Fluidic devices and methods of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10688488-B2
Application number	US-201715839509-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2017
Priority date	Jan 31, 2017
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

An example method includes providing a working stack having a first substrate layer, a second substrate layer, and a radiation-absorbing material disposed between the first and second substrate layers. The working stack includes a cavity therein having a designated liquid. A bonding interface is defined between the radiation-absorbing material and at least one of the first substrate layer or the second substrate layer. The bonding interface has a film of the designated liquid. The method also includes directing radiation onto the bonding interface to form a perimeter seal. The perimeter seal separates the cavity from an outer area of the bonding interface. The method also includes directing the radiation onto the outer area of the bonding interface to secure the first and second substrate layers together. The perimeter seal impedes an ingress of bubbles from the outer area into the cavity as the radiation is directed onto the outer area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
providing a working stack having a first substrate layer, a second substrate layer, and a radiation-absorbing material disposed between the first and second substrate layers, the working stack including a cavity therein having a designated liquid, wherein a bonding interface is defined between the radiation-absorbing material and at least one of the first substrate layer or the second substrate layer, the bonding interface having a film of the designated liquid;
directing radiation onto the bonding interface along a predetermined path to form a perimeter seal, the perimeter seal positioned to separate the cavity from an outer area of the bonding interface; and
directing the radiation onto the outer area of the bonding interface to secure the first and second substrate layers together, the perimeter seal impeding an ingress of bubbles from the outer area into the cavity as the radiation is directed onto the outer area.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the working stack includes:
positioning the radiation-absorbing material onto the first substrate layer, the radiation-absorbing material being patterned to include an open-sided cavity;
directing radiation onto a secondary interface between the first substrate layer and the radiation-absorbing material to secure the first substrate layer and the radiation-absorbing material to each other;
filling the open-sided cavity of the radiation-absorbing material with the designated liquid; and
stacking the second substrate layer with respect to the radiation-absorbing material and the first substrate layer, thereby covering the open-sided cavity and forming the cavity of the working stack, the film of the designated liquid being present along the bonding interface as the second substrate layer covers the open-sided cavity.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing radiation onto the bonding interface to form the perimeter seal includes positioning the perimeter seal a distance away from the cavity of the working stack such that a spacing exists between the perimeter seal and the cavity.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the working stack and the second substrate layer form at least a part of a device and wherein the first substrate layer, the radiation-absorbing material, and second substrate layer are continuous layers such that the device is devoid of ports that would permit flow of the designated liquid into or out of the cavity of the working stack.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the working stack includes forming a target layer along at least one of the first substrate layer or the second substrate layer, the target layer including an opaque material located thereon in a designated pattern.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation-absorbing material includes separate sections disposed between the first and second substrate layers and an exit channel between adjacent sections of the radiation-absorbing material, the exit channel being in flow communication with at least one of an exterior of the working stack or a reservoir, wherein the designated liquid and the bubbles are permitted to enter the exit channel from the outer area of the bonding interface as the radiation is directed onto the outer area.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the working stack includes a plurality of the cavities, and the method further comprises dicing the working stack after securing the first and second substrate layers to form a plurality of devices.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cavity of the working stack includes an imaging region and a gutter region that exists between the imaging region and the radiation-absorbing material, the imaging region having a target to be imaged, the gutter region being devoid of the target.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation-absorbing material includes a transparent layer and an opaque layer, the opaque layer absorbing the radiation to form a composite joint.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the outer area that is irradiated to secure the first and second substrate layers together is at least ten times (10×) an area of the perimeter seal.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the radiation along the predetermined path to form the perimeter seal and directing the radiation onto the outer area are performed sequentially during a single radiation session in which the radiation is continuously applied, wherein directing the radiation onto the outer area includes directing a laser beam in a raster-like manner to cover the outer area.

12. A device, comprising:
a multi-layer stack including a substrate layer and a radiation-absorbing material disposed along the substrate layer, the multi-layer stack including a cavity therein having a designated liquid;
wherein the radiation-absorbing material and the substrate layer form a bonding interface therebetween, the bonding interface including a composite joint that secures the radiation-absorbing material and the substrate layer to each other, the composite joint including a perimeter seal that extends along the cavity and a field joint that surrounds the perimeter seal, the perimeter seal being positioned between the cavity and the field joint.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the perimeter seal and the field joint have different makeups.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein remnants of the designated liquid exist along or within the composite joint, the perimeter seal being positioned between the remnants and the cavity.

15. The device of claim 12 wherein the substrate layer is a first substrate layer, wherein the device further comprises a second substrate layer, and wherein the first substrate layer, the radiation-absorbing material, and the second substrate layer are continuous layers such that the device is devoid of ports that would permit flow of the designated liquid into or out of the cavity.

16. The device of claim 15 , further comprising a target layer along at least one of the first substrate layer or the second substrate layer, the target layer including an opaque material located thereon in a designated pattern.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the designated liquid includes a material that emits light when excited by a light source.

18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the second substrate layer comprises a flexible membrane and the device further comprises an actuator that is operably positioned within or adjacent to the cavity, wherein the actuator is configured to be activated and deactivated to change pressure within the cavity and move the flexible membrane.

19. The device of claim 12 , wherein the cavity includes a designated imaging region and a gutter region that exists between the designated imaging region and the radiation-absorbing material, the designated imaging region having a target to be imaged and the gutter region being devoid of the target.

20. A device, comprising:
a substrate layer;
a flexible membrane comprising a radiation-absorbing material, the radiation-absorbing material being disposed along the substrate layer, the flexible membrane and the substrate layer defining a cavity there between and having a designated liquid therein; and
an actuator operably positioned within or adjacent to the cavity;
wherein the radiation-absorbing material forms a composite joint that secures the substrate layer and the flexible membrane to each other, the composite joint including a perimeter seal that surrounds the cavity and a field joint that surrounds the perime

Assignees

• Illumina Inc

Inventors

• Earney John Gerhardt
• Fullerton Justin
• Smith Kaleb
• Venkatesan Bala Murali K

Classifications

• G02B26/005

  based on electrowetting · CPC title

• G02B3/14

  of variable focal length · CPC title

• G01N27/44791

  Microapparatus (sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027) · CPC title

• G01N15/1484

  microstructural devices · CPC title

• F16J15/14

  by means of granular or plastic material, or fluid · CPC title