Abstract:
A support element is described which can combine components used in Microsystems technology to form a single unit. Because of the very small dimensions of the support element, it is difficult to keep the components at different temperatures if this is required for them to operate. With the support element, this difficulty is avoided by the fact that at least one thermal insulation device, which shields the plate and the cover of the support element with respect to internal and external environments in certain regions, is provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a support element for components used in microsystems technology. The support element has at least one plate for receiving components and a cover for shielding the components with respect to the external environment. 
     Support elements of this type are used primarily where a multiplicity of components of very small dimensions are combined to form a single unit and are to be held at defined temperature levels. 
     The support elements that are currently known have plates which, if appropriate, are provided with recesses. The components are disposed on the surfaces of the plates or in the recesses. On account of the small dimensions of the plates and the associated space restrictions on the surfaces of the plates and in their recesses, it is difficult to insulate individual components from one another. Therefore, it is necessary to accept a significantly increased energy consumption for temperature control. Moreover, heat is lost to the environment of the support elements. An excessively warm environment of the support elements also influences processes that require cooling of the components. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a support for components used in Microsystems technology which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, which enables a multiplicity of components to be held at predetermined temperatures for a prolonged period. 
     With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a support element. The support element contains at least one plate for receiving components used in microsystems technology, a cover disposed above the plate and shielding the components with respect to an external environment, and at least one thermal insulation device for shielding the plate and the cover with respect to the external and internal environments in certain regions. 
     The inventive configuration of the support element enables components that are disposed on the plate of the support element or in its recesses to be cooled or heated over a prolonged period without the components influencing one another. In particular, the cooling of the components with the aid of Peltier elements is improved. At the same time, energy that has to be supplied for heating and cooling is reduced; this is advantageous in particular for portable, battery-operated equipment. 
     In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the thermal insulation device has an additional covering surrounding the cover at a predetermined distance and is connected to the cover in a gas-tight manner. The additional covering has an evacuated cavity formed therein and is defined by inner surfaces. The evacuated cavity is formed adjacent to the cover and the cover defines one of the inner surfaces of the evacuated cavity. The thermal insulation device further has a reflective metallic coating disposed on the inner surfaces of the evacuated cavity. The thermal insulation device additionally has a part for at least one of heating and cooling disposed at least on an underside of the plate. The part can be a temperature-control module such as a Peltier element, a heater block or a heater coil disposed at least on an underside of the plate. 
     In accordance with another feature of the invention, the plate is one of a plurality of plates and each of the plates is divided into two or more regions, and webs connect the regions to each other. The webs are made from a load-bearing, thermally insulating material. 
     In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the plate has at least two regions and webs connecting the regions to one another, the webs being made from a load-bearing, thermally insulating material. 
     With the foregoing and other objects in view there is further provided, in accordance with the invention, a support element. The support element contains at least one plate for receiving components used in Microsystems technology, and a covering serving as a cover for shielding the components. The covering has an edge facing the plate. The edge of the covering is fitted on the edge of the plate and is connected to the plate in the gas-tight manner. The covering has an evacuated cavity formed therein and defined by inner surfaces. The evacuated cavity is formed adjacent to the plate and the plate defines one of the inner surfaces of the evacuated cavity. A reflective metallic coating, such as Au, Ag or Al, is applied to the inner surfaces of the evacuated cavity. A temperature-control module, such as a Peltier element and/or a heater block, is disposed at least on an underside of the plate. 
     Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a support for components used in microsystems technology, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. 
    
    
     The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, sectional view of a support element for receiving components used in Microsystems technology according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a variant of the support element illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a simplified embodiment of the support element illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a variant of the support element illustrated in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the support element with a divided plate. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a support element  1  that is substantially formed by a plate  2 , a cover  3 , a covering  4  and a part  5 . The part  5  is a temperature-control module  5 , which is configured either as a Peltier element  5  or as a heater block  5 . The plate  2  is made from silicon or glass. Recesses  2 A, which are intended to receive components  15  used in Microsystems technology, are formed in a surface  2 S of the plate  2 . However, it is also possible for the component  15  to be disposed on the surface  2 S of the support element  1 . The cover  3 , which is of a large-area configuration, is used to shield the components  15  with respect to the external environment. The cover  3  is of the same size as the surface of the plate  2 . It is laid on top of the latter and is connected thereto in a gas-tight manner. At the locations at which the components  15  are disposed directly on the surface  2 S of the plate  2 , the cover  3  is likewise provided with recesses  3 A, into which the components  15  project. The cover  3  is made from glass or silicon. To ensure that the components  15  are fully functional, they in some cases have to be cooled or heated. To avoid heat losses or to prevent heat from the environment from acting on cooled components  15 , insulation measures are provided. For this purpose, according to the invention the cover  3  is provided with the covering  4 , the size of which is matched to the size of the cover  3 . The covering  4  is made from silicon or glass. The covering  4  is provided all the way around with an edge  4 D that faces the cover  3 . By use of the edge  4 D, it is fitted onto the edge of the cover  3  and is connected to the cover  3  in a gas-tight manner. The edge  4 D creates a cavity  7 , which is evacuated, between the cover  3  and the covering  4 . The surfaces that delimit the cavity  7  on the inside are covered with a reflective metallic coating  8 , which preferably consists of Au, Ag or Al. 
