Electronic device

Abstract

An electronic device includes a substrate, a thin film transistor, a micro pump, and a microfluidic platform. The thin film transistor is disposed on the substrate. The micro pump is disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the thin film transistor. The microfluidic platform is disposed on the substrate and coupled to the micro pump. The micro pump is used to transport a sample to be tested to the microfluidic platform.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Lab-on-a-chip (Lab-on-a-chip) is a type of biochip that allows for the completion of an experimental procedure using a single chip, offering advantages in efficiency and convenience compared to traditional bioanalytical instruments. Currently, the most common Lab-on-a-chip technology utilizes microfluidics. In this system, voltage or gas pressure is applied, and the principles of electroosmosis, electrophoresis, and pressure balance are used to allow the sample to flow through capillary channels within the chip, facilitating reactions or separations. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure discloses an electronic device that can achieve a compact size.

[0004] According to embodiments of this disclosure, an electronic device includes a substrate, a thin-film transistor (TFT), a micropump, and a microfluidic platform. The TFT is disposed on the substrate. The micropump is disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the TFT. The microfluidic platform is disposed on the substrate and coupled to the micropump. The micropump is used to deliver a sample to be tested to the microfluidic platform.

[0005] To make the above-mentioned features and advantages disclosed herein more apparent and understandable, embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0006] The accompanying drawings are included to further illustrate the present disclosure, and are incorporated in and form a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

[0007] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0008] Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0009] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0010] This disclosure can be understood by referring to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, for ease of understanding and for the sake of brevity, many of the drawings in this disclosure depict only a portion of the electronic device, and certain components in the drawings are not drawn to scale. Furthermore, the number and dimensions of the components in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0011] Throughout this specification and the appended claims, certain terms are used to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art will understand that electronic device manufacturers may use different names to refer to the same components. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that function identically but have different names.

[0012] In the following description and claims, the words “containing” and “including” are open-ended terms, and therefore should be interpreted as “containing but not limited to…”.

[0013] It should be understood that when a component or membrane is referred to as being "on" or "connected" to another component or membrane, it can be directly on or directly connected to that other component or membrane, or there may be an interposed component or membrane between them (indirect cases). Conversely, when a component is referred to as being "directly" on or "directly connected" to another component or membrane, there may be no interposed component or membrane between them. When a component or membrane is referred to as being "electrically connected" to another component or membrane, it can be interpreted as either a direct electrical connection or an indirect electrical connection.

[0014] The terms “approximately,” “substantially,” or “roughly” are generally interpreted as being within plus or minus 10% of a given value, or within plus or minus 5%, plus or minus 3%, plus or minus 2%, plus or minus 1%, or plus or minus 0.5% of a given value.

[0015] While the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., can be used to describe multiple components, the components are not limited to these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish a single component from other components in the specification. The same terms may not be used in the claims, but rather replaced by "first," "second," "third," etc., according to the order in which the components are declared in the claims. Therefore, in the following description, a first component may be a second component in the claims.

[0016] Furthermore, the term "electrical connection" can encompass any direct or indirect means of electrical connection. For example, a "direct electrical connection" can be two components that are in direct contact and electrically connected, or two components that are connected in series through one or more conductive components; an "indirect electrical connection" can be two components that are separate from each other and that are not connected in series by any other conductive component, such as a switch, diode, capacitor, inductor, resistor, other suitable components, or combinations thereof between the endpoints of the components in the two circuits, but not limited to these.

[0017] In this disclosure, the thickness, length, and width can be measured using an optical microscope, while the thickness or width can be measured from cross-sectional images obtained using an electron microscope, but these methods are not limited to these. Furthermore, any two values ​​or directions used for comparison may have a certain degree of error. Additionally, the terms "given range is from a first value to a second value" or "given range falls within the range of the first value to the second value" indicate that the given range includes the first value, the second value, and other values ​​in between. If the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, the angle between the first and second directions can be between 80 degrees and 100 degrees; if the first direction is parallel to the second direction, the angle between the first and second directions can be between 0 degrees and 10 degrees.

[0018] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It is understood that these terms, for example, as defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the relevant art and the background or context of this disclosure, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal manner, unless specifically defined in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0019] In this disclosure, the electronic device may include, but is not limited to, display devices, sensing devices, or splicing devices. The electronic device may be a bendable or flexible electronic device. The display device may be a non-emissive display device or a self-emissive display device. The sensing device may be a sensing device that senses capacitance, light, heat, or ultrasound, but is not limited to this. In this disclosure, electronic components may include passive and active components, such as capacitors, resistors, inductors, diodes, transistors, etc. Diodes may include light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or photodiodes. Light-emitting diodes may include, for example, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), mini LEDs, micro LEDs, or quantum dot LEDs, but are not limited to this. It should be noted that the electronic device may be any combination of the foregoing, but is not limited to this.

