Micro-structured atomic source system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9585237-B2
Application number	US-201514682810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2015
Priority date	Apr 9, 2015
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A micro-structured atomic source system is described herein. One system includes a silicon substrate, a dielectric diaphragm, wherein the dielectric diaphragm includes a heater configured to heat an atomic source substance, an intermediary material comprising a chamber configured to receive the atomic source substance, and a guide material configured to direct a flux of atoms from the atomic source substance.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A micro-structured atomic source system, comprising:
a silicon substrate;
a dielectric diaphragm, wherein the dielectric diaphragm includes a heater configured to heat an atomic source substance;
an intermediary material comprising a chamber with an opening configured to receive the atomic source substance; and
a guide material partially covering the opening of the chamber, the guide material configured to direct a flux of atoms from the atomic source substance.

2. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 1 , wherein the heater is configured to sublimate the atomic source substance.

3. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 1 , wherein the atomic source substance is adjacent to the heater.

4. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 1 , wherein the atomic source substance is a thin-film substance.

5. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 1 , wherein the atomic source substance is a granular substance.

6. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 1 , wherein the silicon substrate is adjacent to the dielectric diaphragm.

7. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 1 , wherein the silicon substrate includes a channel.

8. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 7 , wherein the channel is configured to thermally isolate the dielectric diaphragm.

9. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric diaphragm further includes a number of temperature sensors.

10. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric diaphragm is adjacent to the intermediary material.

11. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 1 , wherein the guide material is adjacent to the intermediary material and includes an opening configured to direct the flux of atoms from the atomic source substance.

12. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 11 , wherein a dimension of the opening of the guide material is selected to direct the flux of atoms from the atomic source sub stance.

13. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 1 , wherein a quantity of the atoms is controlled by current supplied to the heater.

14. A method for operating a micro-structured atomic source system, comprising:
receiving, through an opening in a chamber located in an intermediary material, an atomic source substance;
heating, via a heater located in a dielectric diaphragm, the atomic source substance such that the atomic source substance sublimates to produce a flux of atoms; and
directing, via an opening located in a guide material partially covering the opening of the chamber, the flux of atoms.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method includes controlling the flux of atoms by controlling a current supplied to the heater.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method includes receiving the atomic source substance by the chamber via a shadow mask.

17. A micro-structured atomic source system, comprising:
a silicon substrate comprising one or more channels;
a dielectric diaphragm located adjacent to the silicon substrate, wherein the dielectric diaphragm includes a plurality of heaters each configured to heat a different one of a plurality of atomic source substances, wherein each different atomic source substance is located adjacent to its respective heater;
an intermediary material located adjacent to the silicon substrate and the dielectric diaphragm, comprising a plurality of chambers each including an opening, wherein each of the plurality of chambers are configured to receive a different one of the atomic source substances; and
a guide material located adjacent to the intermediary material, comprising a plurality of openings each configured to direct a flux of atoms from a different one of the atomic source substances, wherein the guide material partially covers each of the plurality of openings of each of the plurality of chambers.

18. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 17 , wherein different ones of the plurality of atomic source substances are located in different chambers.

19. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of heaters are operated independently.

20. The micro-structured atomic source system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of heaters are operated simultaneously.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Goeders James
• Marcus Matthew S
• Ohnstein Thomas
• Stark Terry Dean

Classifications

• H05H3/02 Primary

  Molecular or atomic-beam generation, e.g. resonant beam generation · CPC title

• B81C2201/0132

  Dry etching, i.e. plasma etching, barrel etching, reactive ion etching [RIE], sputter etching or ion milling · CPC title

• B81B7/02 Primary

  containing distinct electrical or optical devices of particular relevance for their function, e.g. microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS] (B81B7/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B81C2201/0133

  Wet etching · CPC title

• B81B2203/0127

  Diaphragms, i.e. structures separating two media that can control the passage from one medium to another; Membranes, i.e. diaphragms with filtering function · CPC title