BOLOMETER AND METHOD OF PRODUCING A BOLOMETER
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bolometer includes a membrane, a first spacer and a second spacer, the membrane including resistive and contact layers. At a side facing a foundation, the contact layer has a first contact region at which the first spacer electrically contacts the contact layer, and a second contact region at which the second spacer electrically contacts the contact layer. In this manner, the membrane is kept at a predetermined distance to the foundation. The contact layer is laterally interrupted by a gap, so that the contact layer is subdivided at least into two parts, the first part including the first contact region, and the second part including the second contact region, and no direct connection existing within the contact layer from the first contact region to the second contact region, and the resistive layer being in contact with the first and second parts of the contact layer.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1-31. -31. (canceled)
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32. A bolometer comprising:
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a membrane comprising a first ridge and a second ridge for thermal insulation; a first spacer; a second spacer, the membrane comprising a resistive layer and a contact layer, the contact layer comprising, at a side facing a foundation, a first contact region at which the first spacer electrically contacts the contact layer, and a second contact region at which the second spacer electrically contacts the contact layer, and the first and second spacers keeping the membrane at a predetermined distance from the foundation, and the first ridge being connected to the first spacer, and the second ridge being connected to the second spacer, and the contact layer being laterally interrupted by a gap, so that the contact layer is subdivided at least into two parts, the first part of which comprises the first contact region, and the second part of which comprises the second contact region, and no direct connection existing within the contact layer from the first contact region to the second contact region, and the resistive layer being in contact with the first part of the contact layer and to the second part of the contact layer. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of producing a bolometer, comprising:
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a) providing a substrate; b) depositing a sacrificial layer onto the substrate; c) forming a first through opening and a second through opening; d) forming first and second spacers in the first and second through the openings; e) applying a contact layer such that the contact layer comprises, at a side facing the substrate, a first contact region at which same is contacted by the first spacer, and a second contact region at which same is contacted by the second spacer; f) patterning the contact layer so as to form a gap within same, so that the contact layer is subdivided into two parts, the first part of which comprises the first contact region, and the second part of which comprises the second contact region, and no direct connection existing within the contact layer from the first contact region to the second contact region; g) applying a resistive layer such that the resistive layer is in contact with the first part of the contact layer and with the second part of the contact layer, the resistive layer and the contact layer forming a membrane of the bolometer; h) patterning an outline of the membrane; and i) patterning the membrane in order to form within same a first ridge and a second ridge for thermal insulation, the first ridge being in contact with the first spacer, and the second ridge being in contact with the second spacer; j) removing the sacrificial layer. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method of producing a bolometer, comprising:
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a) providing a substrate; b) depositing a sacrificial layer onto the substrate; c) forming a first through opening and a second through opening; d) forming a first spacer within the first through opening and a second spacer within the second through opening; e) laterally applying a resistive layer such that the resistive layer is not in contact with the conductive material within the first and second through the openings; f) applying an insulating layer on a side of the resistive layer which faces away from the substrate, so that the insulating layer leaves the resistive layer open at a first contact point and at a second contact point; g) applying a contact layer such that the contact layer comprises, at a side facing the substrate, a first contact region at which same is contacted by the first spacer, and a second contact region at which same is contacted by the second spacer, and such that the contact layer is in contact with the first contact point and with the second contact point of the resistive layer; h) patterning an outline of the membrane; i) patterning the membrane in order to form within same a first ridge and a second ridge for thermal insulation, the first ridge being in contact with the first spacer, and the second ridge being in contact with the second spacer; j) patterning the contact layer in order to form at least one gap within same, so that the contact layer is subdivided into at least two parts, the first part of which comprises the first contact region and the first contact point of the resistive layer, and the second part of which comprises the second contact region and the second contact point of the resistive layer, and no direct connection existing within the contact layer from the first contact region to the second contact region; k) removing the sacrificial layer. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification