Part · camera

Microlens-finished image wafer

Form pixel-aligned polymer microlenses over the color-filtered wafer Discovery hypothesis; caller demands and physical qualification remain open.

Discovered · unresearchedClosure: OpenInventory incomplete

Capability requirements and tolerances

Consumer-specific numerical targets, quantities and acceptance limits remain open or incompletely reviewed. No smartphone-grade suitability is claimed. Distinct capability tiers require their own making route and qualification.

Making steps · draft selected for navigation; not a validated fabrication specification.

Known Parts and Tools

The selected route supplies this page's inventory and the map's dependency links from one record. Further requirements may be missing; review flags do not prove physical suitability.

Requirement	Role	Use	Relationship status
Color-filtered image wafer	Part	incorporated; allocation and losses open	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Camera microlens formulation	Part	consumed; replenishment and waste open	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Coating equipment	Tool	reused fabrication equipment; availability unqualified	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Heat treatment equipment	Tool	reused fabrication equipment; availability unqualified	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Exposure equipment	Tool	reused fabrication equipment; availability unqualified	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Reticle/master pattern	Part	incorporated; allocation and losses open	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Photoresist	Part	consumed; replenishment and waste open	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Photoresist developer	Part	consumed; replenishment and waste open	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Etching equipment	Tool	reused fabrication equipment; availability unqualified	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Cleanroom	Tool	reused facility/utility capacity; earlier supply required	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Cleaning equipment	Tool	reused fabrication equipment; availability unqualified	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Pure water	Part	consumed; replenishment and waste open	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Ventilation	Tool	reused fabrication equipment; availability unqualified	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Optical instruments	Tool	reused for verification/calibration; independent origin required	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Handling assembly	Tool	reused fabrication equipment; availability unqualified	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Regulated power	Tool	reused facility/utility capacity; earlier supply required	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown
Probe leads	Part	incorporated; allocation and losses open	Cycle-checked; compatibility unknown

Making outline

Coat and pattern one conventional microlens layer.
Thermally reflow/solidify without losing color layers or contacts.
Inspect pixel registration and optical/electrical response.

What remains unresolved

Reflow method is a design inference; source establishes on-chip lenses, not this recipe.
Full inventory, quantities, losses, capability compatibility and acceptance remain unreviewed.

Sources and leads

Source scope and research notes determine which claims have been checked. A URL does not establish a complete making route.

Sony on-chip lenses

Canonical reuse assessment

{
  "existing_candidates_checked": [
    "image-microlens-array",
    "image-color-filter-array",
    "processed-image-wafer"
  ],
  "decision": "Distinct finished wafer state before dicing; avoids attaching arrays after packaging.",
  "availability": "No candidate is asserted built or suitable; qualification, copies, cleanliness and schedule remain open.",
  "identity_search": "Canonical IDs, aliases/functions and all JSON proposals searched before new ID request; approved for staging by coordinator."
}

Proposed capability specification

{
  "function": "Form pixel-aligned polymer microlenses over the color-filtered wafer",
  "quantity_dimensions": "not yet specified",
  "performance_precision_purity": "not yet specified",
  "interfaces_environment": "not yet specified",
  "acceptance": "Trial pieces must meet caller demand with independent references; numerical limits not yet specified."
}

Earlier research provenance

proposals/2026-10-08-discovery/camera-rf/report.md; coordinator candidate-union revision 2

Return to the discovered map

Used by

Items that directly require this item in their selected inventory.

CMOS image sensor die

Paths from Smartphone

These routes together include every item that can lead from Smartphone to this item. Repeated path combinations are collapsed; recipes are omitted.

Shortest route: Smartphone → Camera system → Image sensor → CMOS image sensor die → Microlens-finished image wafer

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