Patent ID: 7508644
Filing Date: 2009-03-24
Classification: H01L,H01T,H05K

Abstract:
1. A method of fabricating a spark gap in a conductor deposited on a first side of a surface material, comprising: overlapping laser footprints on the conductor surface; laser ablating a plurality of voids in the conductor corresponding to the position of each laser footprint to separate the conductor into first and second conductor elements and to form a series of conductive circumferential extensions at the intersections of the laser footprints in each of the first and second conductor elements, the series of conductive circumferential extensions comprising a series of opposing, spaced apart electrodes on each of the first and second conductor elements, each extension having a tip directed toward the tip of the opposing extension, and the opposing tips of the opposing electrodes on each of the first and second conductor elements being separated by a gap spacing that defines the breakdown voltage of the spark gap; and adjusting the gap spacing between the opposing extension tips, by adjusting the amount of overlap between overlapping laser footprints, to define the breakdown voltage.