Patent Description:
A radiation window is a part of a measurement apparatus that allows a desired part of electromagnetic radiation to pass through. In many cases the radiation window must nevertheless be gastight, in order to seal and protect an enclosure where reduced pressure and/or a particular gas contents prevail. In order to cause as little absorption as possible of the desired radiation, a major part of the radiation window should consist of a thin foil.

Beryllium is known as a very good material for radiation window foils especially in X-ray measurement apparats, because it has a low atomic number (<NUM>) and consequently exhibits very low absorption of X-rays. Another characteristic of beryllium that makes it very useful for radiation window foils is its exceptional flexural rigidity. The thinnest beryllium foils that are commercially available for use in radiation windows at the time of writing this description have a thickness in the order of <NUM> micrometres. According to prior art, the beryllium foil is manufactured from an ingot by rolling. Various coatings can be applied to the beryllium foil for example to enhance its gastightness and corrosion resistance as well as to keep undesired parts of the electromagnetic spectrum (such as visible light) from passing through the foil. An example of known radiation window foils is the DuraBeryllium foil avail-able from Moxtek Inc. , Orem, UT, USA. It comprises an <NUM> micrometres thick be-ryllium foil coated with a DuraCoat coating. DuraBeryllium, DuraCoat, and Moxtek are registered trademarks of Moxtek Incorporated.

At the time of writing this description it appears that the rolling technology has met its limits in the sense that it has not been shown capable of manufacturing beryllium foils thinner than <NUM> micrometres so that they would still be sufficiently gastight. This phenomenon is associated with the relatively large grain size (larger than foil thickness), which results from the grain structure of the original beryllium ingot. Grain boundaries in the beryllium foil tend to cause gas leaks through the foil. Additionally, beryllium has disadvantages as a material because it is toxic. This brings additional requirements for the manufacturing process. Also, the future in the utilization of beryllium is uncertain due to tightening requirements by different national authorities.

One optional material for manufacturing radiation window foils especially in X-ray measurement apparats is boron carbide. The boron carbide is not toxic, and it is environmentally sustainable also in the long term. If the boron carbide layer is thin e.g. less than <NUM> micrometers, its mechanical strength would be too low causing that the layer becomes fragile. However, if the thickness of the boron carbide layer is increased, e.g. more than <NUM> micrometers, the crystal size inside the boron carbide layer starts to increase causing that the layer becomes fragile. Thus, the mechanical strength of the boron carbide cannot be increased by increasing the thickness of the boron carbide layer.

Thus, there is a need to mitigate the aforementioned problems and develop a solution for providing a thin and gastight radiation window.

A patent application <CIT> discloses a method for manufacturing a radiation window for an X-ray measurement apparatus, wherein an etch stop layer is first produced on a polished surface of a carrier. A thin film deposition technique is used to produce a boron carbide layer on an opposite side of said etch stop layer than said carrier. The combined structure comprising said carrier, said etch stop layer, and said boron carbide layer is attached to a region around an opening in a support structure with said boron carbide layer facing said support structure. The middle area of carrier is etched away, leaving an additional support structure. An aluminium layer could also be produced on the side of the boron carbide layer that faces the support structure, before making the attachment.

An international patent application <CIT> discloses a method for manufacturing a radiation window, wherein there is produced a layered structure where an etch stop layer exists between a carrier and a solid layer. A blank containing at least a part of each of said carrier, said etch stop layer, and said solid layer is attached to a radiation window frame. At least a part of what of said carrier was contained in said blank is removed, thus leaving a foil attached to said radiation window frame, wherein said foil contains at least a part of each of said etch stop layer and said solid layer.

An international patent application <CIT> discloses a radiation window foil for an X-ray radiation window that comprises a mesh that defines a number of openings, said mesh having a first side surface and a second side surface. A layer spans said openings. Said layer is on the first side of the mesh but spans said openings at a level closer to the second side surface of the mesh than the first side surface of the mesh.

An objective of the invention is to present a multilayer radiation window and a method for manufacturing a multilayer radiation window. Another objective of the invention is that the multilayer radiation window and the method for manufacturing a multilayer radiation window enable manufacturing thin, gastight and mechanically strong radiation window.

