Patent Application
20090090544
The present disclosure relates to thermoelectric devices and more specifically to a system and method for a substrate with interconnects and sealing surface.
Thermoelectric modules may be used to cool devices such as detectors that are used in a wide variety of applications. To aid these units in functioning effectively and reliably the detectors and thermoelectric modules may be kept in an inert atmosphere or in a vacuum. Accordingly these devices may be covered and sealed to allow the final device to be smaller and portable.
The present disclosure relates generally to a system and method for a substrate with interconnects and a sealing surface. In particular embodiments, a method for manufacturing a substrate with interconnects and a sealing surface includes providing a base composed of a first electrically insulating material. At least one lead is deposited on the base, the at least one lead including a trace of electrically conductive material having a first end and a second end. A dielectric layer is deposited on a portion of the at least one lead between the first end and the second end, the dielectric layer including a coating of a second electrically insulating material. A sealing surface is deposited on a portion of the dielectric layer, the sealing surface including a contiguous shape of metal separating an enclosed area of the base located inside the contiguous shape from an open area of the base located outside the contiguous shape. The first end of the at least one lead is located in the enclosed area and the second end of the at least one lead is located in the open area. Moreover, the dielectric layer electrically insulates the at least one lead from the sealing surface.
In particular embodiments, the dielectric layer may generally correspond to the contiguous shape and may separate the base and the at least one lead from the sealing surface.
In particular embodiments, the method further includes mounting one or more electrical components to the base inside the enclosed area and coupling one of the one or more electrical components to the at least one lead.
In particular embodiments, the method further includes providing a cap including a perimeter edge that generally corresponds in configuration to the contiguous shape.
In particular embodiments, the method further includes placing the cap over the one or more electrical components and fusing the perimeter edge of the cap to the sealing surface. As an example and not by way of limitation, the perimeter edge of the cap may be fused to the sealing surface using heat.
In particular embodiments, the base may include a flexible material.
In particular embodiments, the method further includes depositing a patterned metallization inside the sealed area that, once coupled to an electrical component, electrically interconnects one or more elements of the electrical component.
In particular embodiments, the one or more electrical components may include an electrooptic device.
In particular embodiments, the cap may include a window of generally transparent material operable to transmit light from a light source from a first side of the window to a second side of the window.
Technical advantages of particular embodiments of the present disclosure may include eliminating the need for cooler leads to be inserted into a sealed package (e.g., one or more electrical components housed inside of a sealed enclosure) through holes in the sealed package. Further technical advantages of particular embodiments of the present disclosure may include improved heat conduction between a thermoelectric module and a substrate due to the ability to directly couple the thermoelectric module to the substrate.
Other technical advantages of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims. Moreover, while specific advantages have been enumerated above, various embodiments may include all, some, or none of the enumerated advantages.
For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following descriptions, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Leads 106 may be any deposition or trace of electrically conductive material capable of communicating electrical current with an electrical component 112 located inside sealing surface 110. Depending upon design, leads 106 may be composed of copper, nickel, or other metal, and leads 106 may be deposited on base 102 by screen printing, dispensing, sputtering, electroplating, or other suitable deposition technique.
In particular embodiments, leads 106 may supply power from a power source located outside of sealing surface 110 to one or more electrical components 112 located inside sealing surface 110. As an example and not by way of limitation, electrical component 112 may be a thermoelectric module mounted inside sealing surface 110 to which leads 106 may supply current from a power source located outside of sealing surface 110. As another example and not by way of limitation, multiple electrical components 112 may be mounted inside sealing surface 110, each electrical component 112 being supplied power from its own set of leads 106. For example, a first set of leads 106 may supply power to a thermoelectric module and a second set of leads 106 may supply power to a temperature sensor located inside sealing surface 110. As yet another example and not by way of limitation, an electrical component 112 located inside sealing surface 110 may include multiple sets of leads (e.g., a first set of leads to power electrical component 112 and a second set of leads 106 to communicate data with electrical component 112).
In particular embodiments, the position of leads 106 may be custom designed to suit the topology of a preconfigured electrical component (e.g., to align with the power inputs of a prefabricated circuit). One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above-described compositions, methods of deposition, number, and configurations of leads 106 were presented for the sake of explanatory simplicity and will further appreciate that the present disclosure contemplates the use of any suitable composition, method of deposition, number, and configuration of leads 106 in order to communicate electrical current to or from one or more electrical components 112 located inside sealing surface 110.
Dielectric layer 108 may be any coating or layer or combination of coatings or layers capable of electrically insulating leads 106 from sealing surface 110. As an example and not by way of limitation, dielectric layer 108 may be ceramic, glass, plastic or metal oxide materials including but not limited to products like DuPont 5681, Heraeus IP9319D, Ferro 1903, or Metech 7600A. In particular embodiments, dielectric layer 108 may be deposited on base 102 by screen printing, dispensing, sputtering, electroplating, or other suitable deposition technique. Depending upon the material selected for dielectric layer 108 as well as the thickness of dielectric layer 108, dielectric layer 108 may be either rigid or flexible.
Dielectric layer 108 may be configured in any shape and size and may cover any suitable portion of leads 106 and any suitable portion of base 102. As an example and not by way of limitation, dielectric layer 108 could be a circle, a square, an oval, or one or more other contiguous or noncontiguous shapes. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above-described compositions, methods of deposition, and configurations of dielectric layer 108 have been presented for the sake of explanatory simplicity and will further appreciate that the present disclosure contemplates the use of any suitable composition, method of deposition, and configuration of dielectric layer 108 in order to electrically insulate leads 106 from sealing surface 110.
