Compact Optical Proximity Sensor with Ball Grid Array and Windowed Substrate

{
  "publication_number": "US2011057108A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Compact Optical Proximity Sensor with Ball Grid Array and Windowed Substrate",
  "abstract": "Various embodiments of a compact optical proximity sensor with a ball grid array and windowed or apertured substrate are disclosed. In one embodiment, the optical proximity sensor comprises a printed circuit board (“PCB”) substrate comprising an aperture and a lower surface having electrical contacts disposed thereon, an infrared light emitter and an infrared light detector mounted on an upper surface of the substrate, an integrated circuit located at least partially within the aperture, a molding compound being disposed between portions of the integrated circuit and substrate, an ambient light detector mounted on an upper surface of the integrated circuit, first and second molded infrared light pass components disposed over and covering the infrared light emitter and the infrared light detector, respectively, and a molded infrared light cut component disposed between and over portions of the first and second infrared light pass components.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An optical proximity sensor, comprising: a printed circuit board (“PCB”) substrate comprising an aperture and a lower surface having electrical contacts disposed thereon; an infrared light emitter and an infrared light detector mounted on an upper surface of the substrate; an integrated circuit located at least partially within the aperture, a molding compound being disposed between portions of the integrated circuit and substrate; an ambient light detector mounted on an upper surface of the integrated circuit; first and second molded infrared light pass components disposed over and covering the infrared light emitter and the infrared light detector, respectively, and a molded infrared light cut component disposed between and over portions of the first and second infrared light pass components. 2. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the infrared light emitter and the infrared light detector are mounted on the upper surface of the substrate on opposing sides of the aperture. 3. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein a lower surface of the integrated circuit is overmolded with the molding compound. 4. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the molding compound comprises an epoxy, plastic, a thermosetting plastic, a polymer or polyimide. 5. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises fiberglass, glass, ceramic, polyimide, polyimide film, a polymer, an organic material, a flex circuit material, epoxy, epoxy resin, a printed circuit board material, PTFE and glass, PTFE and ceramic, glass and ceramic, thermoset plastic, or plastic. 6. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein a ball grid array is mounted on the electrical contacts of the substrate. 7. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the ambient light detector is electrically connected to the substrate by wires and wire bond pads. 8. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein at least a first portion of light emitted by the infrared light emitter passes through the first component, and at least a second portion of the first portion of light reflected from an object of interest in proximity to the sensor passes through the second component for detection by the infrared light detector. 9. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the infrared light cut component substantially attenuates or blocks the transmission of undesired direct, scattered or reflected light between the infrared light emitter and the infrared light detector thereby to minimize optical crosstalk and interference between the light infrared emitter and the infrared light detector. 10. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second infrared light pass components comprises an optically transmissive epoxy, polymer or plastic. 11. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the infrared light cut component comprises a substantially optically non-transmissive moldable material, epoxy, polymer or plastic. 12. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the infrared light cut component further comprises an infrared cut or blocking additive. 13. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the infrared light emitter and the infrared light detector is a semiconductor die. 14. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises fiberglass, glass, ceramic, polyimide, polyimide film, a polymer, an organic material, a flex circuit material, epoxy, epoxy resin, a printed circuit board material, PTFE and glass, PTFE and ceramic, glass and ceramic, thermoset plastic, or plastic. 15. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the infrared light emitter is an LED. 16. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the light detector is a positive-intrinsic-negative (“PIN”) diode. 17. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein a molded optically transmissive lens is formed over at least one of the infrared light emitter and the infrared light detector. 18. The optical proximity sensor of claim 1, wherein the optical proximity sensor is incorporated into a portable electronic device. 19. The optical proximity sensor of claim 18, wherein the portable electronic device is a mobile telephone, a personal data assistant (PDA), a laptop computer, a notebook computer, or a computer. 20. A method of making an optical proximity sensor, comprising: providing a printed circuit board (“PCB”) substrate comprising an aperture and a lower surface having electrical contacts disposed thereon; mounting an infrared light emitter and an infrared light detector on an upper surface of the substrate; positioning an integrated circuit at least partially within the aperture; placing a molding compound between portions of the integrated circuit and substrate; mounting an ambient light detector on an upper surface of the integrated circuit; molding first and second infrared light pass components over and covering the infrared light emitter and the infrared light detector, respectively, and molding an infrared light cut component between and over portions of the first and second infrared light pass components. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the infrared light emitter and the infrared light detector are mounted on the upper surface of the substrate on opposing sides of the aperture. 22. The method of claim 20, wherein a lower surface of the integrated circuit is overmolded with the molding compound. 23. The method of claim 20, further comprising mounting a ball grid array on the electrical contacts of the substrate. 24. The method of claim 20, further comprising electrically connecting the ambient light detector to the substrate by wires and wire bond pads. 25. The method of claim 1, further comprising molding an optically transmissive lens over at least one of the infrared light emitter and the infrared light detector. 26. The method of claim 1, further comprising incorporating the optical proximity sensor into a portable electronic device."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "H10F 55/255",
    "G01S 17/04",
    "G01S 17/48",
    "G01S 7/4813",
    "H03K 17/941",
    "H03K 2017/9455",
    "H10F 77/50",
    "H10W 90/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES ECBU SINGAPORE PTE LTD"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2009-09-10",
  "publication_date": "2011-03-10",
  "priority_date": "2009-09-10",
  "application_number": "US-55743809-A",
  "family_id": "43646976",
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