Thermocouples

• US 7,753,584 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CVD MesoScribe Technologies Corporation (CVD Equipment Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MesoScribe Technologies, Inc. (CVD Equipment Corporation)
• Inventors: Longtin, Jon Patrick, Brogan, Jeffrey A., Greenlaw, Robert J., Gutleber, Jonathan S., Gambino, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Verbitsky; Gail
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jagan; Mirellys
• Application Number:
  US11/695,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20070227576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 374/179, 136/230, 136/236.1, 136/233, 136/225, 136/227, 136/242
• US Class Current: 374/179
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/04 the object to be measured not forming one of the thermoelectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/817 the junction being non-separable, e.g. being cemented, sintered or soldered
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/854 comprising only metals H10N10/852, H10N10/853 take precedence

Abstract

A thermocouple disposed on a substrate comprises a first leg of thermoelectric material, a second leg of thermoelectric material, and a thermocouple junction electrically connecting the first leg and the second leg, wherein a height of the thermocouple junction is substantially a height of the first or second legs.

Claims

1. A thermocouple disposed on a substrate comprising:

a first leg of thermoelectric material;

a second leg of thermoelectric material, wherein at least one of the first and second legs is formed of a metallic bond coat; and

a thermocouple junction, wherein the first leg overlaps the second leg, electrically connecting the first leg and the second leg, wherein a height of the thermocouple junction is within 25% of a height of the first or second legs.

2. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the thermocouple is embedded in an insulating layer.

3. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the thermocouple is embedded in a thermal barrier coating.

4. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the thermocouple junction is comprised of segments of two substantially parallel lines with Gaussian line profiles that are separated by a distance equal to a full width at half maximum of the line segments.

5. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the thermocouple junction is a side-by-side thermocouple junction wherein a separation of center lines of the respective legs is about a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the respective legs.

6. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the thermocouple junction is comprised of segments the first and second legs arranged to be substantially parallel and overlapping for electrical contact.

7. The thermocouple of claim 6, wherein centerlines of the segments of the first and second legs are separated by a distance equal to a full width at half maximum of the segments.

8. A thermocouple wherein a thermocouple junction is formed by continuously varying a composition of a line over a portion of the line, forming a graded junction with substantially a height of a conducting line electrically coupled at the thermocouple junction, wherein the thermocouple is deposited into a groove such that a top surface of the thermocouple junction and the conducting line are substantially level with a surface of a substrate.

9. The thermocouple of claim 8, wherein the thermocouple junction is formed from a first leg of thermoelectric material and a second leg of thermoelectric material, and the groove has a depth within about 25% of a height of the first leg or second leg.

10. A thermocouple disposed on a substrate comprising:

a first leg of thermoelectric material;

a second leg of thermoelectric material, wherein at least one of the first and second legs is formed of a metallic bond coat; and

a graded thermocouple junction formed of a continuously varying composition of the first leg and the second leg, electrically connecting the first leg and the second leg, wherein a height of the thermocouple junction is substantially a height of at least one of the first and second legs, wherein the thermocouple is embedded in an insulating layer.

11. A thermocouple disposed on a substrate comprising:

a first leg of thermoelectric material;

a second leg of thermoelectric material, wherein at least one of the first and second legs is formed of a metallic bond coat; and

a graded thermocouple junction formed of a continuously varying composition of the first leg and the second leg, electrically connecting the first leg and the second leg, wherein a height of the thermocouple junction is substantially a height of at least one of the first and second legs, wherein the thermocouple is embedded in a thermal barrier coating.