US5345213A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Temperature-controlled, micromachined arrays for chemical sensor fabrication and operation
Assignee: United States Department of Commerce
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Filing: 1992-10-26
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Granted: 1994-09-06
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Expires: 2012-10-26
Abstract
Abstract Planar forms of chemically-sensitive materials have been combined, under temperature control, with the pixels of a specially-designed micro-hotplate array to produce a miniature device capable of analyzing chemical mixtures. The device uses integrated multiple elements having different adsorption properties and temperatures to collectively achieve chemical selectivity in sensing. The method of making and using selectively in sensing. The device of the present invention is manufactured by standard CMOS foundry techniques which allow the production of a range of devices that have improved sensing performance.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephen Semancik
- 👤 Richard E. Cavicchi
- 👤 Michael Gaitan
- 👤 John S. Suehle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 23:02
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01L; B01L7/00; B01L7/54; G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/02; G01N27/04; G01N27/14; G01N27/18; B01L2300/00; B01L2300/18; B01L2300/1805; B01L2300/1827; B01L2300/1883; B01L3/00; B01L3/50; B01L3/502; B01L3/5027; G01N35/00; G01N2035/00178; G01N2035/00237
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
A temperature-controlled sensor element which comprises: a support substrate; a microbridge structure formed on said support substrate; a heating element formed on said microbridge structure so as to be thermally isolated from said support substrate; a conductive heat distribution plate formed above said heating element for evenly distributing heat from said heating element and; a layer of chemical active material formed above said conductive heat distribution plate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
67 words
A temperature-controlled sensor element which comprises: a support substrate; a microbridge structure formed on said support substrate; a heating element formed on said microbridge structure so as to be thermally isolated from said support substrate; a conductive heat distribution plate formed above said heating element for evenly distributing heat from said heating element and; a layer of chemical active material formed above said conductive heat distribution plate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 1, further including means to measure properties of said layer of chemical active material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 2, wherein said means to measure properties of said layer of chemical active material comprises a plurality of contact pads beneath and in contact with said layer of chemical active material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 1, wherein said conductive heat distribution plate includes four leads for sensing temperature.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 1, wherein a central portion of the microbridge structure is suspended over an etch pit which is formed in said substrate support.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 5, wherein said etch pit is formed with a closed bottom.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 1, wherein said chemical active material is adsorbent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 1, wherein said chemical active material is catalytic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 1, wherein said chemical active material is biologically active.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 1, wherein said conductive heat distribution plate is electrically conductive.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
A temperature-controlled chemical sensor which comprises: an array of sensor elements positioned on a substrate support, wherein each of said sensor elements comprises: a microbridge structure formed on said support substrate; a heating element formed on said microbridge structure so as to be thermally isolated from said support substrate; a conductive heat distribution plate formed above said heating element for evenly distributing heat from said heating element and; a layer of chemical active material formed above said conductive heat distribution plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
81 words
A temperature-controlled chemical sensor which comprises: an array of sensor elements positioned on a substrate support, wherein each of said sensor elements comprises: a microbridge structure formed on said support substrate; a heating element formed on said microbridge structure so as to be thermally isolated from said support substrate; a conductive heat distribution plate formed above said heating element for evenly distributing heat from said heating element and; a layer of chemical active material formed above said conductive heat distribution plate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A temperature-controlled chemical sensor according to claim 10, wherein said chemical active material of each of said sensors is of the same material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A temperature-controlled chemical sensor according to claim 11, wherein said chemical active material of each of said sensors is tuned to be responsive differently to a chemical species.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A temperature-controlled chemical sensor according to claim 10, wherein said chemical active material of each of said sensors is of a different chemical active material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A temperature-controlled chemical sensor according to claim 10, wherein each of said heat distribution plates includes four leads for sensing temperature.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A temperature-controlled chemical sensor according to claim 10, wherein each of said sensor elements includes an etch pit beneath a central portion of its microbridge structure.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
A temperature-controlled chemical sensor according to claim 15, wherein each of said etch pits includes a closed bottom.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A temperature-controlled chemical sensor according to claim 10, wherein said conductive heat distribution plate is electrically conductive.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of making a temperature-controlled sensor element which comprises: providing a support substrate having a first layer of an insulating material; forming a microbridge structure on said support structure; forming a heating element on said microbridge structure; forming a second layer of insulating material on said heating element; forming a conductive heat distribution plate on said second layer of insulating material; forming a third layer of insulating material on said conductive heat distribution plate; and forming a layer of a chemical active material on said third layer of insulating material.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of making a temperature-controlled sensor element which comprises: providing a support substrate having a first layer of an insulating material; forming a microbridge structure on said support structure; forming a heating element on said microbridge structure; forming a second layer of insulating material on said heating element; forming a conductive heat distribution plate on said second layer of insulating material; forming a third layer of insulating material on said conductive heat distribution plate; and forming a layer of a chemical active material on said third layer of insulating material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of making a temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 17, further comprising forming a plurality of contact pads beneath and in contact with said layer of chemical active material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of making a temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 17, which comprises forming a plurality of similar sensor elements on said substrate support.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method of making a temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 19, wherein each of said plurality of sensor elements is made to respond differently to a chemical species.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of making a temperature-controlled sensor element according to claim 17, further comprising forming said conductive heat distribution plate from an electrically conductive material.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of detecting components of a fluid mixture which comprises: providing a substrate having a plurality of micro-hotplates, wherein each of said plurality of micro-hotplates is provided with a conductive heat distribution plate and can be individually temperature controlled; providing a film of a chemical active material on each of said plurality of micro-hotplates; selectively heating said plurality of micro-hotplates while exposing said chemical active material to a fluid mixture; and measuring response of the chemical active material to said fluid mixture and determining therefrom the composition of said fluid mixture.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of detecting components of a fluid mixture which comprises: providing a substrate having a plurality of micro-hotplates, wherein each of said plurality of micro-hotplates is provided with a conductive heat distribution plate and can be individually temperature controlled; providing a film of a chemical active material on each of said plurality of micro-hotplates; selectively heating said plurality of micro-hotplates while exposing said chemical active material to a fluid mixture; and measuring response of the chemical active material to said fluid mixture and determining therefrom the composition of said fluid mixture.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of detecting components of a fluid mixture according to claim 21, further comprising forming said conductive heat distribution plate from an electrically conductive material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method of detecting components of a fluid mixture according to claim 21, wherein said selectively heating comprises subjecting selective micro-hotplates to temperature variations.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of detecting components of a fluid mixture according to claim 21, further comprising regenerating the chemical active material after exposure by selectively heating said plurality of micro-hotplates above a regeneration temperature.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method of detecting components of a fluid mixture according to claim 21, further comprising providing a protective layer over said chemical active material and selectively heating said plurality of micro-hotplates to burn off said protective layer and expose said chemical active material to said fluid mixture.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-09-05 | 1998-03-07 | 1998-09-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-09-05 | 2002-03-07 | 2002-09-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-09-05 | 2006-03-07 | 2006-09-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |