Microfluidic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11944965-B2
Application number	US-202016880247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2020
Priority date	Jun 28, 2019
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A microfluidic device, a diagnostic device including the microfluidic device and a method for making the microfluidic device are provided. The microfluidic device includes: (i) a transparent substrate comprising a cavity, the cavity opening up to a top of the transparent substrate; (ii) a transparent layer covering the cavity, and (iii) a semiconductor substrate over the transparent layer and the transparent substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a through hole overlaying the cavity and exposing the transparent layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for making a microfluidic device, the method comprising:
(a) providing a transparent substrate comprising a cavity, the cavity opening up to a top of the transparent substrate;
(b) providing a semiconductor substrate;
(c) forming, over the transparent substrate, a transparent layer covering the cavity;
(d) after step (c), bonding the transparent substrate to the semiconductor substrate by anodic bonding in such a way that the transparent layer is present between the semiconductor substrate and the transparent substrate; and
(e) etching a through hole through the semiconductor substrate to expose the transparent layer covering the cavity.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step c comprises patterning the transparent layer.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises transferring the transparent layer from an auxiliary substrate to the transparent substrate.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a microfluidic channel and wherein step d comprises bonding the semiconductor substrate to the transparent layer in such a way that the microfluidic channel is fluidically coupled to the cavity.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises silicon.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent substrate comprises glass.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent layer comprises a polymer, a silicon nitride or a silicon oxide.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic device comprises a microfluidic channel fluidically coupled to the cavity.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the microfluidic channel is a capillary microfluidic channel.

Assignees

• Imec Vzw

Inventors

• Fiorentino Giuseppe
• Severi Simone
• Humbert Aurelie

Classifications

• B01L3/502715 Primary

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

• B01L3/502707 Primary

  characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components · CPC title

• B29C65/02

  by heating, with or without pressure · CPC title

• B81C1/00119

  Arrangement of basic structures like cavities or channels, e.g. suitable for microfluidic systems · CPC title

• B01L2200/10

  Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept · CPC title