Patent Application
20190021139
The technique disclosed herein relates to a heat radiation device configured to radiate radiant energy of a specific wavelength by using a meta-material structure layer.
JP 2015-198063 A describes an infrared heater using a meta-material structure layer (an example of a heat radiation device). This infrared heater is provided with a heating element and a microcavity component (an example of a meta-material structure layer) arranged on a front surface side of the heating element. Heat energy outputted from the heating element is radiated as radiant energy of a specific wavelength by being transferred through the microcavity component.
As aforementioned, in a heat radiation device using a meta-material structure, heat energy outputted from a heat source can be radiated as radiant energy of a specific wavelength from a surface on a meta-material structure layer side. However, in a conventional heat radiation device, a quantity of heat energy emitted from surfaces other than the surface on the meta-material structure layer side is large, and there had been a problem that a large heat energy loss thereby occurs. The description herein provides a heat radiation device capable of suppressing a heat energy loss as compared to the conventional heat radiation device.
A heat radiation device disclosed in the disclosure comprises: a heat source; a meta-material structure layer arranged on a front surface side of the heat source and configured to radiate radiant energy in a specific wavelength range by converting heat energy inputted from the heat source into the radiant energy in the specific wavelength range; and a rear-surface metal layer arranged on a rear surface side of the heat source, wherein an average emissivity of the rear-surface metal layer is smaller than an average emissivity of the meta-material structure layer.
In the above heat radiation device, the heat source is arranged between the meta-material structure layer and the rear-surface metal layer. Further, the emissivity of the rear-surface metal layer is smaller than the emissivity of the meta-material structure layer. Due to this, a heat energy loss from the rear-surface metal layer is suppressed small, and the heat energy loss can be suppressed as compared to a conventional heat radiation device.
Here, the “average emissivity” as above means an average emissivity over an entire infrared wavelength range (0.7 μm to 1 mm). Thus, “an average emissivity of the rear-surface metal layer is smaller than an average emissivity of the meta-material structure layer” as above stands true even if the emissivity of the rear-surface metal layer is larger in a part of the wavelength range, so long as the average emissivity of the rear-surface metal layer is smaller than the average emissivity of the meta-material structure layer in the entire infrared wavelength range.
Further, the “average emissivity” as above means an “average emissivity” measured upon when the rear-surface metal layer and the meta-material structure layer are set to a same setting temperature. Due to this, in a case where a temperature of the rear-surface metal layer and a temperature of the meta-material structure layer differ upon operating the heat radiation device, the “average emissivity” is measured by bringing the rear-surface metal layer to the setting temperature and the “average emissivity” is measured by bringing the meta-material structure layer to the setting temperature, and a magnitude comparison is performed based on these measured “average emissivity”. The “setting temperature” as above may for example be a temperature of the meta-material structure layer or a temperature of the rear-surface metal layer when the heat radiation device is operated at a rated output.
Further, the description herein discloses a novel processing device configured to process a target object using the heat radiation device as above. The processing device disclosed herein comprises the heat radiation device as described above arranged to face the target object; a housing that houses the target object and the heat radiation device; and a holder that holds the heat radiation device in the housing, with one end of the holder attached to an inner wall surface of the housing and another end of the holder attached to a part of the heat radiation device. The meta-material structure layer of the heat radiation device faces the target object. The rear-surface metal layer of the heat radiation device faces the inner wall surface of the housing. A gap is provided between the rear-surface metal layer and the inner wall surface of the housing.
According to the processing device as above, the heat energy loss caused by the radiation from the rear-surface metal layer can be suppressed, and in addition a heat energy loss caused by thermal conduction from the rear-surface metal layer can be suppressed. Due to this, the processing of the target object using the heat radiation device can be performed effectively.
Firstly, some features of embodiments described hereinbelow will be listed. Each of the features listed herein exhibits usefulness by being employed individually.
(Feature 1) In a heat radiation device disclosed herein, a meta-material structure layer may be arranged on a front surface of a first support substrate. A rear-surface metal layer may be arranged on a rear surface of a second support substrate. A heat source may be arranged between the first support substrate and the second support substrate. Further, a heat conductivity of the second support substrate may be smaller than a heat conductivity of the first support substrate. According to such a configuration, the heat energy flowing from the heat source to the second support substrate can be suppressed low, and a heat energy loss from the rear-surface metal layer can suitably be suppressed.
(Feature 2) In the heat radiation device disclosed herein, the first support substrate may be an AlN substrate. The second support substrate may be an Al2O3 substrate. The rear-surface metal layer may be an Au layer. According to such a configuration, a heat loss from the Au layer being the rear-surface metal layer can suitably be suppressed.
(Feature 3) In the heat radiation device disclosed herein, a thickness of the first support substrate may be smaller than a thickness of the second support substrate. According to such a configuration, heat from the heat source flows easily to the first support substrate being a substrate on a meta-material structure layer side, by which the heat energy from the heat source can more effectively be utilized.
