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Publication Number
US-11867776-B2
Publication Date
2024-01-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
Various embodiments comprise a laser bonded glass-silicon vapor cell for performing spectroscopy on particles like atoms or molecules. In some examples, the laser bonded glass-silicon vapor cell comprises a glass base, a glass top, a silicon piece, and a filling material. The silicon piece comprises at least one through hole. The lower surface of the silicon piece is hermetically bonded to the glass base. The upper surface of the silicon piece is laser bonded to the glass top. The filling material is positioned in a cavity formed by the through hole, the glass base, and the glass top. The filling material may comprise an alkali metal, a salt slush, or an inert gas. In some examples the cavity formed by the through hole, the glass base, and the glass top may comprise a vacuum encapsulation.
Core Innovation
The disclosure provides a laser bonded glass-silicon vapor cell for performing atomic spectroscopy. The cell includes a glass base and a glass top, and a silicon piece includes a through hole in which a lower surface of the silicon piece is hermetically bonded to the glass base and an upper surface of the silicon piece is laser bonded to the glass top.
A filling material is positioned in a cavity formed by the through hole, the glass base, and the glass top. The disclosed structure uses laser bonding to form a sealed cavity with glass and silicon, while also providing a hermetic bond at the lower surface of the silicon piece to the glass base.
The disclosure further describes a method of manufacturing the laser bonded glass-silicon vapor cell for atomic spectroscopy, including making a through hole in a silicon piece, hermetically bonding a lower surface of the silicon piece to a glass base, positioning a filling material in the through hole on the glass base, clamping a glass top to the silicon piece, laser bonding the upper surface of the silicon piece to the glass top, and removing the clamping. An additional disclosed cell configuration includes vacuum encapsulation positioned in the cavity.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three aspects: a laser bonded glass-silicon vapor cell structure, a laser-bonded manufacturing method, and a vacuum-encapsulated variant of the cell. The main inventive features center on the glass base, glass top, silicon through-hole with hermetic bonding and laser bonding interfaces, and positioning of filling material or vacuum encapsulation in the formed cavity.
Laser bonded glass-silicon vapor cell structure with through-hole cavity and filling material
A laser bonded glass-silicon vapor cell for performing atomic spectroscopy comprising a glass base, a glass top, and a silicon piece comprising a through hole wherein a lower surface of the silicon piece is hermetically bonded to the glass base and an upper surface of the silicon piece is laser bonded to the glass top, with a filling material positioned in a cavity formed by the through hole, the glass base, and the glass top.
Manufacturing a laser bonded glass-silicon vapor cell by through-hole formation, hermetic bonding, filling, clamping, laser bonding, and unclamping
A method of manufacturing a laser bonded glass-silicon vapor cell for performing atomic spectroscopy comprising making a through hole in a silicon piece; hermetically bonding a lower surface of the silicon piece to a glass base; positioning a filling material in the through hole of the silicon piece on the glass base; clamping a glass top to the silicon piece to contact the glass top with an upper surface of the silicon piece; laser bonding the upper surface of the silicon piece to the glass top; and removing the clamping.
Laser bonded glass-silicon vapor cell vacuum encapsulation
A laser bonded glass-silicon vapor cell for performing atomic spectroscopy comprising a glass base, a glass top, a silicon piece comprising a through hole wherein a lower surface of the silicon piece is hermetically bonded to the glass base and an upper surface of the silicon piece is laser bonded to the glass top, and a vacuum encapsulation positioned in a cavity formed by the through hole, the glass base, and the glass top.
The claims are centered on forming a sealed cavity using a glass base, a glass top, and a silicon piece with a through hole, where the lower silicon surface is hermetically bonded to the glass base and the upper silicon surface is laser bonded to the glass top. The claims further specify positioning of filling material in the cavity, a manufacturing workflow including clamping and laser bonding, and a vacuum encapsulation variant.
Stated Advantages
Laser bonding allows a locally increased temperature without excessive overall heating that would otherwise change fill composition or cause diffusion into glass.
Documented Applications
Integration for magnetoencephalography/OPM environments using optically pumped magnetometer components with the vapor cell windows/cavity contents.
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