Abstract:
A silicon-based sensor (10) includes a substrate (20), a sensor element (12), and a protective diaphragm (22a) mounting and covering the sensor element (12). The diaphragm (22a) is a silicon layer (22) which, in a preferred embodiment, includes an etch-stop dopant. The etch-stop layer (22) is sealed to the substrate (20) so that the layer (22) covers and mounts the sensor element (12) to the substrate (20). The sensor (10) is fabricated by forming a trough area (33) in a surface (32) of a silicon block (30) (e.g., a silicon chip or wafer), treating the trough area (33) with an etch-stop dopant (e.g., boron), depositing a sensor element (12) onto the doped trough area (33), sealing at least the periphery of the doped trough area (33) to a surface of a substrate (20) (e.g., glass) so as to encapsulate the sensor element (12), and then etching away undoped regions of the silicon block (30) so that the doped trough area (33) remains as a protective diaphragm (22a) sealed to the substrate (20) and covering the sensor element (12). It is also possible to form a bonding pad (16) on untreated (e.g., undoped) discontinuous regions (22c) of an otherwise etch-stop treated trough layer (34) so that when etched, the bonding pad (16) is exposed to permit interconnection with electronic circuitry, yet the etch-stop treated layer (22) remains so as to mount the bonding pad (16) to the substrate.
Abstract:
An integrated assembly includes a resistor and a heat spreader. The resistor includes a resistive element and terminals. The heat spreader is integrated with the resistor and includes a heat sink of thermally conducting and electrically insulating material and terminations of a thermally conducting material and situated at an edge of the heat sink. At least a portion of a top surface of the resistive element is in thermally conductive contact with the heat sink. Each resistor terminal is in thermally conductive contact with a corresponding termination of the heat sink. A method of fabricating an integrated assembly of a resistor and a heat spreader includes forming the heat spreader, forming the resistor, and joining the heat spreader to the resistor by bonding at least a portion of a top surface of the resistive element to the heat sink and bonding each electrically conducting terminal to a corresponding termination.
Abstract:
The method and system of high-restistance, multiple-conductor flat cables which contain integral tunable resistance sections suitable for fine tuning the resistance of a conductor to match the resistance of the conductors to one another within a specified target value. The method involves the design and creation of the high-resistance, multiple- conductor flat cables and the tuning of the resistance of the conductor.
Abstract:
Apparatus and methods of trimming resistors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of controlling the power coefficient of resistance (PCR) of a thin film resistor (4, 6) is provided. The method includes applying a first current to the resistor so as to alter a property of the resistor, and measuring the property of the resistor. Applying the first current and measuring the property of the resistor can be repeated until the PCR of the resistor is within an acceptable tolerance of a desired value for the property of the resistor.
Abstract:
A metal strip resistor is provided with a resistive element disposed between a first termination and a second termination. The resistive element, first termination, and second termination form a substantially flat plate. A thermally conductive and electrically non-conductive thermal interface material such as a thermally conductive adhesive is disposed between the resistive element and first and second heat pads that are placed on top of the resistive element and adjacent to the first and second terminations, respectively.
Abstract:
An article of manufacture having an in-molded resistive and/or shielding element and method of making the same are shown and described. In one disclosed method, a resistive and/or shielding element is printed on a film. The film is formed to a desired shape and put in an injection mold. A molten plastic material is introduced into the injection mold to form a rigid structure that retains the film.
Abstract:
There is described a method for stabilizing a post-trimming resistance of a thermally isolated electrical component made from a thermally mutable material, the method comprising: generating at least one heating pulse, the at least one heating pulse having an initial amplitude corresponding to a trimming temperature, a slope corresponding to a given cooling rate and a duration corresponding to a given cooling time; and applying the at least one heating pulse to one of the thermally isolated electrical component and a heating device in heat transfer communication with the thermally isolated electrical component, after a trimming process, in order to cause the electrical component to cool in accordance with the given cooling rate, the given cooling rate being slower than a passive cooling rate determined by the thermal isolation of the electrical component