Backside etch process for transparent silicon oxide technology
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Solution Overview
Problem
Analog night vision systems struggle to implement heads-up displays due to their exclusively analog nature, which complicates the combination of image intensifier images with digital heads-up display information, whereas digital systems can easily multiplex these signals but are more detectable and consume higher power.
Innovation Solution
The use of transparent micro-displays, such as OLED displays, is employed in conjunction with image intensifiers to project images, where non-active silicon areas between active silicon areas are removed to increase transparency, allowing for more efficient light transmission and enabling the integration of heads-up display functionality in analog night vision systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If non-active silicon areas are removed to increase transparency, then light transmission is improved, but device structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes non-active silicon areas from the micro-display substrate to increase light transmission. Specifically, inactive silicon regions between active pixel areas are selectively removed through etching processes, allowing more light to pass through while maintaining the structural framework provided by active areas and support structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between active and inactive silicon areas, removing only the inactive portions while preserving active areas. This creates a heterogeneous structure where different regions have different properties: active areas maintain full structural integrity, while inactive areas are removed to optimize optical performance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If transparent micro-displays are used in analog night vision systems, then heads-up display capability is enabled, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the image intensifier output with the transparent micro-display by optically combining the night vision image with heads-up display information. The transparent micro-display allows the intensified image to pass through while simultaneously displaying digital information, combining two different information sources into a single integrated display system.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent micro-display acts as an intermediary element that bridges the analog image intensifier and digital display information. It enables the integration of digital heads-up display content with the analog night vision image without requiring complete system redesign, serving as a mediating component that facilitates compatibility between different system types.
3Illumination intensity
If silicon is removed between active silicon areas, then transparency increases by over 80%, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the silicon substrate into active and inactive areas, then selectively removes only the inactive portions. This segmentation approach allows for controlled removal of material in specific regions while preserving active areas, making the high-precision etching process manageable through systematic patterning and selective processing steps.
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
This approach enhances the transparency of micro-displays by over 80%, enabling effective light transmission and allowing for the implementation of heads-up display capabilities in analog night vision systems without increasing power consumption or detectability.
Implementation Method 1
allowing for more efficient light transmission
Implementation Method 2
removing silicon between one or more of the active silicon areas
Data Source
AI summary
Increasing transparency of one or more micro-displays. A method includes attaching a transparent cover to at least a portion of a semiconductor wafer. The at least a portion of the semiconductor wafer includes the one or more micro-displays. The one or more micro-displays include one or more active silicon areas. The method further includes, after the transparent cover has been attached to the at least a portion of the semiconductor wafer, removing silicon between one or more of the active silicon areas, causing the one or more micro-displays to have a transparency of at least 50%.