Micro-heaters and methods of manufacturing the same

• US 20090289049A1
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Junhee
• Granted Patent: US 8,415,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/385
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 99/0006 Electric heating elements or system
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/04 Heating means manufactured by using nanotechnology
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A micro-heater according to example embodiments may include a metal line formed on a substrate. A deforming portion may be integrally formed as part of the metal line. A support may be positioned between the metal line and the substrate. The support may secure the metal line to the substrate while spacing the metal line apart from the substrate. When the metal line is expanded or compressed by the heating or cooling that occurs during the operation of the micro-heater, the deforming portion of the metal line may deform so as to help absorb the resulting tensile stress. As a result, the amount of tensile stress experienced by the metal line may be decreased. Accordingly, the possibility of breakage of the metal line may be reduced or prevented.

Claims

1. A micro-heater comprising:

a primary metal line on a substrate, the primary metal line having a primary deforming portion integrally formed as a part of the primary metal line, the primary deforming portion having a structure that departs from and does not coincide with a longitudinal axis of the primary metal line; and

a primary support between the primary metal line and the substrate, the primary support separating the primary metal line from the substrate while securing the primary metal line to the substrate.

2. The micro-heater according to claim 1, wherein the primary deforming portion deforms in response to an expansion or compression of the primary metal line.

3. The micro-heater according to claim 1, wherein the primary deforming portion adjoins a portion of the primary metal line that is connected to the primary support.

4. The micro-heater according to claim 1, wherein the primary deforming portion is spaced apart from a portion of the primary metal line that is connected to the primary support.

5. The micro-heater according to claim 1, wherein the primary deforming portion has a flat upper surface and a hollow center.

6. The micro-heater according to claim 5, wherein the primary deforming portion has an open center.

7. The micro-heater according to claim 6, wherein the primary deforming portion has a circular shape or an elliptical shape.

8. The micro-heater according to claim 7, wherein a major axis of the elliptical shape is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the primary metal line.

9. The micro-heater according to claim 1, wherein the primary deforming portion has a curvilinear shape or a zigzag shape.

10. The micro-heater according to claim 9, wherein the curvilinear shape is a semicircular shape or a semi-elliptical shape.

11. The micro-heater according to claim 10, wherein a major axis of the semi-elliptical shape is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the primary metal line.

12. The micro-heater according to claim 1, wherein the primary metal line includes one or more of molybdenum, tungsten, and silicon carbide.

13. The micro-heater according to claim 1, wherein the primary support includes silicon oxide.

14. The micro-heater according to claim 1, further comprising:

a secondary metal line on the substrate and extending from a side of the primary metal line, the secondary metal line having a secondary deforming portion integrally formed as a part of the secondary metal line, the secondary deforming portion having a structure that departs from and does not coincide with a longitudinal axis of the secondary metal line; and

a secondary support between the secondary metal line and the substrate, the secondary support separating the secondary metal line from the substrate while securing the secondary metal line to the substrate.

15. An electronic device comprising the micro-heater of claim 1.

16. A micro-heater array comprising two or more micro-heaters of claim 1 arranged in parallel.

17. An electronic device comprising the micro-heater array of claim 16.

18. A method of manufacturing a micro-heater, comprising:

forming a sacrificial layer on a substrate;

forming a heating layer on the sacrificial layer;

patterning the heating layer to form a heating line, the heating line having a deforming portion integrally formed as a part of the heating line, the deforming portion having a structure that departs from and does not coincide with a longitudinal axis of the heating line; and

etching the sacrificial layer to form a support between the heating line and the substrate, the support separating the heating line from the substrate while securing the heating line to the substrate.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the heating layer includes one or more of molybdenum, tungsten, and silicon carbide.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the sacrificial layer includes silicon oxide.