Thin film-based microfluidic electronic device, method of forming thereof, and skin and tissue adhesive applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023031505-A1
Application number	US-202017784135-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2020
Priority date	Dec 10, 2019
Publication date	Feb 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is provided a method of forming a thin film-based microfluidic electronic device. The method includes: providing a first elastomeric thin film layer on a substrate; depositing a first elastomer on the first elastomeric thin film by direct ink writing to form an elastomeric structure configured to define a microfluidic channel on the first elastomeric thin film layer; providing a second elastomeric thin film layer over the elastomeric structure to cover the microfluidic channel; providing a sacrificial layer on the second elastomeric thin film; depositing liquid metal into the microfluidic channel to form a conductor in the microfluidic channel; and electrically connecting the conductor to an electronic component. The thin film-based microfluidic electronic device is a tissue or skin adhesive sensor including a skin adhesive acoustic device.

First claim

1 . A method of forming a thin film-based microfluidic electronic device, the method comprising:
providing a first elastomeric thin film layer on a substrate; depositing a first elastomer on the first elastomeric thin film by direct ink writing to form an elastomeric structure configured to define a microfluidic channel on the first elastomeric thin film layer; providing a second elastomeric thin film layer over the elastomeric structure to cover the microfluidic channel; providing a sacrificial layer on the second elastomeric thin film layer; depositing liquid metal into the microfluidic channel to form a conductor in the microfluidic channel; and electrically connecting the conductor to an electronic component.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first elastomer comprises an elastomeric adhesive material.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the elastomeric adhesive material comprises a silicone sealant.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the first elastomeric thin film layer and the second thin film layer of the elastomer comprises silicone elastomers.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial layer comprises a liquid soluble layer.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , further comprising removing the sacrificial layer after depositing the liquid metal into the microfluidic channel by dissolving the sacrificial layer in a liquid.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising embedding a portion of the electronic component in a portion of the elastomeric structure during formation of the elastomeric structure.

8 . The method according to claim 7 :
wherein said embedding a portion of the electronic component in a portion of the elastomeric structure comprises disposing the electronic component on a portion of the first elastomer; and further comprising depositing a second elastomer over the first elastomer and the electronic component by direct ink writing to form the elastomeric structure having the electronic component embedded in a portion of elastomeric structure.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising embedding a portion of a conductive element in the microfluidic channel during formation of the elastomeric structure, the conductive element configured to electrically connect the conductor and the electronic component.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component comprises an integrated circuit chip.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component comprises light emitting diode (LED) chips.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric structure is configured to define the microfluidic channel having a shape of a coil; and said depositing liquid metal into the microchannel forms an antenna coil in the microfluidic channel.

13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid metal comprises a Gallium-based liquid metal alloy.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the Gallium-based liquid metal alloy comprises Galinstan.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said providing a first elastomeric thin film layer further comprises:
forming a supporting layer on a base; depositing uncured elastomer on the base; performing thermal treatment on the uncured elastomer to form the first elastomeric thin film layer; forming a support frame on the first elastomeric thin film layer; and removing the supporting layer from the first elastomeric thin film layer, the first elastomeric thin film layer being free standing.

16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said providing a first elastomeric thin film layer on a substrate comprises spin coating uncured elastomer on the substrate and performing thermal treatment to the uncured elastomer to form the first elastomeric thin film layer.

17 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising removing the substrate from the first elastomeric thin film layer to form a free-standing thin film-based microfluidic electronic device.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising coating the free-standing thin film-based microfluidic electronic device with a bio-adhesive material for attaching the free-standing thin film-based microfluidic electronic device to a tissue.

19 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a skin-adhesive patch on the substrate; said providing a first elastomeric thin film layer on a substrate comprises providing the first elastomeric thin film layer on the skin-adhesive patch; and removing the substrate from the skin-adhesive patch and the first elastomeric thin film layer from to form a free-standing skin-adhesive thin film-based microfluidic electronic device.

20 . A thin film-based microfluidic electronic device formed according to the method of claim 1 .

21 - 22 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Univ Singapore Technology & Design

Inventors

• Yamagishi Kento
• Ching Tsz Him
• Hashimoto Michinao
• Koshika Hiroto

Classifications

• H05K1/182

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• H05K1/0283

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• A61B2562/12

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• H04R2460/13

  Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers · CPC title

• B01L2300/0636

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