Electrical contact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016293722-A1
Application number	US-201415038035-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 19, 2014
Priority date	Nov 19, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical contact. In particular, it relates to an electrical contact capable of establishing an electrical contact with a soft material. More particular, the electrical contact comprises (a) a non-Newtonian liquid metal alloy, the non-Newtonian liquid metal alloy is formed in a polymer insulator, wherein the contact surface of the electrical contact that contacts the soft material is a smooth flat non-patterned surface, the surface comprising the non-Newtonian liquid metal alloy sandwiched between the polymer insulator. The microfluidic device comprising the electrical contact and a method for forming the electrical contact are also disclosed.

First claim

1 . An electrical contact comprising:
(a) a top electrode comprising a non-Newtonian liquid metal alloy; and (b) a bottom electrode comprising a soft material layer formed on a metal substrate, wherein the surface of the soft material layer of the bottom electrode contacting the top electrode is a smooth flat non-patterned surface.

2 . The electrical contact according to claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy is formed in a polymer insulator and the area of the electrical contact between the metal alloy and the soft material layer is determined by modulating the size of the metal alloy contacting the soft material layer.

3 . The electrical contact according to claim 2 , wherein the size of the metal alloy contacting the soft material layer is a diameter between 15 μm to 55 μm.

4 . The electrical contact according to claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy is EGaIn.

5 . The electrical contact according to claim 4 , wherein the EGaIn comprising 75.5 wt % Ga and 24.5 wt % In.

6 . The electrical contact according to claim 2 , wherein polymer insulator is PDMS.

7 . The electrical contact according to claim 6 , wherein the PDMS is transparent.

8 . (canceled)

9 . The electrical contact according to claim 1 , wherein the metal in the metal substrate is any one selected from the group: silver, copper, nickel, platinum, palladium and gold.

10 . The electrical contact according to claim 1 , wherein the soft material layer is purified.

11 . The electrical contact according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the soft material layer is between 1 nm to 2 nm.

12 . The electrical contact according to claim 1 , wherein the soft material layer is a self-assembled monolayer of molecules (SAM).

13 . The electrical contact according to claim 12 , wherein the SAM layer is S(CH 2 ) n-1 CH 3 where n=10, 12, 14, 16 or 18.

14 - 19 . (canceled)

20 . A method for forming an electrical contact, the method comprising:
(a) providing a top electrode, the top electrode comprising a non-Newtonian liquid metal alloy; (b) preparing a bottom electrode by forming a self-assembled monolayer of molecules (SAM) on a metal substrate; and (c) contacting the metal alloy of the top electrode with the surface of the SAM layer of the bottom electrode, wherein the surface of the SAM layer is a smooth flat non-patterned surface.

21 . The method according to claim 20 , further comprising forming the metal alloy in a polymer insulator and modulating the size of the metal alloy contacting the SAM layer to determine and control the area of the electrical between the metal alloy and the SAM layer.

22 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the size of the metal alloy contacting the SAM layer is a diameter between 15 μm to 55 μm.

23 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the non-Newtonian liquid metal alloy is EGaIn.

24 . The method according to claim 23 , wherein the EGaIn comprising 75.5 wt % Ga and 24.5 wt % In.

25 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein polymer insulator is PDMS.

26 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein the PDMS is transparent.

27 . (canceled)

28 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the metal in the metal substrate is any one selected from the group: silver, copper, nickel, platinum, palladium, and gold.

29 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the SAM layer has the formula S(CH 2 ) n-1 CH 3 where n=10, 12, 14, 16 or 18.

Assignees

• Nat Univ Singapore

Inventors

• Nijhuis Christian Albertus
• Wan Albert
• Jiang Li
• Chandramathi Sukumaran Suchand Sangeeth

Classifications

• B81C1/00095

  Interconnects · CPC title

• B01L2400/0415

  electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic · CPC title

• B81B2201/058

  Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054 · CPC title

• B32B15/04

  comprising metal as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/08; next to a water-setting substance layer B32B13/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/061; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/042)} · CPC title

• B32B2307/412

  Transparent · CPC title