[0020] It should be noted that the technical solutions provided in the different embodiments below can be substituted for, combined or mixed with each other to constitute another embodiment without violating the spirit of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The electronic device 100 is, for example, a lab-grown chip, and... Figure 1 Individual functional areas in the electronic device 100 are schematically represented by blocks for illustrative purposes. The specific structure of each functional area will be described in subsequent embodiments. Figure 1 In the middle, the relative positions of each block and Figure 1 The arrows in the diagram are used to understand the possible operational sequence of individual functional areas in the experimental process, rather than to limit the spatial layout of individual functional areas. Therefore, the specific structure of the electronic device 100 is not based on... Figure 1 The illustrations provided are for reference only. Additionally, Figure 1 And other accompanying drawings of this disclosure (e.g.) Figure 2 and Figure 3 In this context, the orientation of each device and its components can be referenced to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, but is not limited to them.

[0022] Electronic device 100 can be used to process samples in a fluid state, and for example, it can process liquid samples. Electronic device 100 may have inlet regions 102A, 102B, and 102C, pump regions 104A, 104B, and 104C, channel regions 106A, 106B, and 106C, a platform region 108, and outlet regions OT1, OT2, and OT3. In this embodiment, inlet region 102A, pump region 104A, and channel region 106A are sequentially fluidly connected to establish a first transport path PA connected to platform region 108; inlet region 102B, pump region 104B, and channel region 106B are sequentially fluidly connected to and connected to platform region 108 to establish a second transport path PB connected to platform region 108; and inlet region 102C, pump region 104C, and channel region 106C are sequentially fluidly connected to and connected to platform region 108 to establish a third transport path PC connected to platform region 108. Furthermore, export areas OT1, OT2, and OT3 are connected to platform area 108. Therefore, Figure 1 The electronic device 100 provides three transport paths connected to the platform area 108, and the three transport paths are independent of each other. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the number of transport paths may be adjusted as needed.

[0023] In some embodiments, inlet areas 102A, 102B, and 102C may specifically be openings, holes, or other structures that can communicate with the outside, and the sample to be tested can enter the electronic device 100 from the outside through inlet areas 102A, 102B, and 102C by injection, dripping, or other methods. Pump areas 104A, 104B, and 104C may be adjacent to inlet areas 102A, 102B, and 102C, respectively, and miniature pumps may be provided in pump areas 104A, 104B, and 104C. The miniature pumps in pump areas 104A, 104B, and 104C can provide a pumping function to transport the sample to be tested entering from inlet areas 102A, 102B, and 102C toward channel areas 106A, 106B, and 106C. Channel areas 106A, 106B, and 106C may be microchannels, and the channel width and channel length of the microchannels can be adjusted according to different needs. In some embodiments, the channel can be a meandering channel, an arc-shaped channel, a linear channel, etc. A control component for assisting the experiment can be provided in the platform area 108. In some embodiments, the control component in the platform area 108 can control the movement of the sample to be tested, moving the sample to a set position for the required reaction to occur within the platform area 108. Furthermore, the control component in the platform area 108 can further drive the reacted sample and the remaining sample to the exit areas OT1, OT2, and OT3. The exit areas OT1, OT2, and OT3 can specifically be openings, holes, or other structures that can communicate with the outside, and the reacted sample and the remaining sample can leave the electronic device 100 from the exit areas OT1, OT2, and OT3. In some embodiments, the reacted sample can be removed from one of the exit areas OT1, OT2, and OT3 for further experimentation, while the remaining sample can be removed from the other of the exit areas OT1, OT2, and OT3 or flow into a storage tank (container).

[0024] In some embodiments, a first test sample SA can be injected into the electronic device 100 through the inlet region 102A, and pumped towards the channel region 106A by a micro-pump provided in the pump region 104A, flowing through the channel region 106A and entering the platform region 108. That is, the first test sample SA can be transported to the platform region 108 through the first transport path PA. Similarly, a second test sample SB can be injected into the electronic device 100 through the inlet region 102B and transported to the platform region 108 through the second transport path PB established by the inlet region 102B, the pump region 104B, and the channel region 106B. A third test sample SC can be injected into the electronic device 100 through the inlet region 102C and transported to the platform region 108 through the third transport path PC established by the inlet region 102C, the pump region 104C, and the channel region 106C.

