, the second layer and the mold layer into a three dimensional integrated circuit.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the molding involves molding at a waver-level, in particular using an optically opaque material.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein
the first layer is stacked onto the second layer, in particular stacked by means of die-to-wafer stacking and the first layer is electrically connected to the second layer by means of a metallization structured topology, a bond wire or a redistribution layer, in particular by means of a metallization structured topology with through-silicon-vias, or
the first layer is embedded into a recess formed in the second layer.

14. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the steps of
connecting the mold layer at least partially to a main surface of the second layer and providing a first aperture in the mold layer to which the first layer is attached such that light from the light-emitting device can be emitted through the first aperture and/or
provide a second aperture to which the light-detector is attached such that light can reach the light-detector to be detected.

Assignees

• Ams Ag

Inventors

• Schrank Franz
• Dierschke Eugene G
• Schrems Martin

Classifications

• H10W72/07251

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• H10W72/20

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• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• G01S17/04 Primary

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• G01S7/4813 Primary

  Housing arrangements · CPC title