Thermal isolation structure for a micro thermopile and...

Details Thermal isolation structure for a micro thermopile and... Thermal isolation structure for a micro thermopile and...

1999-11-02

2002-01-29

Gutierrez, Diego (Department: 2859)

Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric

Thermoelectric

Processes

C136S213000, C136S225000, C374S121000, C374S179000, C029S847000, C029S852000, C250S338100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06342667

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a thermopile device, especially to a thermal isolation structure for a micro thermopile and method for making the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The conventional thermal isolation methods for micro thermopile devices are generally classified into the frontside etching process and the backside etching process.
FIG. 1
shows the perspective view of a micro thermopile device fabricated by a conventional frontside etching process, and
FIG. 2
shows the top view thereof. The micro thermopile device shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
is fabricated through following process: preparing a silicon substrate
12
, forming a one-layer or multi-layer membrane
14
on the surface of the silicon substrate
12
; forming black body
13
and thermopile
15
on the membrane
14
, defining a plurality of etching windows
16
, performing anisotropic etching to the silicon substrate
12
through the etching windows
16
and forming a pit between the silicon substrate
12
and the membrane
14
such that the membrane
14
becomes a floating membrane
18
and has thermal isolation with the silicon substrate
12
.
However, in the above mentioned process, the trench below each of the etching windows
16
should overlap each other to form the pit, therefore, the area of the floating membrane
18
restricted by the etching windows
16
is relatively smaller. Moreover, the etching of the silicon substrate
12
below the center of the floating membrane
18
takes considerable time such that the floating membrane
18
probably cracks.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal isolation structure for micro thermopile and the method making the same, by which the area of the floating membrane is increased and the strain of the floating membrane is reduced.
To achieve above objects, the present invention provides a method for forming thermal isolation for a micro thermopile device. The micro thermopile device has a silicon substrate and a one-layer or multi-layer membrane on the silicon substrate. The inventive method comprises steps of forming a narrow etching window on the membrane and forming a plurality of micro connection structures each crossing the narrow etching window and connecting the edge portion of the membrane on both sides of the narrow etching window, and etching the silicon substrate through the narrow etching window to form a pit between the silicon substrate and the membrane, whereby the membrane becomes a floating membrane and has thermal isolation with the silicon substrate.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5193911 (1993-03-01), Nix et al.
patent: 6203194 (2001-03-01), Beerwerth et al.
patent: 61-0038427 (1986-02-01), None
patent: 4-006424 (1992-01-01), None

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