US5264375A — Superconducting detector and method of making same

Claim 1

Independent Claim 106 words

A process for forming a radiation detector device comprising the steps of: a) forming a cavity on a surface of a base body; b) forming a membrane film on a surface of a device substrate; c) bonding the substrate to the base body with the membrane film opposite the cavity; d) removing material from the device substrate leaving the membrane film and a device body, formed from said device substrate, and aligned with said cavity so that the device body is suspended by said membrane over said gap and thermally insulated thereby from said base body; and e) forming said detector device on said device body.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 106 words

A process for forming a radiation detector device comprising the steps of: a) forming a cavity on a surface of a base body; b) forming a membrane film on a surface of a device substrate; c) bonding the substrate to the base body with the membrane film opposite the cavity; d) removing material from the device substrate leaving the membrane film and a device body, formed from said device substrate, and aligned with said cavity so that the device body is suspended by said membrane over said gap and thermally insulated thereby from said base body; and e) forming said detector device on said device body.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 32 words

The process of claim 1 wherein the device substrate is formed of single crystal material and the detector device is comprised of a sensor formed of epitaxially grown high Tc superconducting material.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

The process of claim 1 wherein the material is removed by etching and forming an etch back layer in said device substrate to facilitate removal of material to a predetermined depth.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process of claim 2 wherein the superconducting material is an oxide of yttrium, barium, and copper.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

The process of claim 2 wherein the high Tc superconducting material is grown on an intermediate epitaxial buffer layer.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 27 words

The process of claim 5 wherein the high Tc material is an oxide of Y Ba Cu and the buffer layer is formed of Y stabilized zirconia.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 150 words

A process for forming an IR detector device comprising the steps of: a) forming a concave cavity on a planar surface of a silicon base body; b) forming a membrane film of a silicon compound on a surface of a single crystal silicon device substrate; c) bonding the substrate to the body with the membrane film disposed over the cavity leaving an air gap in the cavity; d) etching materials from the device substrate leaving a device body of single crystal silicon suspended by said membrane over said gap and thermally isolated thereby from said base body; e) growing an epitaxial buffer layer on said device body; f) growing an epitaxial layer of high Tc superconducting material on said buffer layer; g) forming said high Tc material layer into a resistor to form an IR sensor; and h) forming electrical leads connected to said sensor and extending over said membrane.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 150 words

A process for forming an IR detector device comprising the steps of: a) forming a concave cavity on a planar surface of a silicon base body; b) forming a membrane film of a silicon compound on a surface of a single crystal silicon device substrate; c) bonding the substrate to the body with the membrane film disposed over the cavity leaving an air gap in the cavity; d) etching materials from the device substrate leaving a device body of single crystal silicon suspended by said membrane over said gap and thermally isolated thereby from said base body; e) growing an epitaxial buffer layer on said device body; f) growing an epitaxial layer of high Tc superconducting material on said buffer layer; g) forming said high Tc material layer into a resistor to form an IR sensor; and h) forming electrical leads connected to said sensor and extending over said membrane.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 27 words

The process of claim 7 wherein said buffer layer is formed of yttrium stabilized zirconia, and the high Tc material is an oxide of Y Ba Cu.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 31 words

The process of claim 8 wherein the resistance of the sensor is about 500 ohms and the detector has an optical noise equivalent power of about 4×10 -12 W/Hz 1/2 .

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 14 words

The process of claim 7 wherein the silicon compound is a nitride of silicon.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 121 words

A process for forming a high Tc superconducting radiation detector device comprising the steps of: a) forming a cavity on a planar surface of a base body; b) forming a membrane film on a surface of a planar device substrate formed of epitaxial material; c) bonding the planar surface of the substrate to the planar surface of the base body with the membrane film disposed opposite the cavity; d) removing material from the device substrate leaving the membrane film and a device body, formed from said device substrate, and aligned with said cavity; forming an epitaxial form of high Tc superconductivity material over said device body; f) patterning said film into a resistor; and g) forming electrical leads to said resistor.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 121 words

A process for forming a high Tc superconducting radiation detector device comprising the steps of: a) forming a cavity on a planar surface of a base body; b) forming a membrane film on a surface of a planar device substrate formed of epitaxial material; c) bonding the planar surface of the substrate to the planar surface of the base body with the membrane film disposed opposite the cavity; d) removing material from the device substrate leaving the membrane film and a device body, formed from said device substrate, and aligned with said cavity; forming an epitaxial form of high Tc superconductivity material over said device body; f) patterning said film into a resistor; and g) forming electrical leads to said resistor.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 26 words

The process of claim 11 wherein the device substrate is formed of single crystal silicon material and the high Tc superconducting material is a yttrium-barium-copper oxide.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 29 words

The process of claim 12 wherein an etch back layer of doped silicon is formed in said device substrate to facilitate removal of material to the etch back layer.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

The process of claim 11 wherein the device substrate is formed of Si and the membrane is formed of a nitride of Si.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

The process of claim 11 wherein the high Tc superconducting material is grown on an intermediate epitaxial buffer layer.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 27 words

The process of claim 15 wherein the high Tc material is an oxide of Y Ba Cu and the buffer layer is formed of Y stabilized zirconia.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-11-22	1997-05-24	1997-11-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-11-22	2001-05-24	2001-11-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-11-22	2005-05-24	2005-11-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Superconducting detector and method of making same

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