The objectives of the invention are reached by a method and a radiation window as defined by the respective independent claims.

According to a first aspect, a method for manufacturing a multilayer radiation window for an X-ray measurement apparatus is provided, wherein the method comprising: producing a gas diffusion stop layer made of silicon nitride on a polished surface of a carrier; producing multiple combined layers on an opposite side of said gas diffusion stop layer than said carrier, wherein each combined layer of the multiple combined layer comprises: a light attenuation layer made of aluminium, and a strengthening layer made of one of the following: carbon filled polymer, boron carbide, diamond like carbon; attaching the combined structure comprising said carrier, said gas diffusion stop layer, said multiple combined layers to a region around an opening in a support structure with the multiple combined layers facing said support structure; and etching away said carrier.

The layers of each of the multiple combined layers may be produced so that the respective strengthening layer is produced on top of the respective light attenuation layer.

The method may further comprise producing an attachment layer made of pyrolytic carbon on an opposite side of said gas diffusion stop layer than said carrier so that the attachment layer is between said gas diffusion stop layer and the multiple combined layers.

The method may further comprise producing a boron carbide layer on an opposite side of said gas diffusion stop layer than said carrier so that the boron carbide layer is between said gas diffusion stop layer and the multiple combined layers.

Alternatively, the method may further comprise producing a boron carbide layer on an opposite side of said attachment layer than said gas diffusion stop layer so that the boron carbide layer is between said attachment layer and the multiple combined layers.

According to a second aspect, a radiation window for an X-ray measurement apparatus is provided, wherein the radiation window comprising: a support structure that defines an opening, and a multilayer window foil that is attached to the support structure at a region around said opening, wherein said multilayer window foil comprises: multiple combined layers, wherein each multiple layer of the combined layers comprises: a light attenuation layer made of aluminium; and a strengthening layer made of one of the following: carbon filled polymer, boron carbide, diamond like carbon, and a gas diffusion stop layer made of silicon nitride on an opposite side of said multiple combined layers than said support structure.

In each of the multiple combined layers the respective strengthening layer is on top of the respective light attenuation layer.

The radiation window may further comprise an attachment layer made of pyrolytic carbon between said gas diffusion stop layer and said multiple combined layers.

The attachment layer may be between <NUM> to <NUM> nanometres thick.

The radiation window may further comprise a boron carbide layer between said gas diffusion stop layer and said at least one combined layer.

Alternatively, the radiation window may further comprise a boron carbide layer between said attachment layer and said multiple combined layers.

The boron carbide layer may be between <NUM> to <NUM> micrometres thick.

The gas diffusion stop layer may be between <NUM> to <NUM> nanometres thick.

The light attenuation layer may be between <NUM> to <NUM> nanometres thick.

The strengthening layer may be between <NUM> to <NUM> micrometres thick.

The exemplary embodiments of the invention presented in this patent application are not to be interpreted to pose limitations to the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" is used in this patent application as an open limitation that does not exclude the existence of also un-recited features.

The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In this description we use the following vocabulary. A layer means a quantity of essentially homogeneous material that by its form has much larger dimensions in two mutually orthogonal directions than in the third orthogonal direction. In most cases of interest to the present invention, the dimension of a layer in said third orthogonal direction (also referred to as the thickness of the layer) should be constant, meaning that the layer has uniform thickness. A foil is a structure, the form of which may be characterised in the same way as that of a layer (i.e. much larger dimensions in two mutually orthogonal directions than in the third orthogonal direction) but which is not necessarily homogeneous: for example, a foil may consist of two or more layers placed and/or attached together. A radiation window foil is a foil that has suitable characteristics (low absorption, sufficient gastightness, sufficient mechanical strength etc.) for use in a radiation window of a measurement apparatus. A radiation window is an entity that comprises a piece of radiation window foil attached to an annular support structure so that electromagnetic radiation may pass through an opening defined by the support structure without having to penetrate anything else than said piece of radiation window foil.

