Methods for forming materials using micro-heaters and electronic devices including such materials

• US 8,673,693 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2012
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Junhee, Zoulkarneev, Andrei, Park, SungSoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Maldonado, Julio J
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOUDHRY, MOHAMMAD M
• Application Number:
  US13/452,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20120205650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 438/148, 438/714, 257/E29.273
• US Class Current: 438/148
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/06513 characterised by the resistive component
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/265 by chemical or thermal treatment, e.g. oxydation, reduction, annealing etching H01C17/2416
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/6675 Amorphous silicon or polysilicon transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/005 using multiple resistive elements or resistive zones isolated from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/032 Heaters specially adapted for heating by radiation heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/04 Heating means manufactured by using nanotechnology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/148 Silicon, e.g. silicon carbide, magnesium silicide, heating transistors or diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/26 heating conductor mounted on insulating base for transparent areas H05B3/84, H05B3/86

Abstract

Nano-sized materials and/or polysilicon are formed using heat generated from a micro-heater, the micro-heater may include a substrate, a heating element unit formed on the substrate, and a support structure formed between the substrate and the heating element unit. Two or more of the heating element units may be connected in series.

Claims

1. A method for forming a material comprising:

applying energy to a micro-heater to heat the micro-heater;

providing a precursor so as to be in thermal proximity to the micro-heater; and

forming a material from the precursor with the heat from the micro-heater such that the material is formed directly on the micro-heater,

wherein the micro-heater includes a substrate, at least one heating element unit on the substrate, a support structure between a portion of the substrate and a portion of the at least one heating element unit, the support structure tapering in width from the substrate to the at least one heating element unit,

wherein the at least one heating element unit has a configuration that allows two or more heating element units to be repeatedly connected in series,

wherein the at least one heating element unit has at least two first regions and a second region, the second region being located between the first regions, and

wherein the support structure is located below a portion of the second region but not below the first regions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the micro-heater has a configuration that allows two or more micro-heaters to be repeatedly connected in series.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein two or more micro-heaters are connected in series to form a micro-heater array.

4. The method of claim 2, the micro-heater further including a contact region formed between the support structure and the at least one heating element unit.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the contact region is decreased to a size where the contact region still supports the at least one heating element unit.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein a width of the second region is larger than a width of the at least two first regions.

7. The method of claim 6, the micro-heater further including a contact region formed between the support structure and the at least one heating element unit, wherein an area of the contact region is smaller than an area of the second region.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate is glass.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the forming of the material is on the at least one heating element unit.

10. The method of claim 9, further including,

forming a material catalyst layer on the at least one heating element unit.

11. The method of claim 2, further including,

providing a heat absorption layer on the substrate of the micro-heater;

and

forming the material catalyst layer on the heat absorption layer.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the material is one or more of the materials selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, gallium nitride nano-wires, zinc oxide nano-wires, and polysilicon.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the material is carbon nanotubes or zinc oxide nano-wires, and the material is formed from the material catalyst layer.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the material is gallium nitride nano-wires, and the material is formed on a part of the heating element unit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the material is polysilicon.

16. The method of claim 15, further including,

providing amorphous silicon as the precursor on the at least one heating element unit, wherein the amorphous silicon is formed into the polysilicon.

17. An electronic device comprising:

the material prepared by the method of claim 1; and

a micro-heater array, wherein the micro-heater includes two or more micro-heaters connected in series to form the micro-heater array,

wherein the micro-heater includes the substrate, the at least one heating element unit on the substrate, the support structure between the portion of the substrate and the portion of the at least one heating element unit,

wherein the at least one heating element unit has the configuration that allows the two or more heating element units to be repeatedly connected in series,

wherein the at least one heating element unit has the at least two first regions and the second region, the second region being located between the first regions, and

wherein the support structure is located below the portion of the second region but not below the first regions.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the material is one or more of the materials selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, gallium nitride nano-wires, zinc oxide nano-wires, and polysilicon.

19. The electronic device of 18, further comprising:

a drain electrode; and

a source electrode;

wherein the drain electrode and the source electrode intersect on a portion of the substrate at right angles and polysilicon is formed on the drain and source electrodes to form a transistor.

20. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the transistor is a thin film transistor having an insulating film deposited on the transistor.

21. A method for forming a material comprising:

applying energy to a micro-heater to heat the micro-heater;

providing a precursor so as to be in thermal proximity to the micro-heater; and

forming a material from the precursor with the heat from the micro-heater such that the material is formed directly on the micro-heater, wherein the micro-heater includes a substrate, at least one heating element unit on the substrate, a support structure between a portion of the substrate and a portion of the at least one heating element unit,

wherein the at least one heating element unit has a configuration that allows two or more heating element units to be repeatedly connected in series, wherein the at least one heating element unit has at least two first regions and a second region, the second region being located between the first regions, wherein the support structure is located below a portion of the second region but not below the first regions, and

wherein a size of a top surface of the support structure contacting the at least one heating element unit is different from a size of a bottom surface of the support structure contacting the substrate.