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US3715288A
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Method of fabricating film-type sensing structures
Assignee: ARMTEC INDUSTRIES Inc THREE FRENCH DRIVE MANCHESTER NH A CORP OF NH
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Filing: 1970-11-10
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Granted: 1973-02-06
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Expires: 1990-11-10
Abstract
Abstract A unique film-type, radiation sensing structure and method of manufacture in which a high strength, electrically insulating, thin, support film having low heat capacity and low heat conductivity is formed so as to be unitary with a backing material by selective anodizing of an aluminum blank and etching away aluminum backing. The thin film can be heated to permit the type of vapor deposition which makes practicable use of semiconductor radiation sensing materials e.g. to form a hot junction of a thermocouple. A novel conically shaped cavity film support provides ideal absorber structure.
Inventors
- 👤 O Risgin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 11:23
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25D; C25D11/00; C25D11/02; C25D11/04; C25D11/06; C25D11/10; G; G01; G01J; G01J5/00; G01J5/10; G01J5/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
Method for manufacturing thermal sensing structure comprising shaping an aluminum metal blank to define a cavity, anodizing the metal blank to form an anodized layer of predetermined thickness, exposing the anodized layer on opposed interior and exterior surfaces of the cavity, such exposed anodized layer being supported by and unitary with the remainder of the metal blank about its entire periphery, and depositing thermoelectric materials on the exposed anodized layer and the metal blank in a predetermined manner with overlapping portions of the thermoelectric materials forming thermocouple junctions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
Method for manufacturing thermal sensing structure comprising shaping an aluminum metal blank to define a cavity, anodizing the metal blank to form an anodized layer of predetermined thickness, exposing the anodized layer on opposed interior and exterior surfaces of the cavity, such exposed anodized layer being supported by and unitary with the remainder of the metal blank about its entire periphery, and depositing thermoelectric materials on the exposed anodized layer and the metal blank in a predetermined manner with overlapping portions of the thermoelectric materials forming thermocouple junctions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of polishing an exterior surface of the cavity prior to anodizing and in which the polishing step includes electropolishing to form a smooth, non-reentrant surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the cavity has a conical configuration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of enclosing the thermal sensing structure in a chamber of predetermined atmospheric character.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method of claim 1 in which the entire metal blank is anodized and the anodized layer on the interior surface of the cavity of the metal blank is exposed by removing at leaSt a portion of the anodized layer from the internal surface of the cavity, and removing remaining backing metal from such internal surface of the cavity by a process selected from the group consisting of etching, photoetching, chemical milling, and photochemical milling.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 5 in which the cavity has a conical configuration and in which the interior surface of the conical cavity is covered with a radiation absorbent material, such as lamp black, after removal of backing metal from the internal surface of the cavity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
97 words
Method for fabricating film-type sensing structure comprising the steps of treating a pre-shaped blank selected from the group consisting of aluminum and aluminum alloys on at least one surface by anodizing to form a high strength, electrically insulative coating, the coating comprising an anodized layer formed from material of the blank, removing blank-material backing from the coating over a prescribed area to leave an exposed, thin film supported about its entire periphery by and unitary with the remaining blank material and spanning a recess in the blank, and depositing thermal sensing material on the peripherally supported film.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
Method for fabricating film-type sensing structure comprising the steps of treating a pre-shaped blank selected from the group consisting of aluminum and aluminum alloys on at least one surface by anodizing to form a high strength, electrically insulative coating, the coating comprising an anodized layer formed from material of the blank, removing blank-material backing from the coating over a prescribed area to leave an exposed, thin film supported about its entire periphery by and unitary with the remaining blank material and spanning a recess in the blank, and depositing thermal sensing material on the peripherally supported film.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7 including the step of heating the supported film prior to depositing the thermal sensing material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 7 in which the anodizing is carried out in a weak acid solution substantially non-erosive of the anodized layer to form a hard, substantially pore-free anodized layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 7 in which a plurality of thermal sensing materials are deposited on the peripherally supported film to form a thermoelectrical junction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
74 words
Method for fabricating film-type sensing structure comprising the steps of treating a metal blank anodically to form an oxide layer, removing metal backing from the oxide layer over a prescribed area to leave an exposed, unitary, oxide layer supported about its entire periphery by the remaining metal blank, depositing radiation sensing material on the peripherally supported oxide layer the radiation sensing material comprising semi-conductor materials deposited in separate layers to form a thermocouple junction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
74 words
Method for fabricating film-type sensing structure comprising the steps of treating a metal blank anodically to form an oxide layer, removing metal backing from the oxide layer over a prescribed area to leave an exposed, unitary, oxide layer supported about its entire periphery by the remaining metal blank, depositing radiation sensing material on the peripherally supported oxide layer the radiation sensing material comprising semi-conductor materials deposited in separate layers to form a thermocouple junction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 11 including the step of heating the thin-film, peripherally-supported, oxide layer prior to depositing the radiation sensing material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11 in which the radiation sensing material is deposited by vapor deposition.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 11 in which the separate layers of semi-conductor thermoelectric material are deposited in partially overlapping relationship to form a plurality of hot junctions on the supporting film and a plurality of cold junctions on the metal blank, the hot junctions and cold junctions being interconnected to form thermopile means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 14 in which the hot junctions are coated with a thermal radiation absorbent material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 11 in which the metal blank comprises aluminum and the oxide layer is formed by anodizing to produce a coating between about one tenth of a micron and about one micron in thickness.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 16 in which the anodizing is carried out in electrolyte solution which is substantially non-erosive of the oxide layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11 including the step of preshaping the metal blank to form a recessed area prior to treatment.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3307974A
Cited
US3607680A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-02-06 | 1976-08-07 | 1977-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-02-06 | 1980-08-07 | 1981-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-02-06 | 1984-08-07 | 1985-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |