Process for manufacture of semipermeable silicon nitride membranes
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsPaul Charles Galambos, Randy J. Shul, Christi Gober Willison
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Abstract
A new class of semipermeable membranes, and techniques for their fabrication, have been developed. These membranes, formed by appropriate etching of a deposited silicon nitride layer, are robust, easily manufacturable, and compatible with a wide range of silicon micromachining techniques.
Claims8
A process for fabrication of a semipermeable silicon nitride membrane, said process comprising forming a silicon nitride layer over a silicon wafer, then etching said layer until the semipermeable silicon nitride membrane is formed through which liquids will not pass although gases flow therethrough.
A process for fabrication of a supported semipermeable silicon nitride membrane, said process comprising:
- (a) depositing a silicon nitride layer on a first surface of a silicon wafer;
- (b) etching the silicon wafer to form a substrate support network, thereby exposing the silicon nitride layer in a predetermined pattern;
- and
- (c) etching the silicon nitride layer until the semipermeable silicon nitride membrane is formed through which liquids will not pass although gases flow therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.