(Feature 4) In a processing device using the heat radiation device disclosed herein, a partition wall partitioning a space in a housing into a first space in which a target object is housed and a second space in which the heat radiation device is housed may further be comprised. The partition wall may allow radiant energy in a specific wavelength range to pass therethrough. According to such a configuration, a temperature rise in the target object can suitably be suppressed. On the other hand, a process to radiate the radiant energy of a specific wavelength range on the target object can be performed.
(Feature 5) In the processing device using the heat radiation device disclosed herein, a drying process may be executed on the target object in the housing.
The heat radiation device 10 of the present embodiment is a heat radiation device (emitter) configured to radiate radiant energy in a specific wavelength range in an entire infrared wavelength range (0.7 μm to 1 mm). As shown in
The heat generating layer 16 is a layer that converts inputted electric energy to heat energy. As the heat generating layer 16, various types of known heat generating layers may be used, and for example, a layer formed by pattern-printing a heat generating wire (conductive material) on a front surface of the second support substrate 18, or a carbon sheet heater may be used. The heat generating layer 16 is connected to an external power source (not shown), and the electric energy is supplied from the external power source. A heat energy quantity generated in the heat generating layer 16 is controlled by an electric energy quantity supplied from the external power source being controlled. The heat generating layer 16 is arranged between the first support substrate 14 and the second support substrate 18, so the heat energy generated in the heat generating layer 16 flows to a first support substrate 14 side and a second support substrate 18 side.
The first support substrate 14 is in contact with a front surface of the heat generating layer 16. The first support substrate 14 may be constituted of a material with a large heat conductivity, and for example, an aluminum nitride (AlN) substrate or a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate may be used. The first support substrate 14 and the heat generating layer 16 may be adhered by using adhesive, or may be bonded by applying pressure therebetween by using a casing or the like (by so-called pressure welding).
The MIM (Metal-Insulator-Metal) structure layer 12 is one type of a meta-material structure layer, and is provided on a front surface of the first support substrate 14. The MIM structure layer 12 radiates the heat energy inputted from the heat generating layer 16 as radiant energy from a front surface thereof. That is, the MIM structure layer 12 is configured to radiate the radiant energy of a peak wavelength and in a narrow wavelength range (specific wavelength range) surrounding the peak wavelength, but configured not to radiate the radiant energy in ranges other than the specific wavelength range. That is, the MIM structure layer 12 has a high emissivity (such as 0.85 to 0.9) at the peak wavelength and an extremely low emissivity (such as 0.1 or lower) in the wavelength ranges other than the specific wavelength range. Due to this, an average emissivity of the MIM structure layer 12 in the entire infrared wavelength range (0.7 μm to 1 mm) is 0.15 to 0.3. As the specific wavelength range, for example, it may have its peak wavelength (such as 5 to 7 μm) in a near-infrared wavelength range (such as 2 to 10 μm), and may have its half power width adjusted to be about 1 μm.
As shown in
In the heat radiation device 10 of the present embodiment, the MIM structure layer 12 is used, however, a meta-material structure layer other than the MIM structure layer may be used. For example, a microcavity structure described in JP 2015-198063 A may be provided on the front surface of the first support substrate 14.
The second support substrate 18 is in contact with a rear surface of the heat generating layer 16. The second support substrate 18 may be constituted of a material having a small heat conductivity as compared to the heat conductivity of the first support substrate 14, and for example, an aluminum oxide (Al2O3) substrate may be used. The second support substrate 18 and the heat generating layer 16 may be adhered by using adhesive, or may be bonded by applying pressure therebetween by using a casing or the like (by so-called pressure welding). As it is apparent from
The rear-surface metal layer 20 is arranged on a rear surface of the second support substrate 18. The rear-surface metal layer 20 is constituted of a metal material with a low emissivity (such as gold (Au) and aluminum (Al)). In this embodiment, the rear-surface metal layer 20 is constituted of gold (Au). Due to this, an average emissivity of the rear-surface metal layer 20 in the entire infrared wavelength range is about 0.05. Thus, the average emissivity of the rear-surface metal layer 20 is set smaller than the average emissivity of the MIM structure layer 12. The rear-surface metal layer 20 may be fabricated by using sputtering on an entirety of the rear surface of the second support substrate 18.
In order to radiate the radiant energy (infrared beam) in the specific wavelength range from the aforementioned heat radiation device 10, the electric energy is supplied to the heat generating layer 16. Due to this, the heat generating layer 16 converts the electric energy to the heat energy, and the heat energy is transferred from the heat generating layer 16 to the first support substrate 14 or to the second support substrate 18. Here, the first support substrate 14 has the higher heat conductivity and the smaller thickness as compared to the second support substrate 18. Due to this, the heat energy transferred from the heat generating layer 16 to the first support substrate 14 becomes larger than the heat energy transferred from the heat generating layer 16 to the second support substrate 18. Due to this, a temperature of the first support substrate 14 becomes higher than a temperature of the second support substrate 18.
