# US 10,370,760 B2 · Methods for gas generation in a sealed gas cell cavity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,760 B2 - Document ID: US10370760B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/843,313 - Filed: 2017-12-15 - Published: 2019-06-20 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-15 - Assignees: Texas Instruments Incorporated - Applicants: Texas Instruments Incorporated - Inventors: Simon Joshua Jacobs; Juan Alejandro Herbsommer; Adam Joseph Fruehling - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370760B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/45525: {Atomic layer deposition [ALD]} - B29C 65/14: using wave energy {, i.e. electromagnetic radiation,} or particle radiation {(using mechanical waves B29C65/06; using ultrasonic waves B29C65/08; pressing means transparent to electromagnetic radiation B29C66/81267)} - B29C 66/034: {Thermal after-treatments} - B29C 66/112: {Single lapped joints} - C23C 16/403: {of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium} - C23C 16/56: After-treatment - G04F 5/14: using atomic clocks - H03L 7/26: using energy levels of molecules, atoms, or subatomic particles as a frequency reference - B29L 2031/34: Electrical apparatus, e.g. sparking plugs or parts thereof - H05K 2201/09836: Oblique hole, via or bump - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - G04F: TIME-INTERVAL MEASURING (measuring pulse characteristics G01R, e.g. G01R29/02; in radar or like systems G01S) - H03L: AUTOMATIC CONTROL, STARTING, SYNCHRONISATION OR STABILISATION OF GENERATORS OF ELECTRONIC OSCILLATIONS OR PULSES (generation of oscillations H03B) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract Described examples include a method of fabricating a gas cell, including forming a cavity in a first substrate, providing a nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity of the first substrate, bonding a second substrate to the first substrate to form a sealed cavity including the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity, and activating the precursor material after or during forming the sealed cavity to release a target gas inside the sealed cavity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of fabricating a gas cell, the method comprising: forming a cavity in a first side of a first substrate; forming a conductive material on at least one sidewall and a bottom of the cavity; providing a nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity of the first substrate, including placing a solid polymer precursor material in the cavity; after providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity of the first substrate, bonding a second substrate to the first side of the first substrate to form a sealed cavity including the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity; and activating the precursor material after or during forming the sealed cavity to release a target gas inside the sealed cavity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity includes placing a solid polymeric precursor which eliminates other rigid rotor molecules in the cavity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein activating the precursor material includes heating the sealed cavity to release the target gas. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein activating the precursor material includes irradiating the sealed cavity to release the target gas. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, herein providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity includes providing a solid dielectric precursor material in the cavity before bonding the first and second substrates. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity includes placing a solid polymeric precursor of rigid rotor molecules in the cavity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity includes placing a solid hydrogen cyanide, cyanoacetylene, or pentadienenitrile precursor material in the cavity before bonding the first and second substrates; and wherein activating the precursor material after forming the sealed cavity includes heating the sealed cavity to release the target gas as a monomer by thermal depolymerization inside the sealed cavity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity includes placing a solid aldoxime ether or aldoxime ester precursor material in the cavity before bonding the first and second substrates; and wherein activating the precursor material after forming the sealed cavity includes heating the sealed cavity to release the target gas by thermolysis inside the sealed cavity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, before bonding the first and second substrates: forming a conductive material on a bottom side of the second substrate; etching first and second spaced apertures through the conductive material on the bottom side of the second substrate; forming first and second conductive coupling structures on a top side of the second substrate; and bonding the bottom side of the second substrate to the first side of the first substrate to form the sealed cavity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity includes performing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) or molecular layer deposition (MLD) process which deposits the nonvolatile precursor material on an interior face of the cavity before bonding the first and second substrates. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein performing the ALD or MLD process includes reacting an organometalic compound with water to form a partially complete metal oxide precursor material on the interior face of the cavity before bonding the first and second substrates; and wherein activating the precursor material after forming the sealed cavity includes heating the sealed cavity to release the target gas inside the sealed cavity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein performing the ALD or MLD process includes reacting an organoaluminum compound with water to form a partially complete aluminum oxide precursor material on the interior face of the cavity before bonding the first and second substrates. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein performing the ALD or MLD process includes reacting trimethylaluminum with water at a first temperature of approximately 200 degrees C. or less to form a partially complete aluminum oxide precursor material on the interior face of the cavity before bonding the first and second substrates; and wherein activating the precursor material after forming the sealed cavity includes heating the sealed cavity at a second temperature of approximately 350 degrees C. or more to release the target gas inside the sealed cavity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity includes, before bonding the first and second substrates: dissolving the precursor material in a carrier solvent; dispensing the dissolved precursor material onto an interior face of the cavity; and at least partially drying the dissolved precursor material on the interior face of the cavity. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity includes placing a polymeric precursor which eliminates other rigid rotor molecules in the cavity before bonding the first and second substrates. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity includes placing a polymeric precursor of rigid rotor molecules in the cavity before bonding the first and second substrates. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity includes placing a hydrogen cyanide, cyanoacetylene, or pentadienenitrile precursor material in the cavity before bonding the first and second substrates; and wherein activating the precursor material after forming the sealed cavity includes heating the sealed cavity to release the target gas as a monomer by thermal depolymerization inside the sealed cavity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein providing the nonvolatile precursor material in the cavity includes placing an aldoxime ether or aldoxime ester precursor material in the cavity before bonding the first and second substrates; and wherein activating the precursor material after forming the sealed cavity includes heating the sealed cavity to release the target gas by thermolysis inside the sealed cavity.