Thermal electromagnetic radiation detector comprising an absorbent membrane fixed in suspension

• US 20060054823A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation), ULIS SAS (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Energies Alternatives Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et AUX, ULIS SAS (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Astier, Astrid, Yon, Jean-Jacques, Vilain, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 7,294,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/338.400
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/023 Particular leg structure or construction or shape; Nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/10 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/20 using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices

Abstract

The absorbent membrane of the detector is fixed in suspension by at least one thermally insulating support part onto a front face of a substrate comprising at least two electric connection terminals electrically connected to the membrane, for example by means of conducting layers. The support part has at least one base end and a raised zone. The base end is fixed to a top part of a conducting pillar having a base fixedly secured to one of the electric connection terminals. A substantially flat zone of a bottom face of the membrane is directly in contact with the raised zone of the support part. The support part is preferably formed by a bridge having a second base end fixed to a top part of a second pillar, the raised zone being formed by a flat middle part of the bridge.

Claims

1. Thermal electromagnetic radiation detector comprising an absorbent membrane fixed in suspension by thermally insulating support means onto a front face of a substrate comprising at least two electric connection terminals electrically connected to the membrane, the support means comprising at least one support part arranged between the substrate and membrane and having at least one base end and a raised zone, detector wherein the base end of said support part is fixed to a top part of a conducting pillar having a base fixedly secured to an electric connection terminal, a substantially flat zone of a bottom face of the membrane being directly in contact with the raised zone of the support part.

2. Detector according to claim 1, wherein the support part is formed by an arm having a second end forming the raised zone.

3. Detector according to claim 2, comprising two arms respectively fixed to first and second conducting pillars and each comprising a conducting layer designed to connect the membrane to one of the conducting pillars.

4. Detector according to claim 1, wherein the support part is formed by a bridge having a second base end fixed to a top part of a second pillar, the raised zone being formed by a middle part of the bridge.

5. Detector according to claim 4, wherein the second pillar is conducting and the bridge comprises two conducting layers electrically insulated from one another and designed to electrically connect the membrane respectively to the conducting pillars, the conducting pillars each having a base fixedly secured to an electric connection terminal.

6. Detector according to claim 4, comprising two bridges each comprising a conducting layer designed to connect the membrane to the corresponding conducting pillar.

7. Detector according to claim 3, wherein the membrane comprises, on its substantially flat bottom face, at least two flat electric conductors arranged in contact respectively with the conducting layers.

8. Detector according to claim 7, wherein the conductors are situated on the edge of the membrane.

9. Detector according to claim 7, wherein the conductors extend substantially over the whole width of the membrane.

10. Detector according to claim 1, wherein the raised zone of the support part is formed by a flat segment.

11. Fabrication process of a detector according to claim 1, comprising

deposition of a sacrificial layer on the substrate comprising at least two electric connection terminals,

etching of the sacrificial layer so as to obtain bottom and top flat zones parallel to the substrate, the bottom flat zone covering the electric connection terminals,

deposition, on the sacrificial layer, of a dielectric layer and of a conducting layer designed to form the support part,

etching, in the bottom zone of the sacrificial layer and in the support part, of openings opening out respectively onto the electric connection terminals,

deposition, in said openings, of a conducting layer forming the conducting pillars and etching of the conducting layer forming the conducting pillars,

etching of the dielectric layer and of the conducting layer,

deposition of an additional sacrificial layer on the whole assembly formed by said layers so as to form a common flat surface with the conducting layer forming the support part,

deposition of the membrane on said common flat surface,

removal of the sacrificial layers.