The heat energy transferred to the first support substrate 14 is transferred (inputted) to the MIM structure layer 12. The MIM structure layer 12 radiates the heat energy inputted from the first support substrate 14 as the radiant energy from the front surface thereof. On the other hand, the heat energy transferred to the second support substrate 18 is transferred to the rear-surface metal layer 20, and is radiated from the rear surface of the rear-surface metal layer 20. Here, since the emissivity of the rear-surface metal layer 20 is set low, the quantity of the radiant energy radiated from the rear-surface metal layer 20 is thereby suppressed. Further, as aforementioned, the temperature of the second support substrate 18 is lower than the temperature of the first support substrate 14, by which a temperature of the rear-surface metal layer 20 also becomes low. Due to this as well, the quantity of the radiant energy radiated from the rear-surface metal layer 20 can be suppressed.
Here, a heat balance calculation for a case of heating a workpiece W (which is an example of a target object) using the aforementioned heat radiation device 10 will be described with reference to
Next, a heat balance calculation for a case of heating the workpiece W using a heat radiation device of a comparative example will be described with reference to
As it is apparent from the heat balance calculations in
Next, an example of a processing device configured to process a workpiece using the heat radiation device 10 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to
Each of the plurality of heat radiation devices 10 is held on the inner wall surface 40a of the furnace body 40 using holder members 44a, 44b (which are examples of a holder). Specifically, Casings 42a, 42b are attached to both left and right ends of each heat radiation device 10. The casings 42a, 42b are in contact with the heat radiation device 10 only at the ends of the heat radiation device 10. An upper end of the holder member 44a is fixed to the inner wall surface 40a, and a lower end of the holder member 44a is fixed to the casing 42a. Similarly, an upper end of the holder member 44b is fixed to the inner wall surface 40a, and a lower end of the holder member 44b is fixed to the casing 42b. Due to this, the heat radiation device 10 is thereby held on the inner wall surface 40a of the furnace body 40. As it is apparent from
To heat the workpiece W in the above processing device, the workpiece W is transported in the furnace body 40 along an arrow 48. The workpiece W transported in the furnace body 40 is radiated with the radiant energy in the specific wavelength range from each of the plurality of heat radiation device 10. Further, the workpiece W is heated by heat transfer caused by the convection of the air flowing in the furnace. Here, the heat radiation devices 10 are connected to the furnace body 40 only at their ends via the casings 42a, 42b and the holder members 44a, 44b. Due to this, the heat loss caused by heat transfer from the heat radiation devices 10 to the furnace body 40 can effectively be suppressed. Further, the rear-surface metal layers 20 of the heat radiation devices 10 and the inner wall surface 40a of the furnace body 40 face each other with the spaces 49 in between them, so the heat loss by radiation from the rear-surface metal layers 20 is generated. However, since the emissivity of the rear-surface metal layers 20 is set low, the heat loss by the radiation from the rear-surface metal layers 20 to the inner wall surface 40a can be suppressed low. Due to this, the processing device shown in
When only the radiant energy in the specific wavelength range is radiated onto the workpiece W, only substances which absorb the radiant energy in the specific wavelength range can be heated while suppressing a temperature of the workpiece W low. For example, when a workpiece W containing a flammable solvent (such as N-methyl-pyrrolidone, methyl isobutyl ketone, butyl acetate, and toluene) (such as a substrate including a coated layer (the solvent being contained in the coated layer)) is to be subjected to a drying process, only the solvent can be evaporated while suppressing the temperature of the workpiece W low by radiating only the radiant energy in the wavelength range which the solvent absorbs onto the workpiece W, and the workpiece W can thereby be dried. Since the solvent can be dried efficiently, the drying process can be performed with less power consumption and in a short period of time.
Further, the heat radiation device 10 of the present embodiment can be used in a processing device shown in
In the processing device shown in
As it is apparent from the foregoing descriptions, the heat radiation devices 10 of the present embodiments can effectively suppress the heat loss from the rear-surface metal layers 20, so a greater quantity of the radiant energy in the specific wavelength range can be outputted with less electric energy. Due to this, the heating process of the workpiece W (such as the drying process of the solvent) can be performed with less energy in a short period of time.
Specific examples of the present invention are described above in detail, but these examples are merely illustrative and place no limitation on the scope of the patent claims. The technology described in the patent claims also encompasses various changes and modifications to the specific examples described above. Further, the technical elements explained in the present description or drawings exert technical utility independently or in combination of some of them, and the combination is not limited to one described in the claims as filed. Moreover, the technology exemplified in the present description or drawings achieves a plurality of objects at the same time, and has technical utility by achieving one of such objects.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-060652 | Mar 2016 | JP | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2017/010019 | Mar 2017 | US |
| Child | 16136542 | US |
