Drying getters

• US 7,090,787 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Malone, Joshua J., Jacobs, Simon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thexton, Matthew A.
• Application Number:
  US10/651,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20040132893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,081 Days
• Field of Search: 252/181.7, 502/34, 502/55
• US Class Current: 252/181.7
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/34 Silicon-containing compounds

Abstract

A zeolite and an organic binder are mixed with a solvent to form a paste (302). The paste is then cast or molded (304) into the desired shape. A portion of the solvent is allowed to evaporate from the paste, hardening the getter (306). Getters are often formed in sheets and cut (308) into individual pieces, called dibs, after the sheets have hardened. Even after the getter is hardened, significant amounts of solvent are retained by the getter. The getter is exposed to water vapor which displaces (310) the solvent from the getter. After the solvent is removed, the getter is dried (312) to remove additional water vapor. Because the water vapor does not bind as tightly to the zeolite getter, the water vapor is removed much easier than the solvent. The water may be removed by allowing the getter to dry naturally, or by a vacuum bake process.

Claims

1. A method of forming getters, comprising:

mixing a zeolite with an organic binder and hexanol to form a paste;

molding said paste;

exposing said paste to water to displace said hexanol; and

removing the water from said paste.

2. The method of claim 1, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to a water vapor between 1% and 100% relative humidity.

3. The method of claim 1, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to at least a 60% relative humidity water vapor.

4. The method of claim 1, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to a water vapor at a temperature of at least 25°

C.

5. The method of claim 1, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to a water vapor at a temperature of at least 85°

C.

6. The method of claim 1, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to at least a 60% relative humidity water vapor at a temperature of at least 85°

C.

7. The method of claim 1, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to at least a 60% relative humidity water vapor at a temperature of at least 85°

C. for at least two hours.

8. The method of claim 1, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to at least a 60% relative humidity water vapor at a temperature of at least 85°

C. for at least six hours.

9. A method of forming getters, comprising:

mixing a zeolite with an organic binder and a solvent to form a paste;

molding said paste;

exposing said paste to water to displace said solvent by exposing said paste to at least a 60% relative humidity water vapor; and

removing the water from said paste.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising singulating said paste.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising allowing at least some of said solvent to evaporate to harden said paste prior to exposing said paste to said water.

12. The method of claim 9, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to a water vapor at a temperature of at least 25°

C.

13. The method of claim 9, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to a water vapor at a temperature of at last 85°

C.

14. The method of claim 9, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to at least a 60% relative humidity water vapor at a temperature of at least 85°

C.

15. The method of claim 9, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to at least a 60% relative humidity water vapor at a temperature of at least 85°

C. for at least two hours.

16. The method of claim 9, said exposing said paste to water comprises exposing said paste to at least a 60% relative humidity water vapor at a temperature of at least 85°

C. for at least six hours.