INTEGRATION OF VACUUM MICROELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH INTEGRATED CIRCUIT
A device includes an integrated circuit (IC) and at least one ultra-small resonant structure formed on said IC. At least the ultra-small resonant structure portion of the device is vacuum packaged. The ultra-small resonant structure portion of the device may be grounded or connected to a known electrical potential. The ultra-small resonant structure may be electrically connected to the underlying IC, or not.
1 . A method making a device comprising:
obtaining an integrated circuit (IC);
forming an ultra-small resonant structure on an external surface of the IC, wherein said ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to detect electromagnetic radiation (EMR); and
vacuum packaging at least said ultra-small resonant structure.
2 . A method as in claim 1 further comprising:
electrically grounding said ultra-small resonant structure.
3 . A method as in claim 1 further comprising:
electrically connecting said ultra-small resonant structure to a known electrical potential.
4 . A method as in claim 2 further comprising:
forming a region on said IC;
grounding said region; and
electrically connecting said ultra-small resonant structure to said region.
5 . A method as in claim 3 further comprising:
forming a region on said IC;
electrically connecting said region to a known electrical potential; and
electrically connecting said ultra-small resonant structure to said region.
6 . A method as in claim 2 wherein said ultra-small resonant structure is electrically grounded by electrically connecting said ultra-small resonant structure to a connection pin of said IC.
7 . A method as in claim 3 wherein said ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to a connection pin of said IC to provide the known electrical potential.
8 . A method as in claim 4 wherein said region is grounded by being electrically connected to a connection pin of said IC.
9 . A method as in claim 5 wherein said region is set to said known electrical potential by being electrically connected to a connection pin of said IC.
10 . A method as in claim 1 wherein said step of vacuum packaging comprises:
hermetically sealing at least said ultra-small resonant structure.
11 - 12 . (canceled)
13 . A method as in any one of claims 1 - 10 wherein said ultra-small resonant structure detects the EMR by altering a detectable characteristic of a beam of charged particles emitted by a source of charged particles.
14 . A method as in claim 13 wherein said source of charged particles is selected from the group comprising:
an ion gun, a thermionic filament, tungsten filament, a cathode, a vacuum triode, a field emission cathode, a planar vacuum triode, an electron-impact ionizer, a laser ionizer, a chemical ionizer, a thermal ionizer, an ion-impact ionizer.
15 . A method as in claim 13 wherein the charged particles are selected from the group comprising: positive ions, negative ions, electrons, and protons.
16 . A method as in claim 1 wherein the ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to detect at least one of visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet light.
17 . A method as in claim 1 further comprising:
electrically connecting said ultra-small resonant structure to said IC.
18 . A method of making a device comprising:
forming at least one ultra-small resonant structure on an external surface of an integrated circuit (IC), wherein said ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to detect electromagnetic radiation (EMR); and
vacuum packaging at least said at least one ultra-small resonant structure.
19 . A device comprising:
an integrated circuit (IC); and
at least one ultra-small resonant structure formed on an external surface of said IC), wherein said ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to detect electromagnetic radiation (EMR).
20 . A device as in claim 19 wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is vacuum packaged.
21 . A device as in claim 19 wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically grounded.
22 . A device as in claim 19 wherein said at least on ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to a known electrical potential.
23 . A device as in claim 19 further comprising:
at least one electrically grounded region formed on said IC, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically grounded by being connected to said least one region.
24 . A device as in claim 19 further comprising:
at least one region formed on said IC, said at least one region being electrically connected to a known electrical potential, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to said least one region.
25 . A device as in claim 19 wherein at least one of said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to said IC.
26 - 31 . (canceled)
32 . A device as in claim 19 wherein said ultra-small resonant structure detects the EMR by altering a detectable characteristic of a beam of charged particles emitted by a source of the charged particles.
33 . A device as in claim 32 wherein said source of charged particles is selected from the group comprising:
an ion gun, a tungsten filament, a cathode, a planar vacuum triode, an electron-impact ionizer, a laser ionizer, a chemical ionizer, a thermal ionizer, and an ion-impact ionizer.
34 . A device as in claim 32 wherein the charged particles are selected from the group comprising: positive ions, negative ions, electrons, and protons.
35 . A method of making a circuit comprising:
obtaining an integrated circuit (IC);
forming at least one ultra-small resonant structure, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to said IC and is constructed and adapted to detect electromagnetic radiation (EMR); and
vacuum packaging said circuit.
36 . A method as in claim 35 further comprising:
forming a first dielectric layer on a surface of said IC;
forming an interconnect layer on said first dielectric layer; and
forming a second dielectric layer on said interconnect layer, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on said second dielectric layer.
37 . A method as in claim 35 wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on a surface of said IC.
38 . A method as in claim 35 further comprising:
forming a first dielectric layer on a surface of said IC;
forming an interconnect layer on said first dielectric layer; wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on said interconnect layer.
39 . A method as in claim 36 further comprising:
forming at least one contact via in said second dielectric layer to allow electrical connection of an ultra-small resonant structure on said substrate to said interconnect layer, and
forming a second contact via in said first dielectric layer to allow electrical connection of said IC to said interconnect layer,
wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to said IC via said first contact via, said interconnect layer and said second contact via.
40 - 41 . (canceled)
42 . A method as in any one of claims 35 - 37 wherein said ultra-small resonant structure detects the EMR by altering a detectable characteristic of a beam of charged particles emitted by a source of charged particles.
43 . A method as in claim 42 wherein said source of charged particles is selected from the group comprising:
an ion gun, a tungsten filament, a cathode, a planar vacuum triode, an electron-impact ionizer, a laser ionizer, a chemical ionizer, a thermal ionizer, and an ion-impact ionizer.
44 . A method as in claim 42 wherein the charged particles are selected from the group comprising: positive ions, negative ions, electrons, and protons.
45 . A method as in any one of claims 35 - 37 wherein the at least on ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to detect at least one of visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet light.
46 . (canceled)
47 . A method as in claim 36 wherein said first dielectric layer comprises SiO 2 .
48 . A method as in claim 36 wherein said second dielectric layer comprises SiO 2 .
49 . A method as in claim 36 wherein said interconnect layer comprises a metal selected from the group comprising: gold (Au), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al) and tungsten (W).
50 . A circuit comprising:
an integrated circuit (IC); and
at least one ultra-small resonant structure electrically connected to said IC, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to detect electromagnetic radiation (EMR) by altering a measurable characteristic of a beam of charged particles and wherein said IC and said at least one ultra-small resonant structure are vacuum packaged.
51 . (canceled)
52 . A circuit as in claim 50 wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on a surface of said IC.
53 . A circuit as in claim 50 further comprising:
a first dielectric layer formed on a surface of said IC;
an interconnect layer on said first dielectric layer; and
a second dielectric layer on said interconnect layer, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on said second dielectric layer.
54 . A circuit as in claim 50 further comprising:
a first dielectric layer on a surface of said IC;
an interconnect layer on said first dielectric layer; wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on said interconnect layer.