<FIG> illustrates a workpiece in various steps of a method for manufacturing a radiation window according to an example useful for understanding the invention. The topmost step illustrates a carrier <NUM>, at least one surface of which has been polished. In <FIG>, the polished surface faces upwards. The required smoothness of the polished surface is determined by the aim of covering it with an essentially continuous gas diffusion stop layer with uniform thickness in the order of <NUM> to <NUM> nanometres. As an example, silicon wafers are routinely polished to achieve rms (root mean square) roughness values in the order of fractions of a nanometre, which is a sufficient for the purposes of the present invention. In addition or as alternative to silicon, the carrier <NUM> may be manufactured from some other solid material that is etchable with some reasonably common and easily handled etching agent and that can be polished to the required level of smoothness.

In the next step a gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> is produced on the polished surface of the carrier <NUM>. The main objective of the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> is to provide gastight radiation window. Additionally, the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> acts as an etch stop layer to keep an etching agent, which in a later process step will appear from below and remove at least part of the carrier <NUM>, from affecting those layers that come on top of the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM>, i.e. the material of the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> is impervious for the etching agent. Therefore, the material for the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> should be selected so that it will not be affected to any significant degree by an etching agent that works effectively on the material of the carrier <NUM>. Additionally, the material of the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> should be applicable for deposition in thin layers (in the order of <NUM> to <NUM> nanometres), and it should neither significantly absorb radiation nor produce any awkwardly handled anomalities at the wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation at which the radiation window is to be used. Further advantageous characteristics of a gas diffusion stopping layer <NUM> comprise corrosion resistance against environmental conditions during the use of an X-ray measurement apparatus, and good adhesion properties for further layers to be deposited thereon. If the carrier <NUM> is made of silicon, one advantageous material for the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> is silicon nitride. The deposition of the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> should take place as uniformly as possible, especially avoiding any remaining pinholes in the etch stop layer. Suitable methods for depositing the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> include, but are not limited to, chemical vapour deposition and pulsed laser deposition.

In the next step of the method illustrated in <FIG> at least one combined layer <NUM> is produced on an opposite side of said gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> than said carrier <NUM>. The at least one combined layer <NUM> comprises a light attenuation layer <NUM> made of aluminium and a strengthening layer <NUM>. The strengthening layer <NUM> may be made of one of the following: carbon filled polymer, e.g. carbon fullerene derivative (CFD); boron carbide; diamond like carbon. The strengthening <NUM> layer made of carbon filled polymer may comprise aromatic polymer and a silicon rich spin-on-glass. The carbon filled polymer may be provided for example by pyrolyzing the polymer at least partly up to a desired stage, i.e. the polymer is not needed to be pyrolyzed completely. According to one example the polymer may be a resist used in the processing of a silicon wafer, e.g. the silicon carrier <NUM>. One advantage of the carbon filled polymer is reduced energy consumption in manufacturing in comparison to materials provided by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), e.g. boron carbide or diamond like carbon. The light attenuation layer <NUM> of each of the at least one combined layer <NUM> has a role in blocking out unwanted wavelengths of visible light and stop the growth of the crystal in the strengthening layer <NUM>. The thickness of the light attenuation layer <NUM> may be between <NUM> to <NUM> nanometres. The strengthening layer <NUM> of each of the at least one combined layer <NUM> provides mechanical strength for the combined layer and thus also for the whole radiation window. The thickness of the strengthening layer <NUM> may be between <NUM> to <NUM> micrometres, preferably the thickness may be <NUM> micrometres. In the example illustrated in <FIG> only one combined layer is produced, but in order to improve mechanical and/or pressure strength of the radiation window multiple combined layers may be provided.

In <FIG> is schematically illustrated an embodiment of the method according to the invention, wherein three combined layer 103a-103n are produced on an opposite side of said gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> than said carrier <NUM>. However, the number of the combined layers is not limited to that. Each combined layer 103a-103n comprises a light attenuation layer 104a-104n and a strengthening layer 105a-105n. The layers of each at least one combined layer 103a-103n are produced so that the strengthening layer 105a-105n is produced on top of the light attenuation layer 104a-104n. Furthermore, the multiple combined layers 103a-103n are produced so that the light attenuation layer of the further combined layer is produced on an opposite side of the strengthening layer of the previous combined layer than the light attenuating layer of the previous combined layer. In other words, every other layer of multiple combined layers 103a-103n is a light attenuation layer 104a-104n and every other layer of multiple combined layers is a strengthening layer 105a-105n.

