Microheater and microbolometer using microbridge of SiO 2 film on silicon

Microbridges of SiO2 film, with a vacant space introduced by Si etching beneath each of them, are fabricated. As applications of the microbridge, Pt microheaters and Bi or Te microbolometers are made. These microheaters are able to heat up to over 800°C and have a thermal time constant τ of about 200 μs. At microbolometer with the same size microbridge as that of the microheater is estimated to have a responsivity Rs, and NEP of about 47 V/W and 6.47×10−11 WHz½ in a Bi bolometer, and of about 130 V/W and 7.8×10−11 WHz½ in a Te bolometer, and τ of about 300 μs, as determined by an illumination experiment using a HeNe laser.