Micro-heaters, micro-heater arrays, methods for manufacturing the same and electronic devices using the same

• US 8,357,879 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Junhee, Zoulkarneev, Andrei
• Primary Examiner(s): FUQUA, SHAWNTINA T
• Application Number:
  US12/149,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20090139974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 219/385, 219/544, 427/66, 427/256, 205/104
• US Class Current: 219/385
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/002 Heaters using a particular layout for the resistive material or resistive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/04 Heating means manufactured by using nanotechnology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/26 heating conductor mounted on insulating base for transparent areas H05B3/84, H05B3/86

Abstract

Example embodiments provide micro-heaters including a heating section, a plurality of connecting sections, and a plurality of support structures. The heating section is on the substrate, separated from the substrate and extended in a longitudinal direction. The plurality of connecting sections are arranged at a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction of the heating section, and extended from two sides of the heating section in a perpendicular direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the heating section. The plurality of support structures are formed between the substrate and the plurality of connecting sections, so as to support the heating section and the plurality of connecting sections from underneath the plurality of connecting sections. Therefore, since the heating section and the plurality of support structures are separated from each other by the plurality of connecting sections, temperature distribution on the heating section is not influenced by the shape of each one of the plurality of support structures. Consequently, temperature distribution on the heating section may be more uniform and power consumption of the micro-heater may decrease.

Claims

1. A micro-heater arranged on a substrate, the micro-heater comprising:

a heating section on the substrate and extended in a longitudinal direction;

a plurality of connecting sections arranged in the longitudinal direction of the heating section, and extended from two sides of the heating section, each in a perpendicular direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the heating section; and

a plurality of support structures between the substrate and the plurality of connecting sections, to support the heating section and the plurality of connecting sections from underneath the plurality of connecting sections.

2. The micro-heater of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of connecting sections is divided into:

a first area corresponding to a contact area between each of the plurality of connecting sections and each of the support structures; and

a second area between the heating section and the first area and having a smaller width than a width of the first area.

3. The micro-heater of claim 2, wherein the width of the second area is smaller than a width of the heating section.

4. The micro-heater of claim 3, wherein the contact area between each of the connecting sections and each of the plurality of support structures is smaller than the first area in each of the plurality of connecting sections.

5. The micro-heater of claim 4, wherein the first area in each of the plurality of connecting sections corresponds to an end portion of each of the plurality of connecting sections.

6. The micro-heater of claim 5, wherein heat transferred from the two sides of the heating section to the respective one of the plurality of connecting sections is inversely proportional to a length of each of the plurality of connecting sections.

7. The micro-heater of claim 5, wherein heat transferred from the two sides of the heating section to the respective one of the plurality of connecting sections is proportional to a width of each of the plurality of connecting sections.

8. The micro-heater of claim 5, wherein heat transferred from the two sides of the heating section to the respective one of the plurality of connecting sections is inversely proportional to a separated distance between the plurality of connecting sections.

9. The micro-heater of claim 1, wherein the width of the heating section is adjusted to control a power of the heating section.

10. A micro-heater array comprising:

two or more micro-heaters according to claim 1, in parallel on the substrate.

11. An electronic device comprising the micro-heater according to claim 1.

12. An electronic device comprising the micro-heater array of claim 10.

13. A method for manufacturing a micro-heater, comprising:

forming a sacrificial layer on a substrate;

forming a heating layer on the sacrificial layer;

patterning the heating layer into a heating section and a plurality of connecting sections,

wherein the heating section is extended in a longitudinal direction, and the plurality of connecting sections are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the heating section and extended from two sides of the heating section in a perpendicular direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the heating section; and

etching the sacrificial layer except for a contact area between each of the plurality of connecting sections and each of a plurality of support structures, wherein the plurality of support structures are underneath the plurality of connecting sections and support the heating section.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the connecting sections is patterned into a first area corresponding to a contact area between each of the plurality of connecting sections and each of the plurality of support structures and a second area between the heating section and the first area, the second area having a width smaller than a width of the first area.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second area is formed to have a smaller width than a width of the heating section.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the contact area between each of the plurality of connecting sections and each of the plurality of support structures decreases in size so as to reduce heat transfer between the plurality of connecting sections and the plurality of support structure without impairing the structural support of the plurality of support structures supporting the heating section and the plurality of connecting sections.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the contact area is smaller than the first area in each of the plurality of connecting sections.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first area in each of the plurality of connecting sections corresponds to an end portion of each of the plurality of connecting sections.