The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 20, 2019
Filed:
Jul. 15, 2015
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (US);
Cecile Jung-Kubiak, Glendale, CA (US);
Colleen M. Marrese-Reading, Valencia, CA (US);
Victor E. White, Altadena, CA (US);
Daniel W. Wilson, Montrose, CA (US);
Matthew R. Dickie, Long Beach, CA (US);
Karl Y. Yee, Pasadena, CA (US);
Richard E. Muller, Altadena, CA (US);
James E. Polk, Pasadena, CA (US);
John R. Anderson, Tujunga, CA (US);
Nima Rouhi, Pasadena, CA (US);
Frank Greer, Los Angeles, CA (US);
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (US);
Abstract
Micro-emitter arrays and methods of microfabricating such emitter arrays are provided. The microfabricated emitter arrays incorporate a plurality of emitters with heights greater than 280 microns with uniformity of +/−10 microns arranged on a supporting silicon substrate, each emitter comprising an elongated body extending from the top surface of the substrate and incorporating at least one emitter tip on the distal end of the elongated body thereof. The emitters may be disposed on the substrate in an ordered array in an X by Y grid pattern, wherein X and Y can be any number greater than zero. The micro-emitter arrays may utilize a LMIS propellant source including, for example, gallium, indium, bismuth, or tin. The substrate may incorporate at least one through-via providing a fluid pathway for the LMIS propellant to flow from a propellant reservoir beneath the substrate to the top substrate surface whereupon the micro-emitter array is disposed.