Bolometer including an absorber made of a material having a low deposition-temperature and a low heat-conductivity

• US 6,201,244 B1
• Filed: 09/03/1998
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wi-LAN Inc.
• Original Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Company Limited (Dayou Holdings Co.,Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yong, Yoon-Joong, Ju, Sang-Baek
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Application Number:
  US09/146,256
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 250/338.1, 250/332, 250/338.4, 338/15, 338/18, 338/17
• US Class Current: 250/338.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/20 using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices

Abstract

A three-level infra-red bolometer includes an active matrix level, a support level, a pair of posts and an absorption level. The active matrix level includes a substrate having an integrated circuit, a pair of connecting terminals and a protective layer covering the substrate. The support level includes a pair of bridges, each of the bridges being provided with a conduction line formed on top thereof, wherein one end of the conduction line is electrically connected to the respective connecting terminal. The absorption level includes a serpentine bolometer element surrounded by an absorber made of silicon oxide (SiO₂) or silicon oxy-nitride (SiO_xN_y). Each of the posts includes an electrical conduit surrounded by an insulating material and is placed between the absorption level and the bridge, in such a way that the serpentine bolometer element is electrically connected to the integrated circuit through the electrical conduit, the conduction line and the connecting terminal.

Claims

1. A three-level infra-red bolometer comprising:

an active matrix level including a substrate and at least a pair of connecting terminals;

a support level provided with at least a pair of bridges, each of the bridges including a conduction line, one end of the conduction line being electrically connected to the respective connecting terminal;

an absorption level including an upper absorber, a lower absorber and a bolometer element formed between the upper and the lower absorbers, wherein the lower absorber including a first lower portion made of SiO_xN_y and a second lower portion made of SiO₂, and the upper absorber including a first upper portion made of SiO₂ and a second upper portion made of SiO_xN_y; and

at least a pair of posts, each of the posts being placed between the absorption level and the support level and including an electrical conduit surrounded by an insulating material, each end of the bolometer element of the absorption level being electrically connected to the respective connecting terminal through the respective electrical conduit and the respective conduction line.

2. The bolometer of claim 1, wherein the bridges are made of SiO₂ or SiO_xN_y.

3. The bolometer of claim 1, wherein the absorption level further includes an IR absorption coating.

4. The bolometer of claim 1, wherein the bolometer element is made of titanium.

5. In a three-level infra-red bolometer, the improvement comprising:

an absorption level including an upper absorber part, a lower absorber part and a bolometer element formed between the upper and the lower part, wherein the lower part includes a first lower portion made of SiO_xN_y and a second lower portion made of SiO₂, and the upper part includes a first upper portion made of SiO₂ and a second lower portion made of SiO_xN_y.