Micro-fabricated device with thermoelectric device and method of making

• US 20040145049A1
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Chien-Hua, Liebeskind, John, McKinnell, James C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,205,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/719
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 9/10 using electron beam; Record carriers therefor G11B9/08 takes precedence see provisional also G11B11/03
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/38 Cooling arrangements using the Peltier effect
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10158 at the passive surface
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 257/93 Thermoelectric, e.g. peltier effect cooling

Abstract

A micro-fabricated device, includes a support structure having an aperture formed therein, and a device substrate disposed within the aperture. The micro-fabricated device further includes a thermally isolating structure thermally coupling the device substrate to the support structure. The thermally isolating structure includes at least one n-doped region and at least one p-doped region formed on or in the thermally isolating structure and separated from each other. In addition, the thermally isolating structure includes an electrical interconnect connecting at least one n-doped region and at least one p-doped region, forming an integrated thermoelectric device.

Claims

1. A micro-fabricated device, comprising

a support structure including an aperture formed therein;

a device substrate disposed within said aperture; and

a thermally isolating structure thermally coupling said device substrate to said support structure, said thermally isolating structure comprising;

at least one n-doped region disposed on or in said thermally isolating structure,

at least one p-doped region disposed on or in thermally isolating structure separated from said at least one n-doped region, and

an electrical interconnect connecting said at least one n-doped region and said at least one p-doped region, whereby an integrated thermoelectric device is formed.

2. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said device substrate is disposed a distance G from said support structure, and said thermally isolating structure further comprises a characteristic length, wherein said characteristic length is greater than said distance G.

3. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one n-doped region and said at least one p-doped region, further comprise a plurality of n and p-doped regions electrically coupled in an alternating series.

4. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one n-doped region and said at least one p-doped region, further comprises at least one thermoelectric segment.

5. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said device substrate, further comprises a peripheral edge, and said support structure, further comprises an inner edge, wherein said thermally isolating structure, further comprises an increasing number of said thermoelectric segments in the direction from said peripheral edge to said inner edge.

6. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said characteristic length is the thermal conduction path length thermal energy travels between said device substrate and said support surface.

7. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said thermally isolating structure, further comprises a folded structure having at least one fold.

8. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 7, wherein said folded structure further comprises a first section, a second section, and a folding section, wherein said second section is folded back and substantially parallel to said first section, whereby a U shaped structure is formed.

9. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said device substrate and said thermally isolating structure are formed utilizing a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, gallium arsenide, germanium, indium phosphide, sapphire, glass, ceramic, polymers, and combinations thereof.

10. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said thermally isolating structure, further comprises a thickness less than the thickness of said device structure.

11. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said thermally isolating structure, further comprises a cross-sectional area that varies.

12. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said thermally isolating structure, further comprises a structure projecting in a radial direction from a peripheral edge of said device substrate.

13. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising at least one active device disposed on said device substrate.

14. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 13, wherein said at least one active device further comprises at least one transistor.

15. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a vacuum device disposed on said device substrate.

16. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 15, wherein said vacuum device further comprises an electron emitter.

17. A storage device, comprising:

at least one micro-fabricated device of claim 16;

and

a storage medium in close proximity to said at least one electronic device, said storage medium having a storage area in one of a plurality of states to represent information stored in that storage area.

18. A computer system, comprising:

a microprocessor;

an electronic device including at least one micro-fabricated device of claim 1 coupled to said microprocessor; and

memory coupled to said microprocessor, said microprocessor operable of executing instructions from said memory to transfer data between said memory and the electronic device.

19. The computer system in accordance with claim 18, wherein said electronic device is a storage device.

20. The computer system in accordance with claim 18, wherein wherein said electronic device is a display device.

21. The computer system in accordance with claim 18, wherein said microprocessor further comprises a micro-fabricated device having:

a support structure including an aperture formed therein;

a device substrate disposed within said aperture; and

a thermally isolating structure thermally coupling said device substrate to said support structure, said thermally isolating structure comprising;

at least one n-doped region disposed on said thermally isolating structure,

at least one p-doped region disposed on thermally isolating structure separated from said at least one n-doped region, and

an electrical interconnect connecting said at least one n-doped region and said at least one p-doped region, whereby an integrated thermoelectric device is formed.

22. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said thermally isolating structure, further comprises a first major surface and a second major surface, wherein said first and second major surfaces include:

at least one n-doped region disposed on each of said first and second major surfaces,

at least one p-doped region disposed on each of said first and second major surfaces and separated from said at least one n-doped region, and

an electrical interconnect coupling said at least one n-doped region and said at least one p-doped region on each of said first and second major surfaces.

23. The micro-fabricated device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one n-doped region or said at least one p-doped region includes a high Seebeck coefficient material.

24. A thermally isolated micro-fabricated device, comprising:

a device substrate;

means to support said device substrate;

means to thermally isolate said device substrate and said means to support; and

means to heat or cool said device substrate.

25. A method of manufacturing a micro-fabricated device, comprising:

forming a support structure having an aperture;

defining a device substrate disposed within said aperture; and

creating a thermally isolating structure coupling said device substrate to said support structure, said thermally isolating structure comprising;

creating at least one n-doped region on or in said thermally isolating structure,

creating at least one p-doped region on or in said thermally isolating structure separated from said at least one n-doped region, and

forming an electrical interconnect connecting said at least one n-doped region and said at least one p-doped region in an alternating series, whereby an integrated thermoelectric device is formed.

26. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein creating said thermally isolating structure, further comprises forming a folded structure having at least one fold.

27. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein forming said folded structure, further comprises forming a first section, a second section and a folded section, wherein said first section is substantially parallel to said second section.

28. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein creating said thermally isolating structure, further comprises forming a cross-sectional area of said thermally isolating structure that varies.

29. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein creating said thermally isolating structure, further comprises forming a thickness of said thermally isolating structure that varies.

30. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein creating said thermally isolating structure, further comprises anisotropically etching said thermally isolating structure.

31. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein creating said thermally isolating structure, further comprises isotropically etching said thermally isolating structure.

32. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein defining said device substrate, further comprises forming said device substrate from a material selected from a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, gallium arsenide, germanium, indium phosphide, sapphire, glass, ceramic, polymers, and combinations thereof.

33. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein creating said thermally isolating structure, further comprises forming a first major surface and a second major surface, wherein said first and second major surfaces, further comprise:

creating at least one n-doped region on each of said first and second major surfaces,

creating at least one p-doped region on each of said first and second major surfaces separated from said at least one n-doped region, and

forming an electrical connection between said at least one n-doped region and said at least one p-doped region on each of said first and second major surfaces.

34. A micro-fabricated device manufactured in accordance with claim 33.

35. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein creating said at least one n-doped region, further comprises depositing a high Seebeck coefficient material.

36. A micro-fabricated device manufactured in accordance with the method of claim 25.

37. A micro-fabricated device, comprising

a support structure including an aperture formed therein;

a device substrate disposed a distance G from said support structure within said aperture;

a thermally isolating structure coupling said device substrate to said support structure, said thermally isolating structure includes a characteristic length, wherein said characteristic length is greater than said distance G, and said thermally isolating structure comprises;

at least one n-doped region formed in said thermally isolating structure,

at least one p-doped region formed in said thermally isolating structure separated from said at least one n-doped region, and

an electrical interconnect connecting said at least one n-doped region and said at least one p-doped region in an alternating series, whereby an integrated thermoelectric device is formed.