# US 7,608,998 B2 · Vacuum device having non-evaporable getter component with increased exposed surface area > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,608,998 B2 - Document ID: US7608998B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/387,222 - Filed: 2006-03-22 - Published: 2006-07-27 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2003-04-14 - Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Inventors: Sriram Ramamoorthi; Zhizhang Chen; John Liebeskind; Ronald L. Enck; Jennifer Shih - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608998B2 ## CPC - H01J 7/186: {Getter supports} - F04B 37/02: for evacuating by absorption or adsorption - H01J 19/70: Means for obtaining or maintaining the vacuum, e.g. by gettering - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) ## Abstract A vacuum device, including a substrate and a support structure having a support perimeter, where the support structure is disposed over the substrate. In addition, the vacuum device also includes a non-evaporable getter layer having an exposed surface area. The non-evaporable getter layer is disposed over the support structure, and extends beyond the support perimeter, in at least one direction, of the support structure forming a vacuum gap between the substrate and the non-evaporable getter layer increasing the exposed surface area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vacuum device, comprising: a substrate comprising a base non-evaporable getter layer disposed thereon; a support structure having a support perimeter, said support structure disposed over said base non-evaporable getter layer of said substrate; and a non-evaporable alloy thin film getter having an exposed surface area and having a thickness less than or equal to 20 micrometers, said non-evaporable alloy thin film getter deposited over said support structure, and extending beyond said support perimeter in at least one direction forming a vacuum gap between said substrate and said non-evaporable alloy thin film getter, increasing said exposed surface area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: a second support structure having a second perimeter, said second support structure interposed between said support structure and said substrate; and a second non-evaporable getter layer having a second exposed surface area and extending beyond said second perimeter of said second support structure forming a second vacuum gap between said second non-evaporable getter layer and said substrate, said second non-evaporable getter layer interposed between said support structure and said second support structure, wherein said vacuum gap is formed between said non-evaporable alloy thin film getter and said second non-evaporable getter layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said second non-evaporable getter layer further comprises a core layer substantially enclosed by a non-evaporable getter material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said support structure, said non-evaporable alloy thin film getter, and said second non-evaporable getter layer form a folded structure having at least one fold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a core layer interposed between said second non-evaporable getter layer and said second support structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said core layer further comprises a core layer perimeter surface, a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said second non-evaporable getter layer is in contact with said top surface, and a non-evaporable getter material is deposited on at least a portion of said core layer perimeter surface and on at least a portion of said bottom surface of said core layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said support structure includes a non-evaporable getter material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vacuum gap is up to about 40 micrometers wide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said support structure has a thickness of up to about 40 micrometers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising at least three support structures wherein said non-evaporable alloy thin film getter extends over said at least three support structures. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said support structure further comprises at least one support sidewall, wherein at least a portion of said at least one support sidewall has a non-evaporable getter material deposited thereon. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said support structure further comprises a plurality of support structure lines formed from a non-evaporable getter material, and substantially parallel to each other, and said non-evaporable alloy thin film getter further comprises a plurality of non-evaporable alloy thin film getter lines substantially parallel to each other and at a predetermined angle to said plurality of support structure lines. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 12, further comprising a plurality of second non-evaporable getter lines substantially parallel to each other and at a second predetermined angle to said plurality of said non-evaporable getter lines. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 13, wherein said plurality of support structure lines, said non-evaporable getter lines and said second non-evaporable getter lines for a hexagonal array. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 12, wherein said plurality of support structure lines, are substantially mutually orthogonal to said non-evaporable getter lines. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a mechanical device operating at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an optical device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a micro-electro-mechanical system operating at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an electron emitter. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A storage device, comprising: at least one vacuum device of claim 19; and a storage medium in close proximity to said at least one vacuum device, said storage medium having a storage area in one of a plurality of states to represent information stored in that storage area. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 19; wherein said support structure and said non-evaporable alloy thin film getter form at least a portion of a lens element to focus electrons emitted from said electron emitter. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) A computer system, comprising: a microprocessor; an electronic device including at least one getter device of claim 1 coupled to said microprocessor; and memory coupled to said microprocessor, said microprocessor operable of executing instructions from said memory to transfer data between said memory and said electronic device. ### Claim 23 A vacuum device, comprising: means for supporting a non-evaporable alloy thin film getter over a substrate comprising a base non-evaporable getter layer disposed thereon, said non-evaporable alloy thin film getter having an exposed surface, having a thickness less than or equal to 20micrometers, and having a substrate facing surface; and means for exposing said substrate facing surface to a vacuum, wherein said means for supporting, said means for exposing, and said non-evaporable alloy thin film getter are integrally formed over said substrate. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 23, further comprising: means for supporting a second non-evaporable getter layer over said substrate, said second non-evaporable getter layer having a top surface and an opposing surface; and means for exposing said top surface and said opposing surface of said second non-evaporable getter layer. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 24, further comprising means for forming a folded structure between said non-evaporable alloy thin film getter and said second non-evaporable getter layer. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The vacuum device in accordance with claim 23, further comprising means for forming a cross bar getter structure. ### Claim 27 A vacuum device, comprising: a support structure formed from a non-evaporable getter alloy, said support structure having a support perimeter, having at least one sidewall exposed to a vacuum, and disposed over a substrate; and a non-evaporable getter layer having an exposed surface area, said non-evaporable getter layer disposed over said support structure, and extending beyond said support perimeter in at least one direction of said support structure forming a vacuum gap between said substrate and said non-evaporable getter layer, increasing said exposed surface area.