[0025] The first test sample SA, the second test sample SB, and the third test sample SC can be moved to preset positions in the platform area 108 by the drive control of the control components provided in the platform area 108. For example, Figure 1 The illustration schematically shows a first test sample SA and a second test sample SB being controlled to move to a predetermined position LR and come into contact with each other at that position LR. In some embodiments, one of the first test sample SA and the second test sample SB may be a biological cell, while the other may be a reagent intended to react with the biological cell. Figure 1 The control operation shown allows the cells to be tested to react with the reagents at a set location (LR). The resulting sample SR, after the reaction of the first sample SA and the second sample SB, can be controlled by the control components in the platform region 108 to move towards the exit region OT1, and can be removed from the electronic device 100 by the exit region OT1. After the reacted sample SR is removed, the remaining sample that did not participate in the reaction can be removed by at least one of the exit regions OT1, OT2, and OT3 and collected in a storage container or similar storage structure. Methods for removing the sample may include, but are not limited to, aspirating with a micropipette.

[0026] Here, during the movement and reaction of the sample to be tested within the electronic device 100, suitable instruments or imaging devices, such as optical microscopes, fluorescence spectrometers, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometers (FTIR), and Raman spectrometers, can be used for observation. For example, the imaging device can be used to observe the reaction between the first sample to be tested SA and the second sample to be tested SB at a set position LR. After observing the completion of the reaction, the control components set in the platform area 108 are activated to move the reacted sample to be tested SR to the exit area OT1.

[0027] In this embodiment, the electronic device 100 includes a substrate 110, and the first transport path PA, the second transport path PB, the third transport path PC, and the platform region 108 are all integrated into the substrate 110. That is, the components used to realize the entry regions 102A, 102B, and 102C, the pump regions 104A, 104B, and 104C, the channel regions 106A, 106B, and 106C, and the platform region 108 are all fabricated on the substrate 110. Here, the substrate 110 is approximately 1 inch to 3 inches in size, therefore the electronic device 100 can be a chip-level device. In other words, the electronic device 100 achieves experimental steps that would otherwise be performed in a laboratory with a simplified size, or reduces experimental steps and increases operational convenience.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 The electronic device 200 has an inlet area 202, a pump area 204, a passage area 206, a platform area 208, and an outlet area OT, wherein the functions provided by these areas are roughly the same as those of the other areas. Figure 1 The entrance areas 102A, 102B, and 102C, the pump areas 104A, 104B, and 104C, the passage areas 106A, 106B, and 106C, the platform area 108, and the exit areas OT1, OT2, and OT3 are identical. Therefore, electronic device 200 can serve as... Figure 1 This is one embodiment of the electronic device 100. In this embodiment, the electronic device 200 includes a substrate 110, a thin-film transistor 220, a micropump 230, and a microfluidic platform 240. The thin-film transistor 220 is disposed on the substrate 110. The micropump 230 is disposed on the substrate 110 and electrically connected to the thin-film transistor 220. The microfluidic platform 240 is disposed on the substrate 110 and coupled to the micropump 230. The micropump 230 is used to pump a sample to be tested (such as...) Figure 1 The SA, SB, or SC shown are delivered to the microfluidic platform 240. In this disclosure, the term "coupling" can be understood as a connection and can include direct connections, indirect connections, and even electrical connections. Here, the micropump 230 is located in the pump region 204, the microfluidic platform 240 is located in the platform region 208, and the channel region 206 extends in the area between the micropump 230 and the microfluidic platform 240. Figure 2 As shown, pump area 204, passage area 206 and platform area 208 are arranged in sequence.

