Thermopile infrared detector with semiconductor supporting rim

Details Thermopile infrared detector with semiconductor supporting rim Thermopile infrared detector with semiconductor supporting rim

1991-07-01

1992-03-31

Nelson, Peter A.

Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric

Thermoelectric

Thermopile

136220, 136226, 437 3, H01L 3528

Patent

active

051004798

ABSTRACT:
A thermopile detector is disclosed consisting of a semiconductor supporting rim which is doped across all of the rim. The rim supports a series of polycrystalline silicon and metal thermocouples. The fully doped semiconductor area serves as an etch stop for a single-sided etch which eliminates the need for front-to-back alignment of the device. The semiconductor doped rim also serves as a good thermal conductor for supporting the cold junctions. The hot junctions of the thermocouples may be supported by a thin dielectric membrane spanning the device and the cold junctions are formed on the doped rim. The thin dielectric window provides thermal isolation between the semiconductor rim and the center of the window where the hot junctions are located. The thermocouple material layers may be stacked to enable greater thermocouple density on the device. Refractory metals may be employed as the thermocouple metal, to increase sensitivity.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3354309 (1967-11-01), Volkovisky
patent: 4111717 (1978-09-01), Baxter
patent: 4456919 (1984-06-01), Tomita et al.
patent: 4558342 (1985-12-01), Sclar
patent: 4897362 (1990-01-01), Delgado et al.
patent: 4956304 (1990-09-01), Cockrum et al.
patent: 4971632 (1990-11-01), Rowe
patent: 5055140 (1991-10-01), Kumada et al.
patent: 5059543 (1991-10-01), Wise et al.

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