Patent · US Expired

Vacuum micro-chamber for encapsulating a microelectronics device

US5270574A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
7References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 21, 1992
Grant dateDec 14, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 21, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J9/025
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of forming a vacuum micro-chamber for encapsulating a microelectronics device in a vacuum processing chamber comprises the steps of forming a microelectronics device (14) on a substrate base (30). The next step is to cover microelectronics device (14) with an organic spacer such as photoresist in a form having a plurality of protrusions, such as a star shape form (36). The next step is to cover the organic spacer and substrate base (30) with the metal layer (24) so that the metal layer covers all of the organic spacer except for a predetermined number of access apertures (34) to the organic spacer. Next, the organic spacer is removed through access apertures (34) to cause metal layer (24) to form a shell over a vacuum chamber (20) between the microelectronics device (14) and metal layer (24). The next step is to seal vacuum chamber (20) by coating metal layer (24) and closing off access apertures (34). The method of the present invention has application to produce vacuum micro-diodes and micro-triodes, micro-mass spectrometers, micro-light bulbs, and micro-thermocouple gages, as well as numerous other applications.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.