[0029] For example, the electronic device 200 also includes a counter substrate 250 and a spacer 260. The substrate 110 and the counter substrate 250 are disposed opposite each other, and the spacer 260 is disposed between the substrate 110 and the counter substrate 250 to form a microfluidic cavity CB between the substrate 110 and the counter substrate 250. The microfluidic cavity CB can be continuously distributed in the pump region 204, the channel region 206, and the plateau region 208, such that the pump region 204, the channel region 206, and the plateau region 208 are in fluid communication. For ease of explanation, the microfluidic cavity CB is hereinafter divided into a delivery cavity CB1 in the pump region 204, a microchannel CB2 in the channel region 206, and an experimental cavity CB3 in the plateau region 208. The delivery cavity CB1, the microchannel CB2, and the experimental cavity CB3 are in fluid communication with each other and can have different volumes according to different design requirements. In other words, the microchannel CB2 can be coupled between the microfluidic platform 240 and the micropump 230. For example, although not shown in the figure, the spacer 260 disposed between the substrate 110 and the opposing substrate 250 can be patterned to define the volume and shape of the delivery cavity CB1, the microchannel CB2, and the experimental cavity CB3. For example, the microchannel CB2 in the channel region 206 can have a meandering extension path using the structure of the spacer 260. The experimental cavity CB3 in the platform region 208 can be defined by using the structure of the spacer 260 to provide a relatively large area to provide the required platform. Furthermore, it is applied to... Figure 1 In the layout design, the spacer 260 can extend between adjacent transport paths to keep each transport path independent.

[0030] In this embodiment, an inlet 270 and an outlet 280 may be provided on the opposing substrate 250, with the inlet 270 located at the inlet region 202 and the outlet 280 located at the outlet region OT. The inlet 270 may be located adjacent to the micropump 230, while the outlet 280 may be located adjacent to the microfluidic platform 240. The inlet 270 and outlet 280 may penetrate the opposing substrate 250 to provide communication and / or coupling between the microfluidic cavity CB and the outside world. The operation of the electronic device 200 may include injecting the sample to be tested into the microfluidic cavity CB through the inlet 250, activating the micropump 230 to drive the sample to be tested located in the delivery cavity CB1, thereby delivering the sample to the microfluidic platform 240. In some embodiments, the sample to be tested may react on the microfluidic platform 240 and be removed from the outlet 280 after the reaction. Therefore, the electronic device 200 can realize experimental operations that originally required manual intervention. In some embodiments, the sample to be tested may include particles such as cells, inorganic ions, organic substances, proteins, and nucleic acids, as well as carriers carrying these particles. In some embodiments, the carrier may include liquid substances such as glass fluids, organic solvents, physiological fluids (e.g., blood or sweat).

[0031] The thin-film transistor 220 may include a gate 222, a channel layer 224, a source 226, and a drain 228. The gate 222 and the channel layer 224 are disposed opposite to each other and spaced apart. The source 226 and the drain 228 contact different regions of the channel layer 224. When the gate 222 of the thin-film transistor 220 receives an enable signal, the channel layer 224 can electrically connect the source 226 and the drain 228 to transmit the signal received at the source 226 to the drain 228.

[0032] The micropump 230 may include a cavity 231, a first electrode 233, and a second electrode 235. The cavity 231 is disposed between the first electrode 233 and the second electrode 235. In this embodiment, the micropump 230 further includes a membrane 237, which is disposed between the cavity 231 and the second electrode 235. For example, the membrane 237 may be used to define the cavity 231. A thin-film transistor 220 is electrically connected to the first electrode 233. The thin-film transistor 220 is used to provide a different voltage to the first electrode 233 than to the second electrode 235, causing the cavity 231 to be squeezed or expanded, changing the pressure of the microfluidic cavity CB and delivering the sample to be analyzed to the microfluidic platform 240. That is, the micropump 230 may be driven by the thin-film transistor 220 to perform pumping operation, and the pumping operation of the micropump 230 may deliver the sample to be analyzed (which may include particles to be analyzed and carriers) in the delivery cavity CB1. In some embodiments, an electrode line CM may be provided on the substrate 110, and the second electrode 235 is connected to the electrode line CM. The electrode line CM is used to provide a voltage to the second electrode 235, and the voltage provided by the electrode line CM to the second electrode 235 may be different from the voltage provided by the thin-film transistor 220 to the first electrode 233.

[0033] The thin-film transistor 220 can be fabricated using processes such as thin-film deposition and photolithography. For example, an insulating layer I1 can be selectively formed before fabricating the channel layer 224 on the substrate 110, and the channel layer 224 is formed on the buffer layer I1. Next, an insulating layer I2 is formed on the channel layer 224, and the gate 222 is formed on the insulating layer I2. Then, an insulating layer I3 is formed on the gate 222, and a source 226, a drain 228, and an electrode line CM are formed on the insulating layer I3. The insulating layer I3 may have contact openings to allow the source 226 and the drain 228 to contact the channel layer 224 through the openings. In this way, the thin-film transistor 220 is completed.

