Patent ID: 7547877

Claim:
A method of fabricating an optical device for use in a microelectronic imager having an imaging unit including a first substrate and an image sensor on the first substrate, the first substrate being a semiconductive material, the method comprising: forming a stand-off having a compartment configured to contain the image sensor and a coefficient of thermal expansion at least substantially the same as that of the first substrate; and fixedly positioning an optics element in alignment with the compartment of the stand-off, wherein forming the stand-off comprises: providing a second substrate composed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion at least approximately the same as that of the first substrate; providing a cover stratum on the second substrate using vapor deposition; and etching the second substrate to form a plurality of compartments with sidewalls, and wherein fixedly positioning an optics element in alignment with the compartment of the standoff comprises forming optics elements by depositing individual blocks of optics material on the cover stratum and curing the blocks to form lenses aligned with corresponding compartments, wherein individual lenses have a curved surface and define an individual optics element.