Cartridge and analyzer for fluid analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11119101-B2
Application number	US-201715406066-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2017
Priority date	Jan 13, 2017
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A fluidic cartridge and methods of operation are described. The fluidic cartridge includes a substrate having a plurality of contact pads designed to electrically couple with an analyzer, a semiconductor chip having a sensor array, and a reference electrode. The fluidic cartridge includes a first fluidic channel having an inlet and coupled to a second fluidic channel, the second fluidic channel being aligned such that the sensor array and the reference electrode are disposed within the second fluidic channel. A first plug is disposed at the first inlet. The first plug includes a compliant material configured to be punctured by a capillary without leaking fluid through the first plug.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluidic cartridge, comprising:
a substrate comprising:
a surface;
a plurality of contact pads configured to electrically couple with an analyzer,
a semiconductor chip having an array of sensors disposed on the surface, and
a reference electrode;

a first fluidic channel having a first inlet and a first outlet, wherein the first fluidic channel and the first inlet extend in directions parallel to the surface of the substrate;
a second fluidic channel having a second inlet, a second outlet, and an opening, wherein the opening is disposed between the second outlet and the reference electrode and wherein the second inlet is coupled to the first outlet of the first fluidic channel, the second fluidic channel being aligned such that the array of sensors and the reference electrode are disposed within the second fluidic channel;
a sample inlet for placing a sample within a path of the first fluidic channel, wherein the sample inlet is disposed between the first inlet and the first outlet and wherein the sample inlet extends in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate; and
a first plug disposed at the first inlet and comprising a compliant material configured to be punctured by a capillary without leaking fluid through the first plug.

2. The fluidic cartridge of claim 1 , further comprising a third fluidic channel having a third inlet.

3. The fluidic cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the third fluidic channel is coupled to the second fluidic channel.

4. The fluidic cartridge of claim 3 , further comprising a second plug disposed at the third inlet and comprising a compliant material configured to be punctured by a capillary without leaking fluid through the second plug.

5. The fluidic cartridge of claim 4 , wherein the first plug and the second plug are configured to align with a first capillary and a second capillary coupled to the analyzer, and wherein the plurality of contact pads couple with the analyzer when the fluidic cartridge and the analyzer are brought into physical contact.

6. The fluidic cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the first capillary and the second capillary puncture through the first plug and the second plug, respectively, when the fluidic cartridge and the analyzer are brought into physical contact.

7. The fluidic cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a printed circuit board.

8. The fluidic cartridge of claim 1 , further comprising a waste chamber coupled to the second fluidic channel.

9. The fluidic cartridge of claim 1 , wherein one or more sensors of the array of sensors comprise a plurality of probe molecules configured to bind to a target molecule present in the sample.

10. The fluidic cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the array of sensors comprises an array of dual gate back-side sensing FET Sensors.

11. A fluidic cartridge, comprising:
a substrate with a surface;
a first fluidic channel having a first inlet and a first outlet;
a second fluidic channel having an opening, a second inlet and a second outlet, wherein the opening is disposed between the second inlet and the second outlet, wherein the second inlet is coupled to the first outlet and the second fluidic channel is aligned such that an array of sensors and a reference electrode are disposed within the second fluidic channel;
a sample inlet for placing a sample within a path of the second fluidic channel, wherein the sample inlet is disposed between the second inlet and the second outlet, wherein the sample inlet is adjacent to the opening and is aligned with the opening along the second fluidic channel, and wherein the sample inlet extends in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate; and
a first plug disposed at the first inlet and comprising a compliant material configured to be punctured by a capillary without leaking fluid through the first plug, wherein the capillary is coupled to an analyzer and wherein the capillary punctures through the first plug when the fluidic cartridge and the analyzer are brought into physical contact.

12. The fluidic cartridge of claim 11 , wherein the array of sensors comprises an array of dual gate back-side sensing FET Sensors.

13. The fluidic cartridge of claim 11 , wherein one or more sensors of the array of sensors comprise a plurality of probe molecules configured to bind to a target molecule present in the sample.

14. The fluidic cartridge of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of probe molecules comprises one or more of DNA, RNA, and antibodies.

15. The fluidic cartridge of claim 11 , further comprising a substrate having a plurality of contact pads configured to electrically couple with the analyzer, a semiconductor chip having the array of sensors, and the reference electrode.

16. A fluidic cartridge, comprising:
a semiconductor chip, disposed on a first portion of a substrate, having an array of sensors and an insulation layer with an opening over the array of sensors;
a reference electrode patterned on a second portion of the substrate;
a first fluidic channel having a first inlet and configured to deliver a fluid to the array of sensors through the opening;
a second fluidic channel bonded to the substrate and aligned with the opening and the reference electrode, wherein the second fluidic channel is configured to deliver the fluid from the first fluidic channel to the array of sensors;
a sample inlet positioned over the opening and configured to deliver a sample into the array of sensors through the opening; and
a waste chamber coupled to the second fluidic channel and aligned with the opening along the second fluidic channel, wherein the sample inlet is interposed between the waste chamber and the reference electrode.

17. The fluidic cartridge of claim 16 , further comprising capture reagents bound to the array of sensors.

18. The fluidic cartridge of claim 16 , further comprising a waste chamber coupled to the second fluidic channel.

19. The fluidic cartridge of claim 16 , further comprising a bubble trap within the first or second fluidic channel.

20. The fluidic cartridge of claim 16 , wherein the array of sensors comprises an array of dual gate back-side sensing FET sensors.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Huang Jui-Cheng
• Wen Chin-Hua
• Chen Tung-Tsun
• Hsieh Cheng-Hsiang
• Huang Yu-Jie
• Lin Ching-Hui

Classifications

• B01L3/502715 Primary

  characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces · CPC title

• B01L2400/0683

  mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber · CPC title

• B01L2300/0645

  Electrodes · CPC title

• B01L2300/0819

  Microarrays; Biochips · CPC title

• G01N27/414

  Ion-sensitive or chemical field-effect transistors, i.e. ISFETS or CHEMFETS · CPC title