[0034] In some embodiments, the channel layer 224 is made of semiconductor materials, such as organic semiconductors, inorganic semiconductors, etc. In some embodiments, the channel layer 224 is made of silicon semiconductors, such as crystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, microcrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, etc. In some embodiments, the gate 224, source 226, and drain 228 are made of metal materials, such as aluminum, molybdenum, copper, silver, alloys of metal materials, or stacks of multiple metal materials. Insulating layers I1 to I3 may include organic insulating materials, inorganic insulating materials, or stacks of multiple insulating materials. Inorganic insulating materials include silicon oxide, nitrides, silicon oxynitride, other oxide insulating materials, other nitride insulating materials, or other oxynitride insulating materials. Organic insulating materials include planarization layer materials, resin materials, or other similar materials. In some embodiments, insulating layers I1 to I3 may be transparent films, thus allowing light, such as visible light, to pass through.

[0035] An insulating layer I4 may then be formed on the source 226, drain 228, and electrode line CM. The material of the insulating layer I4 may be similar to that of the aforementioned insulating layers I1 to I3. The insulating layer I4 may provide a planarized surface for the micro-pump 230 to be disposed thereon, but is not limited thereto. A first electrode 233 is formed on the insulating layer I4. In some embodiments, a connecting electrode CME may be formed corresponding to the electrode line CM while forming the first electrode 233. The insulating layer I4 may have openings corresponding to the drain 228 and the electrode line CM, such that the first electrode 233 and the connecting electrode CME contact the drain 228 and the electrode line CM respectively through the corresponding openings. The materials of the first electrode 233 and the connecting electrode CME may include transparent conductive materials or opaque conductive materials. Transparent conductive materials may include, for example, indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, or other suitable transparent conductive materials, but are not limited thereto. Opaque conductive materials may include, for example, aluminum, molybdenum, copper, silver, alloys, or other suitable opaque conductive materials, but are not limited thereto.

[0036] Next, a thin film 237 can be formed on the first electrode 233 and the connecting electrode CME, and a cavity 231 can be formed between the thin film 237 and the insulating layer I4 corresponding to the first electrode 233. The method of fabricating the thin film 237 may include first forming a sacrificial material on the insulating layer I4, such that the sacrificial material is located at the location where the cavity 231 is intended to be formed. Then, the thin film 237 is formed on the insulating layer I4, such that the thin film 237 covers the sacrificial material. During the fabrication of the thin film 237, holes communicating with the sacrificial material can be formed in the thin film 237, and after the thin film 237 is completed, the sacrificial material can be removed through the holes of the thin film 237. The method of removing the sacrificial material may include, but is not limited to, using a suitable etchant depending on the properties of the sacrificial material. Afterwards, a filler material or a sealant material may be filled into the holes of the thin film 237 used to remove the sacrificial material to seal the thin film 237. In some embodiments, the material of the thin film 237 may include an organic insulating material or an inorganic insulating material. Inorganic insulating materials may include oxide, nitride, or oxynitride-based insulating materials, while organic materials may include organic planarization layer materials or similar materials, but are not limited thereto. The film 237 has a thickness N237 at the cavity 231. For example, the thickness T237 of the portion of the film 237 outside the cavity 231 is greater than the thickness N237 of the portion within the cavity 231. In some embodiments, the sum of the height H231 of the cavity 231 and the thickness N237 of the portion of the film 237 within the cavity 231 may be approximately equal to the thickness T237 of the portion of the film 237 outside the cavity 231, but is not limited thereto.

[0037] Next, a second electrode 235 is formed on the thin film 237, thus completing the micro-pump 230. The thin film 237 may have an opening corresponding to the connecting electrode CME, and the second electrode 235 can be connected to the connecting electrode CME through the opening. In this way, the second electrode 235 can be connected to the electrode line CM through the connecting electrode CME. In this embodiment, the second electrode 235 may be made of a transparent conductive material, such as indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, etc., but is not limited thereto. In addition, an insulating layer I5 is formed on the second electrode 235 as a protective layer, wherein the material of the insulating layer I5 may be similar to that of the insulating layers I1 to I4.