     To enable the components  15  to be heated and/or cooled, the underside of the plate  2  is connected, with good thermal conductivity, to the temperature-control module  5 . In the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, it is of the same size as the plate  2 . If necessary, it may also be smaller, so that it can be disposed on the underside of the plate  2  directly beneath the component  15 . If the components  15  only have to be heated, a temperature-control module  5  that is configured as a heater block is used. 
     The support element  1  illustrated in FIG. 2 differs from the support element  1  which is shown in FIG.  1  and is explained in the associated drawing only with regard to the configuration of the part  5 . Therefore, identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals. All that is disposed underneath the plate  2  is the part  5 , which is configured as a heater coil  5 . The heater coil  5  of this type is sufficient if the components  15  are only to be held at a temperature which is higher than the ambient temperature. The heater coil  5  may be formed by a coating, which is only a few micrometres thick, on the underside of the plate  2 . This may be a conductor track structure that is applied using the screen-printing technique to and serves as a resistance heater. 
     FIG. 3 shows a simplified embodiment of the support element  1  illustrated in FIG.  1 . The support element  1  is provided only with the plate  2 , the covering  4  that performs the function of the cover  3  and the temperature-control module  5 . This embodiment of the support element  1  can be used when components  15  that are able to function fully even if they are disposed in an evacuated space are used. In this case, the components  15  are disposed in recesses  2 A in the plate  2 . The covering  4  at the same time serves as the cover, so that the cover  3  can be dispensed with. The covering  4  is of the same size as the surface  2 S of the plate  2 . It is configured in the same way as the covering  4  that is illustrated in FIG.  1  and explained in the associated description. The covering  4  is supported on the edge of the plate  2  by its edge  4 D and is connected to the plate  2  in a gas-tight manner by the edge. 
     The cavity  7  between the plate  2  and the covering  4  is evacuated. The inner surfaces of the covering  4  and the regions of the surface  2 S of the plate  2  which do not have any recesses  2 A are covered with the reflective metallic coating  8  of Au, Ag, Al, which in this case is applied to the inner surfaces of the covering  4  and the surface  2 S of the plate  2  by vapor deposition. The temperature-control module  5  which is configured as a Peltier element or as a heater block is disposed on the underside of the plate  2 . To heat the components  15 , it is sufficient if only one heater coil is disposed on the underside of the plate  2 , as illustrated in FIG.  2  and explained in the associated description. 
     FIG. 4 shows the support element  1  that is of substantially the same construction as the support element  1  illustrated in FIG.  3  and explained in the associated description. Therefore, identical components are provided with the same reference numerals. The embodiment of the support element  1  can likewise only be used if components  15  that remain fully able to function even if they are disposed in an evacuated space are used. The difference between the support elements  1  shown in FIG. 3 and 4 consists in the fact that the components  15  are in this case disposed on the surface of the plate  2 . In this case too, the covering  4  acts as the cover, so that the latter can be dispensed with in this case. The distance between the plate  2  and the covering  4  is sufficiently great for sufficient space for the components  15  to remain in the cavity  7 . The inner surfaces of the covering  4  are covered with a reflective metallic coating  8  made from Au, Ag, Al. The temperature-control module  5 , which is configured as a Peltier element or as a heater block, is disposed on the underside of the plate  2 . As heating for the components  15  it may be sufficient if only the heater coil  5  is disposed on the underside of the plate  2 , as illustrated in FIG.  2  and explained in the associated description. 
     FIG. 5 shows the support element  1  in which the plate  2  is divided into a plurality of regions  2 T. For this purpose, gaps  2 F running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the plate  2  are formed at defined intervals. The plate  2  is not completely severed, but rather at least two webs  2 M, which are oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plate  2  and are at a predetermined distance from one another, are formed in each gap  2 F. The width of the webs  2 M is such that the load-bearing capacity of the support element  1  is retained. In this case, it should be ensured that no recesses are formed in the immediate vicinity of the webs  2 M, in the regions  2 T. The plate  2  therefore has regions  2 T which are thermally insulated from one another, so that components which are to be cooled can be disposed in one region  2 T, and components which have to be heated can be disposed in the immediately adjacent region  2 T, without the components influencing one another. 
     The components are disposed in recesses which are formed in the surfaces of the regions  2 T. Temperature-control modules  5  are installed on the outside of the underside of the regions  2 T. The cover  3  is provided with edges  3 R that are supported on the regions  2 T of the plate  2  and are connected to their surfaces in a gas-tight manner. The cavities  7 , which are partially delimited by the edges  3 R of the cover  3 , are also formed between the cover  3  and the regions  2 T. The cavities are evacuated. The metallic, reflective coating  8  of Au, Ag or Al is applied to each of the inner surfaces of the cavity  7 . 
     It is also possible for a plurality of individual plates  2  that are of the same size as the regions  2 T to be connected, via webs  2 M, in the same way as that described above. In this case, the webs  2 M are produced as a load-bearing and, at the same time, thermally insulating material, so that the thermal conductivity between the regions  2 T is reduced still further. The remaining part of the support element  1  is configured in the same way as that described above.