Sealing surface 110 may be any coating or layer or combination of coatings or layers deposited on dielectric layer 108, base 102, or a combination thereof operable to allow another object (e.g., a cap 114) to be fused to substrate 100 by soldering, brazing, welding or other suitable fusion process including heat, pressure, electricity or a combination thereof. As an example and not by way of limitation, sealing surface 110 may be a layer of copper, nickel, or other metal, or combination of metals. In particular embodiments, sealing surface 110 may be deposited on substrate 100 by screen printing, dispensing, sputtering, electroplating, or other suitable deposition technique. Sealing surface 110 may be configured in any contiguous shape of any size and may cover portions of dielectric layer 108 and/or base 102. As an example and not by way of limitation, sealing surface 110 could be a circle, a square, an oval, or an irregular contiguous shape.
Depending upon design, a first portion of sealing surface 110 may reside on dielectric layer 108 and a second portion of sealing surface 110 may reside directly on base 102, or alternatively, all of sealing surface 110 may reside on top of dielectric layer 108. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above-described compositions, methods of deposition, and configurations of sealing surface 110 have been presented for the sake of explanatory simplicity and will further appreciate that the present disclosure contemplates the use of any suitable composition, method of deposition, and configuration of sealing surface 110 in order to allow another object to be fused to substrate 100 by soldering, brazing, welding or other suitable fusion process including heat, pressure, electricity or a combination thereof.
Base 102 may be any fixture or combination of fixtures composed of one or more electrically insulating materials capable of acting as a substrate base for an electrical component. As an example and not by way of limitation, base 102 may a rigid plate composed of a thermally conducting and electrically insulating material (e.g., ceramic). As an additional example and not by way of limitation, base 102 may a flexible sheet composed of a thermally conducting and electrically insulating material. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure contemplates the use of any suitable device or fixture composed of any suitable material to act as a base for the other components of substrate 100.
Electrical component 112 may be any electrically-powered device or combination of two or more such devices operable to send or receive electrical current through leads 106 while residing inside cap 114. As an example and not by way of limitation, electrical component 112 may be an electrooptic device (e.g., an optical sensor or an optical emitter), a thermoelectric device consisting of a plurality of p-type and n-type elements, an electrical circuit, or any other suitable electrically powered device. In particular embodiments, leads 106 may supply power or control signals to electrical component(s) 112 residing inside sealing surface 110. As an example and not by way of limitation, leads 106 may be designed such that the power inputs to electrical component 112 may be mounted (e.g., soldered) directly onto leads 106. As another example and not by way of limitation, one or more wires extending from the power inputs of electrical component 112 may be soldered to one or more portions of leads 106 located inside sealing surface 110. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure contemplates the use of any suitable means to couple leads 106 to an electrical component 112.
In particular embodiments, one or more constituent elements of electrical component 112 may be electrically interconnected to one another by patterned metallization 104 once electrical component 112 is mounted onto substrate 100. For example, the configuration of patterned metallization 104 may be tailored to match the configuration of the particular elements of electrical component 112 that need to be electrically interconnected with one another when electrical component 112 is mounted to substrate 100. Thus, once electrical component 112 has been mounted on substrate 100 and placed in contact with patterned metallization 104, patterned metallization 104 may electrically interconnect the constituent elements of electrical component 112. For example, if electrical component 112 is a thermoelectric device, patterned metallization 104 may electrically couple adjacent p-type and n-type elements of the thermoelectric device together.
By mounting cap 114 over the electrical components 112 located inside sealing surface 110, a manufacturer, user, or other party may seal electrical components 112 in an inert atmosphere or a vacuum. Cap 114 may be any rigid housing capable of creating a sealed environment around electrical component 112 when fused to sealing surface 110. For example, cap 114 may be a metal box that is welded, soldered or otherwise fused to sealing surface 110 to form an airtight seal. In particular embodiments, the fusion process used to attach cap 114 to sealing surface 110 may further include heat, force, electricity, or a combination thereof. Depending upon design, cap 114 may be composed of metal or a combination of metal and other materials (e.g., plastic, glass, etc.) suitable for the intended application of cap 114. For example, if electrical component 112 is an electrooptic device such as a photodetector, then cap 114 may include a window 122 of optically permissive material (e.g., glass, plastic, or diamond) to permit light to be transmitted to or from electrical component 112.
To facilitate the process of mounting cap 114 to sealing surface 110, cap 114 may include a perimeter edge 120 that corresponds in shape to the shape of sealing surface 110, though any suitable shape for perimeter edge 120 may be used as long as a complete seal is possible with sealing surface 110. Typically, the perimeter edge 120 of cap 114 is composed of metal to enable perimeter edge 120 to be fused (e.g., soldered or welded) to sealing surface 110. By enabling a cap 114 to be mounted over electrical components 112 located inside sealing surface 110, substrate 100 acts as the base to a sealed package while at the same time providing a foundation for leads 106 by which power may be supplied to the components located inside the cover through leads 106.
Although the present disclosure has been described in several embodiments, a myriad of changes, substitutions, and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes, substitutions, and modifications as fall within the scope of the present appended example claim(s).
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/977,872, entitled “System and Method for a Thermoelectric Module Substrate with Interconnects and Sealing Surface,” filed Oct. 5, 2007.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60977872 | Oct 2007 | US |