All combined layers 103a-103n may comprise a strengthening layer 105a-105n made of the same material, one of carbon filled polymer, boron carbide, or diamond like carbon. Alternatively, at least some of the strengthening layers 105a-105n of the combined layers 103a-103n may be made of different material. According to one non-limiting example, first combined layer 103a may comprise a strengthening layer 105a made of carbon filled polymer, second combined layer 103b may comprise a strengthening layer 105b made of boron carbide, and third combined layer 103n may comprise a strengthening layer 105n made of diamond like carbon. According to another non-limiting example, first combined layer 103a may comprise a strengthening layer 105a made of boron carbide, second combined layer 103b may comprise a strengthening layer 105b made of carbon filled polymer, and third combined layer 103n may comprise a strengthening layer 105n made of boron carbide.

In the next step of the method illustrated in <FIG> the combined structure of the carrier <NUM>, the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> and the at least one combined layer <NUM> is cut into pieces, so that a piece is suitably sized for use in one radiation window. As an example, the carrier might have originally been a silicon wafer with a diameter of several inches, while the diameter of a piece sufficient for a radiation window may be between <NUM> and <NUM> centimetres. On the other hand, the invention does not limit the maximum size of a radiation window to be made. As another example, a radiation window according to an embodiment might have <NUM> millimetres as the diameter of the foil-covered opening for the radiation to pass through. Cutting the combined structure into pieces at this step of the method is not an essential requirement of the invention, but it is advantageous in the sense that a larger number of completed radiation windows can be very practically manufactured from a single original workpiece.

In the next step of the method illustrated in <FIG> the piece of the combined structure comprising the carrier <NUM>, the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM>, and the at least one combined layer <NUM> is attached to an annular region around an opening <NUM> in a support structure <NUM>, with the at least one combined layer <NUM> facing said support structure <NUM>. For the attachment for example soldering or glueing may be used. The cross-section of an exaggeratedly thick layer of glue or solder <NUM> is schematically shown in <FIG>. Also otherwise we may note that the illustrated dimensions are not to scale and not comparable to each other; they have been selected only for graphical clarity in the drawings. The fact that the carrier <NUM> is still present at the step of attaching those parts to the support structure that eventually will constitute the radiation window foil means that handling is easy and there is no need to worry about wrinkling or other kinds of deformation of the radiation window foil at this stage. The illustration of the glue or solder <NUM> is only schematic in <FIG>, and it does not mean that a flat layer of glue or solder on the planar surface between the support structure <NUM> and the at least one layered structure would be the only possible alternative.

The descriptor "annular" should be understood in a wide sense. The invention does not require the support structure to have e.g. a circular form. It is sufficient that the support structure offers some edges and/or a region around the opening, to which the radiation window foil can be attached tightly and extensively enough to keep the radiation window foil in the completed structure securely in place, and - in those applications where gastightness is required - to form a gastight seal.

In the last step illustrated in <FIG> the carrier <NUM> has been etched away the, leaving only a radiation window foil comprising the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> and the at least one combined layer <NUM> to cover the opening <NUM> in the support structure <NUM>. This phase of the method underlines the denomination of the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> also as an etch stop layer. Etching is considered to be the most advantageous way of carefully removing the carrier <NUM> while leaving the other layers intact. As an example, if the carrier <NUM> is made of silicon and the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> is made of silicon nitride, potassium hydroxide (KOH) is one suitable etching agent, especially at a slightly elevated temperature like <NUM> degrees centigrade. In the etching stage it should be ensured that the etching agent only affects the side of the radiation window foil where the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> exists. In doing so the support structure <NUM> can be utilized: for example, one may turn the structure so that the carrier faces upwards, and attach one end of a tubular shield to outer edges of the support structure <NUM>, so that a "cup" is formed with the carrier-covered radiation window foil forming the bottom of the cup. The tubular shield will keep the etching agent poured into the cup from affecting other parts of the structure than the carrier.

After etching away the carrier, post-processing steps such as rinsing, drying, and testing may be applied according to need.