[0038] In the micro-pump 230, the first electrode 233 and the second electrode 235, disposed on opposite sides of the cavity 231, overlap each other in the thickness direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) to form a capacitor structure. That is, the area of ​​the first electrode 233 projected onto the substrate 110 in the thickness direction overlaps with the area of ​​the second electrode 235 projected onto the substrate 110 in the thickness direction, and the first electrode 233 and the second electrode 235 are electrically independent of each other. Thus, by adjusting the input voltage, the electrostatic force between the first electrode 233 and the second electrode 235 can be changed. For example, if the first electrode 233 and the second electrode 235 have opposite potentials based on the input voltage, they can attract each other based on electrostatic force. At this time, the cavity 231 disposed between the first electrode 233 and the second electrode 235 can be compressed / contracted, causing the corresponding delivery cavity CB1 to expand / inflate. That is, the height H231 of the cavity 231 can be reduced, while the height HCB1 of the delivery cavity CB1 can be increased. Conversely, if the first electrode 233 and the second electrode 235 have the same potential based on the input voltage, then the first electrode 233 and the second electrode 235 can repel each other based on electrostatic forces. At this time, the cavity 231 between the first electrode 233 and the second electrode 235 can be expanded / inflated, causing the corresponding delivery cavity CB1 to be compressed / contracted. That is, the height H231 of the cavity 231 can be increased, while the height HCB1 of the delivery cavity CB1 can be reduced. Thus, the micro-pump 230 can achieve a pumping effect by controlling the voltage phase of the first electrode 233 and the second electrode 235. In some embodiments, the mechanical properties of the portion of the thin film 237 at the cavity 231, the second electrode 235, and the stack of the insulating layer I5 can withstand the deformation caused by the aforementioned expansion / inflation and compression / contraction of the cavity 231.

[0039] In this embodiment, the microfluidic platform 240 may be an electrowetting on-dielectric (EWOD) platform, but is not limited thereto. For example, the electronic device 200 may include multiple switching components SW, multiple switching electrodes PE, hydrophobic layers HP1 and HP2, an insulating layer I6, and a counter electrode OE in the platform region 208, and implement the microfluidic platform 240 with these components. The switching components SW, switching electrodes PE, and hydrophobic layers HP1 are disposed on the substrate 110. The switching components SW may specifically have a structure similar to that of the thin-film transistor 220, including a gate G, a channel layer C, a source S, and a drain D, and the configuration relationship of the gate G, channel layer C, source S, and drain D is substantially the same as that of the gate 222, channel layer 224, source 226, and drain 228, and therefore will not be repeated. The switching electrode PE may be connected to the drain D of the switching component SW, and the switching electrode PE may be the same film layer as the second electrode 235. In some embodiments, the switching electrode PE can be connected to the drain electrode D via the connecting electrode DE, and the connecting electrode DE can be the same film layer as the connecting electrode CME. A hydrophobic layer HP1 is disposed on the insulating layer I5, but is not limited thereto. The opposing electrode OE, the insulating layer I6, and the hydrophobic layer HP2 are disposed on the opposing substrate 250 and arranged sequentially from the opposing substrate 250 to the substrate 110. The hydrophobic layers HP1 and HP2 can selectively extend throughout the entire microfluidic cavity CB and can contact the fluid within the microfluidic cavity CB.

[0040] In some embodiments, the materials of hydrophobic layers HP1 and HP2 may include fluorinated materials. The potential difference between the switching electrode PE and the counter electrode OE can affect the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of hydrophobic layers HP1 and HP2. For example, when a voltage is applied to the switching electrode PE and the counter electrode OE, the one with a higher potential will result in lower hydrophobicity of the corresponding hydrophobic layer HP1. For example, each switching electrode PE and its corresponding switching component SW can be considered as a switching unit, and two adjacent switching units P1 and P2 can be used as examples. When the switching electrode PE of switching unit P1 has a lower potential than the counter electrode OE, and the switching electrode PE of switching unit P2 has a higher potential than the counter electrode OE, the hydrophobicity of hydrophobic layer HP1 is higher at switching unit P1 than at switching unit P2. In this case, the contact angle θ1 of the droplet-shaped test sample SP in the experimental chamber CB3 is greater at switching unit P1 than at switching unit P2, thereby driving the test sample SP towards and / or away from switching unit P1. Through this operation, the sample SP to be tested in the experimental chamber CB3 can be driven to move in the platform region 208 in a predetermined direction. In other words, the microfluidic platform 240 can be used to achieve... Figure 1 The procedure described herein is to move the sample to the designated position LR. However, the method of moving the sample is not limited to this.

