Methods for manufacturing microelectronic imagers

Abstract

Microelectronic imagers with curved image sensors and methods for manufacturing curved image sensors. In one embodiment, a microelectronic imager device comprises an imager die having a substrate, a curved microelectronic image sensor having a face with a convex and/or concave portion at one side of the substrate, and integrated circuitry in the substrate operatively coupled to the image sensor. The imager die can further include external contacts electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry and a cover over the curved image sensor.

1 - 64 . (canceled)  
   
   
       65 . A method of manufacturing a microelectronic imager device, comprising: constructing an imager die having a substrate, integrated circuitry in the substrate, and an image sensor having a curved face at one side of the substrate; and positioning a cover over the substrate.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising bending the image sensor to form a concave and/or convex contour across at least a portion of the face of the image senor.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 66  wherein bending the image sensor comprises moving an expansion/contraction element attached to a backside of the substrate under the imager die.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 66  wherein bending the substrate comprises attaching a flexor unit to the backside of the substrate.  
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the flexor unit comprises a bimetallic plate, a shape memory alloy and/or an epoxy.  
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the flexor unit comprises a vacuum cup having an interior surface with a curve attached to the substrate.  
   
   
       71 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the flexor unit comprises a compartment at the backside of the substrate and a fluid in the compartment at a pressure that causes the substrate to bend.  
   
   
       72 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising thinning the substrate and flexing a local region of the substrate under the image sensor to bend the image sensor.  
   
   
       73 . The method of  claim 72  wherein thinning the substrate comprises reducing the thickness of the substrate to a thickness of approximately 125 mμm.  
   
   
       74 . The method of  claim 72  wherein thinning the substrate comprises reducing the thickness of the substrate to a thickness of approximately 20-100 mμm.  
   
   
       75 . A method of manufacturing a microelectronic imager device, comprising: providing a substrate having an imager die with an image sensor at one side of the substrate and an integrated circuit operatively coupled to the image sensor; positioning a cover over the image sensor; and bending the substrate and the imager die to bend the image sensor.  
   
   
       76 . A method of manufacturing microelectronic imager devices, comprising: forming a plurality imager dies on a substrate, wherein individual imager dies include a microelectronic image sensor and an integrated circuit electrically coupled to the image sensor; and bowing discrete regions of the substrate at the image sensors to bend the image sensors.  
   
   
       77 . A method of manufacturing microelectronic imager devices, comprising: 
 providing an imager die having a substrate, integrated circuitry in the substrate, and an image sensor located at one side of the substrate    and coupled to the integrated circuitry;    providing a curved flexor unit including a curved surface having a desired curvature for the image sensor; and    conforming a portion of the substrate where the image sensor is located to the curved surface of the flexor unit.    
   
   
       78 . The method of  claim 77  wherein providing a curved flexor unit comprises providing a vacuum cup having the curved surface and an opening through which a vacuum can be drawn against a backside of the substrate aligned with the cup.  
   
   
       79 . The method of  claim 77  wherein conforming a portion of the substrate to the curved surface of the flexor unit comprises drawing a backside of the substrate aligned with the image sensor against the curved surface and adhering the backside of the substrate to the curved surface.  
   
   
       80 . The method of  claim 77  wherein the imager die further comprises backside interconnects electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry, and the curved flexor unit further comprises providing vacuum cup having an opening through which a vacuum can be drawn and interconnects configured to be connected with the backside interconnects of the imager die, and wherein the method further comprises electrically connecting the backside interconnects of the imager die to the interconnects of the curved flexor unit.