Abstract:
A flow sensor system and a method for fabricating the same. A substrate is provided, comprising a detector wafer upon which a flow sensor is formed. One or more shells can then be configured upon the substrate whose walls form a flow channel. The flow channel is fabricated directly upon the substrate in a manner that allows the flow channel to couple heat transfer directly to the flow sensor in order to eliminate the need for two or more different types of sacrificial layers during the fabrication of the flow sensor upon the substrate and in which the shell(s) is coupled with fluidic measurement to provide for the flow sensor.
Abstract:
A system for determining a gas pressure or gauging a vacuum in a hermetically sealed enclosure. One or more heater structures and one or more temperature sensor structures situated on a substrate may be used in conjunction for measuring a thermal conductivity of a gas in the enclosure. Each heater has significant thermal isolation from each sensor structure. Electronics connected to each heater and sensor of their respective structures may provide processing to calculate the pressure or vacuum in the enclosure. The enclosure may contain various electronic components such as bolometers.
Abstract:
A light detector (11) having spaced electrodes (15, 16) preset by pins (18, 19) or a spacer within a sealed enclosure (12) . The detector may have a MEMS structure that is separate from the sealing of the enclosure. Further, the detector may have a lens (14) for the transmission of light onto the elements. The lens may be coated to affect the amount of light admitted into the enclosure. Light detectable by the sensor may be ultra-violet.
Abstract:
An integrated vacuum package having an added volume on a perimeter within the perimeter of a bonding seal between two wafers. The added volume of space may be an etching of material from the inside surface of the top wafer. This wafer may have vent holes that may be sealed to maintain a vacuum within the volume between the two wafers after the pump out of gas and air. The inside surface of the top wafer may have an anti-reflective pattern. Also, an anti-reflective pattern may be on the outside surface of the top wafer. The seal between the two wafers may be ring-like and have a spacer material. Also, it may have a malleable material such as solder to compensate for any flatness variation between the two facing surfaces of the wafers.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention relate to a fluid containment structure for a micro analyzer comprising one or more shelled thermal structures in contact with a thermally isolated component of the analyzer and wherein the shelled thermal structure comprises a conformal film and also comprises three walls of a channel and the thermally isolated component forms the fourth wall.
Abstract:
A gas sensor is provided for detecting one or more gases in a gas sample. The gas sensor includes a substrate, a solid electrolyte layer including lanthanum oxide for sensing carbon dioxide, a heating element thermally coupled to the solid electrolyte layer, and a controller coupled to the heating element and the solid electrolyte layer. The controller heats the heating element so that the solid electrolyte layer reaches an operating. Methods of sensing carbon dioxide and humidity are also disclosed.
Abstract:
A method of thermally coupling a flow tube or like component to a thermal sensor comprises bonding the component to the thermal sensor such that thermally conductive portions formed on the component are thermally coupled to corresponding sensing/heating elements disposed on the thermal sensor. The method can be employed to form a capillary mass flow sensor system. Thermally conductive portions, such as metal bands, can be formed on the outer surface of a capillary tube for bonding with corresponding resistive heat sensing and heating elements disposed on the substrate of a micro mass flow sensor. Bonding metal pads can be formed on the sensor surface preparatory to solder bonding the tube metal bands to the resistive sensing and heating elements.
Abstract:
A structure having a substrate, patterned metal layer and a catalyst island formed on the metal layer. The surface of the substrate upon which the metal layer is formed may be oxidized. As an illustrative example, the metal may be HfN and the catalyst island may be iron, nickel, or the like. The resulting structure may be placed in an environment having a carbon-containing gas, a temperature between 500 and 1200 degrees C, and an electric field. A nanotube may grow from the catalyst island. A method including the combining of hafnium and nitrogen may be used to make the nanotube growing structure.
Abstract:
A fuel cell, fuel cell array and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The fuel cell can be made by forming a first aperture defined by a first aperture surface through a first electrode layer and forming a second aperture defined by a second aperture surface through a second electrode layer. A proton exchange membrane is laminated between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. At least a portion of the first aperture is at least partially aligned with the second aperture.
Abstract:
A radiation sensor (200) that can operate in the THz regime comprising: a micro antenna (206), which may comprise a two-dimensional patterned thin-film metallizations on a thin dielectric pellicle fabricated by micro machining. of a silicon wafer; a thermally isolated microstructure (215); a coupling mechanism for coupling the energy from the micro antenna to the microstructure, the coupling mechanism providing high thermal isolation between the micro antenna and the microstructure; a temperature signal detector on the microstructure; and signal processing electronics for receiving the temperature signal and processing it into useful data.