[0041] Overall, after the sample SP is injected into the microfluidic cavity CB of the electronic device 200 through the inlet 270, it can be driven by the micro-pump 230 in the pump region 204 to flow towards the microchannel (i.e., microchannel CB2) in the channel region 206. Then, after the sample SP flows into the platform region 208 from the microchannel, it can be moved to a predetermined position by the switching units (e.g., switching units P1 and P2), and as... Figure 1 As generally described in the embodiments, a predetermined reaction (e.g., mixing, acting, and / or reacting with another test sample) is performed at a predetermined location. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce laboratory experimental steps to be performed in a chip-level electronic device 200 to achieve a laboratory chip. In some embodiments, the operation of transporting the test sample SP by the micro-pump 230 in the pump area 204 and the operation of moving the test sample SP by the switching units P1 and P2 in the platform area 208 can be performed in stages or simultaneously based on different needs and experimental procedures. Furthermore, the operation of moving the test sample SP by the switching units P1 and P2 in the platform area 208 can further drive the moving test sample SP to the outlet 280, and remove the test sample SP and other substances (carriers, other particles, etc.) within the microfluidic cavity CB from the outlet 280 in a suitable manner. In some embodiments, a microdroplet can be used to draw the test sample SP or other particles from the outlet 280. In some embodiments, an additional pump can be used to extract substances injected into the electronic device 200 from the outlet 280.

[0042] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 The electronic device 200 has an inlet area 302, a pump area 304, a passage area 306, a platform area 308, and an outlet area OT, wherein the functions provided by these areas are roughly the same as those of the other areas. Figure 1 The entrance areas 102A, 102B, and 102C, the pump areas 104A, 104B, and 104C, the passage areas 106A, 106B, and 106C, the platform area 108, and the exit areas OT1, OT2, and OT3 are identical. Therefore, the electronic device 300 can serve as... Figure 1 One embodiment of the electronic device 100. The electronic device 300 includes a substrate 110, a thin-film transistor 220, a micropump 330, and a microfluidic platform 340. The thin-film transistor 220 is disposed on the substrate 110. The micropump 330 is disposed on the substrate 110 and electrically connected to the thin-film transistor 220. The microfluidic platform 340 is disposed on the substrate 110 and coupled to the micropump 330. In this embodiment, the thin-film transistor 220 is similar to Figure 2 The thin-film transistor 220 is described above. Therefore, the specific structure of the thin-film transistor 220 can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 2The explanation is as follows. Specifically, the electronic device 300 may further include a counter substrate 250 and a spacer 260, wherein the spacer 260 separates the substrate 110 and the counter substrate 250 to create a microfluidic cavity CB between the substrate 110 and the counter substrate 250, wherein the distribution layout of the microfluidic cavity CB can be referred to Figure 2 The description is as follows. The structures of the micropump 330 and the microfluidic platform 340 in this embodiment are different from those in the previous embodiment. Figure 2 The micropump 230 and microfluidic platform 240 are described, although the functions of the micropump 230 and microfluidic platform 240 are largely similar to those of the micropump 230 and microfluidic platform 240. In some embodiments, Figure 3 The mini pump 330 can be paired with Figure 2 The microfluidic platform 240 enables electronic devices to be implemented as laboratory chips, or... Figure 2 Miniature pump 230 paired with Figure 3 The microfluidic platform 340 is used to realize electronic devices as laboratory chips. Therefore, Figure 2 and Figure 3 The embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of implementation methods for the micropump and microfluidic platform, and do not limit the combination of the two. The structures of the micropump 330 and the microfluidic platform 340 will be described in detail below.

[0043] The micro-pump 330 may include a cavity 231, a first electrode 333, a second electrode 335, a thin film 237, and a piezoelectric layer 339. The cavity 231 may be defined by the thin film 237, and the structure and materials of the cavity 231 and the thin film 237 can be described in reference to [reference needed]. Figure 2The relevant description is as follows. In this embodiment, the piezoelectric layer 339 is disposed between the first electrode 333 and the second electrode 335, and the first electrode 333 and the second electrode 335 are disposed on one side of the cavity 231. Specifically, the first electrode 333 is located between the substrate 110 and the second electrode 335, and the thin film 237 is disposed between the first electrode 333 and the cavity 231, and the cavity 231 is disposed between the substrate 110 and the first electrode 333. The piezoelectric layer 339, for example, has the characteristic of being deformable under the action of an electric field. Therefore, when a voltage is applied to the first electrode 333 and the second electrode 335, the piezoelectric layer 339 can be deformed, causing the cavity 231 to be squeezed or expanded, thereby transporting the sample to be tested to the microfluidic platform 340. The materials of the piezoelectric layer 339 include aluminum nitride (AlN), polyvinylidene fluoride and its copolymers (PVDF), polyvinyl fluoride, lead zirconate titanate (PZT), barium titanate (BaTiO3), zinc oxide (ZnO), etc. In some embodiments, both the first electrode 333 and the second electrode 335 can be transparent electrodes to allow light to pass through, such as visible light. The micro-pump 330 can be fabricated on the substrate 110 using thin-film deposition and photolithography, thereby facilitating the realization of the electronic device 300 at a chip-level scale. In other words, the electronic device 300 is, for example, a lab chip integrating pump functionality.

