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:
Jul. 22, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 17, 2001
Kenneth Maxwell Hays, Santa Ana, CA (US);
Alan Glenn Bisignano, Fountain Valley, CA (US);
Eugene Timothy Fitzgibbons, San Clemente, CA (US);
DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems, Inc., Anaheim, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a sealed-cavity miscrostructure and an associated method for manufacturing the microstructure. Specifically, the microstructure of the present invention includes first and second wafers that are positioned relative to one another so as to form a cavity between the wafers. The microstructure further includes a seal between the first and second wafers and surrounding the cavity to create a pressure seal for the cavity. This seal allows the cavity of the microstructure to be maintained at a predetermined pressure different from that of the atmosphere outside the cavity. Importantly, the microstructure of the present invention further includes a structrual bond between the first and second wafers that structurally intergrates the first and second wafers. The structural bond renders the microstructure more rugged such that the microstructure can withstand expansion, vibrational, and shock stresses experienced by the microstructure during subsequent manufacturing and use. In one additional embodiment, the microstructure is a microbolometer that includes in addition to the seal and structural bond, a radiation detector suspended in the cavity.