Manufacturing opto-electronic modules (1) includes providing a substrate wafer (PW) on which detecting members (D) are arranged; providing a spacer wafer (SW); providing an optics wafer (OW), the optics wafer comprising transparent portions (t) transparent for light generally detectable by the detecting members and at least one blocking portion (b) for substantially attenuating or blocking incident light generally detectable by the detecting members; and preparing a wafer stack (2) in which the spacer wafer (SW) is arranged between the substrate wafer (PW) and the optics wafer (OW) such that the detecting members (D) are arranged between the substrate wafer and the optics wafer. Emission members (E) for emitting light generally detectable by the detecting members (D) can be arranged on the substrate wafer (PW). Single modules (1) can be obtained by separating the wafer stack (2) into separate modules.

A resist mask 40, having penetrating holes 41, is formed on a rear surface of a silicon substrate 2. A planar shape of each penetrating hole 41 is formed to a shape with which its respective sides are curved to inwardly convex arcuate shapes with respect to a regular quadrilateral that is a target shape of a transverse section at a processing ending end side of a corresponding cavity 3. Next, dry etching is applied to the silicon substrate 2. The cavities 3 are thereby formed in the silicon substrate 2. As the etching progresses, a transverse sectional shape of each cavity 3 decreases in inward projection amounts of the respective arcuate shaped sides in the transverse sectional shape of the corresponding penetrating hole 41 of the resist mask 40. At a processing ending end side of the cavity 3, its planar shape is substantially the same shape as the regular quadrilateral that is the target shape.

A resist mask 40, having penetrating holes 41, is formed on a rear surface of a silicon substrate 2. A planar shape of each penetrating hole 41 is formed to a shape with which its respective sides are curved to inwardly convex arcuate shapes with respect to a regular quadrilateral that is a target shape of a transverse section at a processing ending end side of a corresponding cavity 3. Next, dry etching is applied to the silicon substrate 2. The cavities 3 are thereby formed in the silicon substrate 2. As the etching progresses, a transverse sectional shape of each cavity 3 decreases in inward projection amounts of the respective arcuate shaped sides in the transverse sectional shape of the corresponding penetrating hole 41 of the resist mask 40. At a processing ending end side of the cavity 3, its planar shape is substantially the same shape as the regular quadrilateral that is the target shape.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming at least one sacrificial layer on a substrate during a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process. An absorber layer is deposited on top of the at least one sacrificial layer. A portion of the at least one sacrificial layer beneath the absorber layer is removed to form a gap over which a portion of the absorber layer is suspended. The sacrificial layer can be an oxide of the CMOS process with the oxide being removed to form the gap using a selective hydrofluoric acid vapor dry etch release process. The sacrificial layer can also be a polymer layer with the polymer layer being removed to form the gap using an O.sub.2 plasma etching process.

An infrared sensor includes an infrared detecting device, a lens, a member, a gap and a spacer. The lens is disposed above the infrared detecting device. The member forms an external surface and includes a first opening having a maximum internal diameter. The gap is disposed between the member and the lens. The spacer is disposed between the member and the lens so as to form the gap, and that is directly contact with lens. The spacer has a circular inner periphery, in planar view, which has a larger internal diameter than the maximum internal diameter of the first opening of the member.

A device may include a filter array disposed on a substrate. The filter array may include a first mirror disposed on the substrate. The filter array may include a plurality of spacers disposed on the first mirror. A first spacer, of the plurality of spacers, may be associated with a first thickness. A second spacer, of the plurality of spacers, may be associated with a second thickness that is different from the first thickness. A first channel corresponding to the first spacer and a second channel corresponding to the second spacer may be associated with a separation width of less than approximately 10 micrometers (m). The filter array may include a second mirror disposed on the plurality of spacers.

An infrared sensor includes: an infrared detecting device; a lens disposed above the infrared detecting device; an member that is disposed at a side of an upper surface of the lens and includes an opening; and a gap that intervenes between the member and the lens and has a wider range than the opening.

A device may include a filter array disposed on a substrate. The filter array may include a first mirror disposed on the substrate. The filter array may include a plurality of spacers disposed on the first mirror. A first spacer, of the plurality of spacers, may be associated with a first thickness. A second spacer, of the plurality of spacers, may be associated with a second thickness that is different from the first thickness. A first channel corresponding to the first spacer and a second channel corresponding to the second spacer may be associated with a separation width of less than approximately 10 micrometers (m). The filter array may include a second mirror disposed on the plurality of spacers.

An infrared sensor includes a substrate, an active pixel array, a reference pixel array, a light absorbing layer, a sidewall spacer, and a shading layer. The active pixel array is over the substrate. The reference pixel is over the substrate, adjacent to the active pixel array, and having a reference pixel. The reference pixel includes a platform, a resistor, and an infrared sensing material layer. The resistor is on the platform. The infrared sensing material layer is over the resistor. The light absorbing layer is over the reference pixel. The sidewall spacer is over the reference pixel and extends along a sidewall of the light absorbing layer. The shading layer is conformally formed over the light absorbing layer and the sidewall spacer.