Microfabricated miniature grids
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of fabricating a micromachined grid for gating a beam of charged particles, comprising the steps of:
- a) selecting a multilayered material consisting of a conductive layer bonded to an insulating layer;
b) patterning a photoresist onto the conductive layer to define a set of conductive elements;
c) micromachining the conductive layer to isolate the set of conductive elements;
d) patterning a photoresist onto the insulating layer to define a region where charged particles may pass through the grid; and
e) micromachining the substrate to open a hole through the grid while providing mechanical support to the ends of the conductive elements,wherein the multilayered material is a silicon on insulator wafer.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A grid structure and method for manufacturing the same. The grid is used for gating a stream of charged particles in certain types of particle measurement instruments, such as ion mobility spectrometers and the like. The methods include various microfabrication techniques for etching and/or depositing grid structure materials on a silicon substrate.
43 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method of fabricating a micromachined grid for gating a beam of charged particles, comprising the steps of:
-
a) selecting a multilayered material consisting of a conductive layer bonded to an insulating layer; b) patterning a photoresist onto the conductive layer to define a set of conductive elements; c) micromachining the conductive layer to isolate the set of conductive elements; d) patterning a photoresist onto the insulating layer to define a region where charged particles may pass through the grid; and e) micromachining the substrate to open a hole through the grid while providing mechanical support to the ends of the conductive elements, wherein the multilayered material is a silicon on insulator wafer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method fabricating a unipotential grid for defining potential gradients in a charged particle optical system, comprising the steps of:
-
a) patterning a photoresist onto a semiconductive material layer; b) micromachining the semiconductive material layer to define a width, depth and spacing of a set of conductive elements that comprise the grid; c) patterning a photoresist onto an opposite side of the semiconductive material layer to define a hole where charged particles may pass through the grid; and d) micromachining the opposite side to open a hole through the grid. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. A method of fabricating a unipotential grid for defining potential gradients in a charged particle optical system, comprising the steps of:
-
a) patterning a photoresist onto a semiconductive material layer; b) micromachining the semiconductive material layer to define a width, depth and spacing of a set of conductive elements that comprise the grid, wherein the width of the conductive elements is less than about 10 micrometers (um).
-
-
19. A method of fabricating a unipotential grid for defining potential gradients in a charged particle optical system, comprising the steps of:
-
a) patterning a photoresist onto a semiconductive material layer; b) micromachining the semiconductive material layer to define a width, depth and spacing of a set of conductive elements that comprise the grid, wherein the conductive elements are disposed along two orthogonal axes and connected to one another. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method of fabricating a unipotential and for defining potential gradients in a charged particle optical system, comprising the steps of:
-
a) patterning a photoresist onto a semiconductive material layer; b) micromachining the semiconductive material layer to define a width, depth and spacing of a set of conductive elements that comprise the grid, wherein the grid is used to define potential gradients in a reflectron ion mirror.
-
Specification