Silicon-Based Micro-Machined Infrared Emitters With a Micro-Bridge and a Self-Heating Membrane Structure

A micro-bridge membrane type (MBMT) infrared (IR) emitter is designed and fabricated to realize high IR radiation, low power consumption, and low thermo-mechanical stress. The suspended micro-bridge membrane, consisting of a heating layer and a self-heating support layer, is constructed in a silicon (Si) frame. A boron-doped poly-Si serves as the resistive heating layer to realize the IR radiation, and a heavily-boron-doped Si serves as the self-heating layer to absorb the backward IR radiation for storing the thermal energy and support the heating layer. The fabricated MBMT is thoroughly characterized by the electrical and optical measurements. The results reveal that MBMT emitters have higher photoelectric and mechanical performances than the closed membrane type emitters.