UV Sensor With Segmented Electrodes and Spacer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing UV detectors face issues with reliability and cost due to manual operations in attaching parallel anode and cathode surfaces, requiring precise spacing in a sealed gas environment, which can lead to contamination and performance limitations.
Innovation Solution
A low-cost, high-reliability UV sensor design using a TO package with precise electrode placement and a MEMS structure that does not require sealing to the sensing structure, employing a Ne/H2 gas mixture and materials like copper and ceramic for the cathode and anode, with a UV transmissive window and optional radiation-reducing coating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual operations are used to attach parallel anode and cathode surfaces, then flexibility in assembly is maintained, but manufacturing precision and reliability deteriorate due to alignment issues and contamination risks
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is divided into separate modular components: a first substrate containing the cathode, a second substrate containing the anode, and a spacer structure. These segments are manufactured independently with precise features, then assembled using standard SMT processes, achieving both manufacturing ease and high precision through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
A spacer structure acts as an intermediary component between the cathode and anode substrates. This spacer provides precise mechanical positioning and maintains a defined gap distance, eliminating the need for manual alignment while ensuring consistent electrode spacing and reducing contamination risks
2Manufacturing precision
If manual alignment and attachment of electrodes are performed, then complex positioning can be achieved, but productivity and manufacturing cost worsen due to time-consuming operations
Solution Approach 1:
Electrodes and spacer structures are pre-positioned on their respective substrates during manufacturing, with alignment features built into the designs. This preliminary positioning allows subsequent assembly to proceed rapidly through automated processes without requiring time-consuming manual alignment operations
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical alignment operations are replaced with automated SMT (Surface Mount Technology) processes. The standardized substrates and spacer structures are designed to work with automated pick-and-place machines, significantly increasing productivity while maintaining precise electrode positioning through programmed placement
3Measurement precision
If sealed gas environment is used with precise electrode spacing, then detection sensitivity is improved, but reliability worsens due to contamination risks in the sealed environment
Solution Approach 1:
The sealed environment is segmented into distinct compartments: electrode structures on separate substrates, a dedicated spacer structure, and a defined gas fill volume. This segmentation isolates critical electrode surfaces from potential contamination sources while maintaining the precise spacing needed for sensitive UV detection
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer structure serves as a protective intermediary between the electrodes and the sealed environment. It maintains precise electrode spacing while physically separating the electrodes from direct exposure to the gas environment, reducing contamination risks while preserving detection sensitivity
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 solution provides improved performance and cost-effectiveness by eliminating manual alignment issues, reducing contamination risks, and enabling precise electrode placement within a sealed gas environment, enhancing the reliability and sensitivity of UV detection.
Implementation Method 1
UV transmissive window
Implementation Method 2
optional coating for reducing the level of radiation to the sensor
Implementation Method 3
The tube may be filled with a neon/hydrogen (Ne/H2) gas mixture to facilitate the breakdown nominally at about 100 Torr residual pressure
Implementation Method 4
an anode grid that lets light pass through it but is charged such that it will collect electrons generated by the breakdown instigated by the photoemission of an electron at the cathode surface
Data Source
AI summary
A light detector having spaced electrodes preset by pins or a spacer within a sealed enclosure. The detector may have a MEMS structure that is separate from the sealing of the enclosure. Further, the detector may have a lens for the transmission of light onto the elements. The lens may be coated to affect the amount of light admitted into the enclosure. Light detectable by the sensor may be ultra-violet.