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US4627902A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of producing a resistance element for a resistance thermometer

Assignee: Emerson Process Management Ltd
•
Filing: 1984-04-05
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Granted: 1986-12-09
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Expires: 2004-04-05
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Abstract

Abstract A resistance thermometer element having a thin layer of platinum metal on an insulating substrate is formed by magnetron sputtering in a gaseous atmosphere containing at least 10% by volume of oxygen. Any balance gas has less than 10% by volume of argon, krypton and xenon. The atmosphere may have up to 100% oxygen with any balance gas being inert to platinum. Air can be used. A planar magnetron may be used.

Inventors

  • 👤 James S. Johnston
  • 👤 Leslie Holland
  • 👤 Christopher R. Wright

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 17:13
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01C; H01C7/00; H01C7/22; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/0021; C23C14/0036; G; G01; G01K; G01K7/00; G01K7/16; G01K7/18; H01C17/00; H01C17/06; H01C17/075; H01C17/12

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 79 words
A method of producing a thin film platinum resistance thermometer element having a TCR of about 3.85×10 -3 ppm/°C. which comprises magnetron sputtering a platinum film onto an insulating substrate in a sputtering atmosphere consisting of at least about 20% by volume of oxygen, with the balance gas consisting primarily of nitrogen, and heat treating the film after sputtering to remove any entrapped oxygen from the film and reduce or dissociate platinum oxide in the film to platinum metal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 79 words
A method of producing a thin film platinum resistance thermometer element having a TCR of about 3.85×10 -3 ppm/°C. which comprises magnetron sputtering a platinum film onto an insulating substrate in a sputtering atmosphere consisting of at least about 20% by volume of oxygen, with the balance gas consisting primarily of nitrogen, and heat treating the film after sputtering to remove any entrapped oxygen from the film and reduce or dissociate platinum oxide in the film to platinum metal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 and including heat treating the thin platinum layer after sputtering at between 700° C. and 1200° C. for at least 5 hours.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said heat treating is carried out for at least 5 to 10 hours.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said heat treating is carried out for about 20 hours.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 and including the further step, after said heat treating, of scribing the platinum layer with a laser to form an extended path thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method as claimed in claim 5 and including the futher step, after said laser scribing, of further heat treating the scribed platinum layer at between 700° C. and 1200° C. for at least 1 hour.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gaseous atmosphere is at least 50% by volume of oxygen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gaseous atmosphere is about 20% by volume of oxygen.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said gaseous atmosphere is air.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sputtering target used is 99.99% pure platinum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pressure of said gaseous atmosphere is between 10 -3 Torr and 10 -2 Torr.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the pressure is between 4×10 -3 Torr and 6×10 -3 Torr.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the pressure is between 6×10 -3 Torr and 9×10 -3 Torr.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pressure of said gaseous atmosphere is between 10 -2 Torr and 10 -1 Torr.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 11 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 using a planar magnetron.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the magnetron is arranged to confine the electrons to drift in a closed path perpendicular to an electric field.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the closed path is generally circular.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 64 words
A method of producing a thin film platinum resistance thermometer element having a TCR of about 3.85×10 -3 ppm/°C. which comprises magnetron sputtering a platinum film onto an insulating substrate in a substantially pure oxygen sputtering atmosphere, and heat treating the film after sputtering to remove any entrapped oxygen from the film and reduce or dissociate platinum oxide in the film to platinum metal.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 64 words
A method of producing a thin film platinum resistance thermometer element having a TCR of about 3.85×10 -3 ppm/°C. which comprises magnetron sputtering a platinum film onto an insulating substrate in a substantially pure oxygen sputtering atmosphere, and heat treating the film after sputtering to remove any entrapped oxygen from the film and reduce or dissociate platinum oxide in the film to platinum metal.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3645783A Cited
US3833410A Cited
US3845443A Cited
CA1014103A Cited
GB1501959A Cited
US4103275A Cited
GB1522221A Cited
US4129848A Cited
US4072593A Cited
EP0061887A1 Cited
GB2096645A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-12-08 1990-06-09 1990-12-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-12-08 1994-06-09 1994-12-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-12-08 1998-06-09 1998-12-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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