Microsensor body and method for manufacturing same, and microsensor

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing micro-sensor manufacturing methods using carbon nanotubes and metal/semiconductor nanowires face instability due to superficial adhesion, leading to unreliable resonance and difficulty in producing large-scale stable sensor bodies with suspended resonant beam arrays.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the application of a wet colloidal material and a one-dimensional nanowire film on a substrate, followed by drying to create colloidal islands and contraction diaphragms with connected nanowire structures, enhancing stability and enabling mass production of sensor bodies with suspended arrays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If nanotubes are adhered by superficial oxide layer or metal electrodes, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the adhesion strength is insufficient leading to structural instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidstructural stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming colloidal islands on the substrate before introducing nanowires. These colloidal islands serve as pre-prepared adhesion sites that provide strong anchoring points for nanowires, ensuring reliable structural stability before the final device assembly. This preliminary preparation of adhesion structures resolves the contradiction by establishing strong bonds in advance rather than relying on weak superficial adhesion during assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces colloidal islands as an intermediary substance between the substrate and nanowires. These colloidal particles act as a mediating layer that enhances adhesion strength, allowing nanowires to be firmly anchored without requiring complex surface treatment or metal electrode deposition. This intermediary approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while dramatically improving structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If resonant beams are suspended by connecting nanotubes between electrode sheets, then the sensor body can be manufactured, but large-scale stable sensor bodies with resonant beam arrays are difficult to manufacture

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor body manufacturabilityVSAvoidlarge-scale production capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the continuous nanowire network into discrete segments connected to individual colloidal islands. This segmentation allows for modular assembly and independent positioning of multiple resonant beams, enabling the manufacturing of large-scale sensor bodies with arrays of resonant beams. Each segmented unit can be independently fabricated and then assembled into large-scale configurations, significantly improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional electrode sheets to three-dimensional colloidal island structures. By elevating the adhesion points into the third dimension through vertically arranged colloidal islands, the patent enables more flexible spatial arrangement of resonant beams and easier scaling to large arrays. This dimensional change facilitates parallel fabrication of multiple beams, enhancing large-scale production capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of manufacture

If nanotubes are used for connection, then the sensor body can be assembled, but the connection structures are unstable and cannot carry heavy loads or excite resonance reliably

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice assembly capabilityVSAvoidconnection strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite materials by combining colloidal particles with nanowires to create a hybrid connection structure. The colloidal islands provide a robust substrate for nanowire attachment, while the nanowires provide flexible mechanical connection. This composite approach creates connection structures that are both strong enough to carry heavy loads and flexible enough to excite resonance, resolving the strength deficiency of pure nanotube connections while maintaining ease of assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method stabilizes sensor devices and facilitates the production of large-scale sensor bodies with enhanced connection structures, suitable for optical, temperature, and airflow sensors, by ensuring secure adhesion and structural integrity.

Implementation Method 1

drying the colloidal layer of the sensor embryo so that the colloidal layer cracks into a plurality of colloidal islands

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDrying: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

a portion of the film comprising one-dimensional nanowires contracts into a contraction diaphragm adhered to the surface of the colloidal islands

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal contraction: Thermal Contraction

Data Source

PatentEP3214037B1Microsensor body and method for manufacturing same, and microsensor
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
  • EP3214037B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3214037B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present invention relates to the field of sensor manufacturing technology, particularly disloses a method for manufacturing a micro-sensor body, compriseing the steps of S1: applying a wet colloidal material on a substrate to form a colloidal layer, and covering a layer of one-dimensional nanowire film on the surface of the colloidal layer to form a sensor embryo; S2: drying the colloidal layer of the sensor embryo to an extent that the colloidal layer cracks into a plurality of colloidal islands, a portion of the one-dimensional nanowire film contracting into a contraction diaphragm adhered to the surface of the colloidal islands while the other portion of the one-dimensional nanowire film being stretched into a connection structure connected between the adjacent contraction diaphragms. By the method for manufacturing a micro-sensor body of the present invention, the contraction diaphragms and connection structures formed by stretching the one-dimensional nanowire film are connected stably, which enhances the stability of the sensor devices; and the cracking manner renders it easy to obtain a large-scale of sensor bodies with connection structure arrays in stable suspension.