[0044] The microfluidic platform 340 is an optically-induced dielectrophoresis (ODEP) platform. Specifically, the electronic device 300 may include a switching electrode 342, a semiconductor layer 344, and a counter electrode 346 in the platform region 308. The switching electrode 342 and the semiconductor layer 344 are disposed on the substrate 110, while the counter electrode 346 is disposed on the opposing substrate 250. The switching electrode 342 is located between the substrate 110 and the semiconductor layer 344. The semiconductor layer 344 and the counter electrode 346 are located on opposite sides of the microfluidic cavity CB. The switching electrode 342, the semiconductor layer 344, and the counter electrode 346 may extend substantially in the platform region 308 without being patterned into individual pixels, but are not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the semiconductor layer 344 may include semiconductor materials such as amorphous silicon, crystalline silicon, and polycrystalline silicon. The materials of the switching electrode 342 and the counter electrode 346 may include transparent conductive materials, thereby allowing light to pass through, such as visible light.

[0045] Photoelectrophoresis technology involves applying alternating current to the switching electrode 342 and the counter electrode 346 to generate a uniform electric field that polarizes the particles (e.g., the sample to be tested) in the microfluidic cavity CB. Then, an external optical pattern is used to induce the semiconductor layer 344 to form a virtual electrode, thereby generating a non-uniform electric field to manipulate the particles or cells.

[0046] The term "virtual electrode" can be understood as follows: when an external optical pattern shines on the semiconductor layer 344, the impedance of the illuminated area is lower than that of the unilluminated area, thus allowing the transmission of signals from the opposing electrode 346, producing an effect similar to that of a "real electrode." Therefore, the electronic device 300 can be used with an external light source 400 to achieve photodielectrophoresis, and the external light source 400 can emit light from one side of the substrate 110 toward the semiconductor layer 344. In some embodiments, the external light source 400 may have a patterned baffle, so that the light illuminating the semiconductor layer 344 has a predetermined pattern distribution to realize the virtual electrode. Typically, the generation of photodielectrophoretic force requires a solution with low conductivity and a suitable dielectric constant. Therefore, the fluid placed in the electronic device can use a liquid with low conductivity and a suitable dielectric constant as a carrier. When the sample to be tested is a cell, the magnitude of the photodielectrophoretic force on the cell depends on the cell size, the dielectric properties of the cell and the surrounding solution, the gradient of the electric field, and the frequency of the electric field. Therefore, the electrical signals of the switching electrode 342 and the opposing electrode 346 can be adjusted according to the sample to be tested to achieve the required photodielectrophoresis. Additionally, in this embodiment, the piezoelectric layer 339 may not extend to the plateau region 308 to reduce the shielding of the electric field generated by the semiconductor layer 344.

[0047] In summary, the electronic device of this disclosed embodiment integrates a micro-pump into a laboratory chip, enabling multiple laboratory procedures to be performed in a compact size.

[0048] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions disclosed herein, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: substrate; Thin-film transistors are disposed on the substrate; Opposing substrate, disposed opposite to the substrate; A spacer is disposed between the substrate and the opposing substrate to form a microfluidic cavity between the substrate and the opposing substrate; A micropump is disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the thin-film transistor. The micropump includes a cavity, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The thin-film transistor is electrically connected to the first electrode, wherein the cavity, the first electrode, and the second electrode are located between the microfluidic cavity and the substrate. as well as A microfluidic platform, disposed on the substrate, is coupled to the micropump. The micropump is used to transport the sample to be tested in the microfluidic cavity to the microfluidic platform, and the thin-film transistor is used to provide a different voltage for the first electrode relative to the second electrode, so that the cavity is squeezed or expanded to transport the sample to be tested to the microfluidic platform.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cavity is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a thin film disposed between the cavity and the second electrode.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a piezoelectric layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the first electrode and the second electrode are disposed on one side of the cavity.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a thin film disposed between the cavity and the first electrode.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes microchannels coupled between the microfluidic platform and the micropump.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microfluidic platform is a dielectric wetting platform.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microfluidic platform is a photoelectrophoresis platform.

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