Electronic device sealed under vacuum containing a getter and method of operation

Abstract

An electronic device that is sealed under vacuum includes a substrate, a transistor formed on the substrate, and a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the transistor. The electronic device further includes a layer of non-evaporable getter material disposed on a portion of the dielectric layer; and a vacuum device disposed on a portion of the substrate. Electrical power pulses activate the non-evaporable getter material.

1 . A method of using a non-evaporable getter pump, comprising: activating a pump driver to apply electrical power pulses to heat a non-evaporable getter material to an activation temperature, the non-evaporable getter material disposed over a device substrate, wherein a portion of the device substrate is maintained at a substrate temperature less than the activation temperature.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reactivating the non-evaporable getter material after a predetermined time.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 selecting a reference temperature;    measuring the substrate temperature;    determining whether the substrate temperature is below the reference temperature by a first predetermined factor, and    heating the non-evaporable getter material to the activation temperature only when the substrate temperature is below the reference temperature by the first predetermined factor.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein activating the pump driver further comprises activating the pump driver to output electrical power pulses having a first predetermined width and a first predetermined repetition rate.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 selecting a reference temperature;    measuring the substrate temperature;    determining whether the substrate temperature is below the reference temperature by a first predetermined factor, and    heating the non-evaporable getter material to the activation temperature by applying electrical power pulses having the first predetermined width and the first predetermined repetition rate.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 comparing the reference temperature to the substrate temperature to determine if the substrate temperature is below the reference temperature by a second predetermined factor, wherein the second predetermined factor is less than the first predetermined factor; and    heating the non-evaporable getter material to an activation temperature by applying electrical power pulses having a second predetermined width that is less than the first predetermined width.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the electrical power pulses have a second predetermined repetition rate that is less than the first predetermined repetition rate.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sensing a pressure within an electronic device having a pressure sensor disposed within a device package at least partially enclosing the device substrate.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein activating the pump driver further comprises activating the pump driver to output electrical power pulses having a first predetermined width and a first predetermined repetition rate, wherein the pump driver is electrically coupled to a layer of electrically resistive material disposed between the device substrate and the non-evaporable getter material, whereby the non-evaporable getter material is activated by heating the layer of electrically resistive material.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising measuring a substrate temperature within an electronic device having a temperature sensor disposed on the device substrate.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising monitoring a substrate temperature using a temperature sensor disposed on the device substrate to hinder damage to the device substrate when applying the electrical power pulses to heat the non-evaporable getter material to the activation temperature.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pump driver is disposed on the device substrate.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the device substrate is maintained at the substrate temperature less than the activation temperature is laterally proximate to the non-evaporable getter material.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device substrate further comprises a vacuum device and a logic device disposed thereon.  
   
   
       15 . A method of using a non-evaporable getter pump, comprising step for activating a pump driver to apply electrical power pulses to heat a non-evaporable getter material to an activation temperature, the non-evaporable getter material disposed over a device substrate, wherein a portion of the device substrate is maintained at a substrate temperature less than the activation temperature.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 step for selecting a reference temperature;    step for measuring the substrate temperature;    step for determining whether the substrate temperature is below the reference temperature by a first predetermined factor, and    step for heating the non-evaporable getter material to the activation temperature only when the substrate temperature is below the reference temperature by the first predetermined factor.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step for activating the pump driver further comprises step for activating the pump driver to output electrical power pulses having a first predetermined width and a first predetermined repetition rate.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 step for selecting a reference temperature;    step for measuring the substrate temperature;    step for determining whether the substrate temperature is below the reference temperature by a first predetermined factor, and    step for heating the non-evaporable getter material to the activation temperature by applying electrical power pulses having the first predetermined width and the first predetermined repetition rate.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 step for comparing the reference temperature to the substrate temperature to determine if the substrate temperature is below the reference temperature by a second predetermined factor, wherein the second predetermined factor is less than the first predetermined factor; and    step for heating the non-evaporable getter material to an activation temperature by applying electrical power pulses having a second predetermined width that is less than the first predetermined width.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising step for sensing a pressure within an electronic device having a pressure sensor disposed within a device package at least partially enclosing the device substrate.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step for activating the pump driver further comprises activating the pump driver to output electrical power pulses having a first predetermined width and a first predetermined repetition rate, wherein the pump driver is electrically coupled to a layer of electrically resistive material disposed between the device substrate and the non-evaporable getter material, whereby the non-evaporable getter material is activated by heating the layer of electrically resistive material.