<FIG> illustrates schematically an optional addition to the basic method described above in association with <FIG> and <FIG>. In the topmost illustrated step of <FIG>, the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> has been produced on a polished surface of the carrier <NUM>. As the next step in <FIG> an attachment layer <NUM> made of pyrolytic carbon is produced on an opposite side of said gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> than said carrier <NUM>. The pyrolytic carbon layer may be provided for example by heating suitable polymer, e.g. phenol-formaldehyde polymer, at substantially high temperature, e.g. approximately <NUM>-<NUM>, in vacuum or in controlled atmosphere. The main objective of the attachment layer <NUM> is to improve the attachment of the following layers. Furthermore, the attachment layer improves at least partly the attenuation of the unwanted wavelengths of visible light. The thickness of the attachment layer <NUM> may be between <NUM> to <NUM> nanometres.

The lowest step illustrated in <FIG> represents producing the at least one combined layer <NUM>. Although there is now the attachment layer <NUM> in between, the at least one combined layer <NUM> is still on an opposite side of the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> than the carrier <NUM>, which is important taken that at least part of the carrier <NUM> should later be removed in an etching process the effect of which should end at the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM>. From this step the method of manufacturing a radiation window continues to cutting the radiation window foil into size for radiation window(s), like in the fourth step of <FIG>.

<FIG> and <FIG> yet another optional addition that can be added to any of the methods described above. In the topmost illustrated step of <FIG> and <FIG>, the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> has been produced on a polished surface of the carrier <NUM>. As the next step in <FIG> a boron carbide layer <NUM> is produced on an opposite side of said gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> than said carrier <NUM>. Alternatively, the attachment layer <NUM> made of pyrolytic carbon may be produced on an opposite side of said gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> than said carrier <NUM> as described above in association with <FIG> and the boron carbide layer <NUM> is produced on an opposite side of said attachment layer <NUM> than said gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> that is illustrated in <FIG>. The main objective of the boron carbide layer <NUM> is to improve the mechanical strength of the radiation window. The thickness of the boron carbide layer <NUM> may be between <NUM> to <NUM> micrometres. If the boron carbide layer was thinner, its mechanical strength would be too low and if the boron carbide layer was thicker, its absorption might come too high concerning very sensitive X-ray fluorescence measurements and the boron carbide layer becomes fragile. The boron carbide layer may be produced by using a thin film deposition technique comprising: at least one of the following: sputtering, plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition (CVD), pulsed laser deposition.

The lowest step illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG> represents producing the at least one combined layer <NUM>. Although there is now the boron carbide layer <NUM> in between, the at least one combined layer <NUM> is still on an opposite side of the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM> than the carrier <NUM>, which is important taken that at least part of the carrier <NUM> should later be removed in an etching process the effect of which should end at the gas diffusion stop layer <NUM>. From this step the method of manufacturing a radiation window continues to cutting the radiation window foil into size for radiation window(s), like in the fourth step of <FIG>.

Advantages of the invention described above include the possibility of manufacturing radiation windows where the radiation window foil is very thin and yet gastight and mechanically strong, and causes very little unwanted absorption or spurious responses in a measurement involving X-rays. Additionally, the materials of the radiation window are not toxic and they are environmentally sustainable also in the long term.

Claim 1:
A method for manufacturing a multilayer radiation window for an X-ray measurement apparatus, comprising:
- producing a gas diffusion stop layer (<NUM>) made of silicon nitride on a polished surface of a carrier (<NUM>);
- producing multiple combined layers (103a-103n) on an opposite side of said gas diffusion stop layer (<NUM>) than said carrier (<NUM>), wherein each combined layer of the multiple combined layers (103a-103n) comprises:
- a light attenuation layer (104a-104n) made of aluminium, and
- a strengthening layer (105a-105n) made of one of the following: carbon filled polymer, boron carbide, diamond like carbon;
- attaching the combined structure comprising said carrier (<NUM>), said gas diffusion stop layer (<NUM>), said multiple combined layers (103a-103n) to a region around an opening (<NUM>) in a support structure (<NUM>) with the multiple combined layers (103a-130n) facing said support structure (<NUM>); and
- etching away said carrier (<NUM>).