Microfluidic devices

Abstract

This invention provides a microfluidic device that can improve the manufacturing accuracy of microfluidic channels in a microfluidic device using a substrate stacking structure. [Solution] The microfluidic device according to the present disclosure comprises a first substrate having a first surface and a second substrate having a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface, wherein the first surface includes a first groove extending in a direction along the surface direction, a first region adjacent to the first groove and having an edge along the periphery of the first groove, and a second region disposed between the first groove and the first surface via the first region, wherein the first surface and the second surface are joined in the first region, and the first surface and the second surface are not joined in the second region.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , , ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a microchannel device, and more specifically, to a microchannel device having a substrate laminated structure.

Background Art

[0002] A microchannel device is a device including a minute channel through which a fluid flows. The fluid is a general term for liquids and gases. Microchannel devices are used, for example, for fluid mixing, separation, analysis, reaction, or the like. For example, a chemical plant can be replaced with a system in which a plurality of microchannel devices are integrated, and analysis or reaction can be performed precisely and rapidly with a small-sized facility.

[0003] Microchannel devices can generally be configured by an adhesive-free substrate laminated structure using materials such as glass, resin, and silicone. A microchannel device using a glass substrate has excellent chemical resistance and environmental resistance, and thus has attracted attention in fields such as pharmaceuticals and biology. Examples of microchannel devices using a glass substrate include the microchannel chip disclosed in Patent Document 1.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The microfluidic chip described in Patent Document 1 is constructed with a laminated structure of a silicone rubber substrate and a glass substrate. When fabricating microfluidic devices using a laminated substrate structure, a method is generally employed in which pressure is applied in the thickness direction to bring the substrates into close contact and bond them. In this case, a large load is applied in the thickness direction of the substrate. Due to the load received in the thickness direction, the surface of the substrate may deform, and the cross-sectional shape of the constructed microfluidic channels may change. As a result, when multiple microfluidic devices are connected and used, variations in the cross-sectional shape of the microfluidic channels in each device reduce the stability of the fluid flow within the microfluidic channels, affecting analysis or reaction. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in the manufacturing precision of conventional microfluidic devices.

[0006] In light of these circumstances, this disclosure aims to provide a microfluidic device and a method for manufacturing the same that can improve the manufacturing accuracy of microfluidic channels in a microfluidic device using a substrate stacking structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, a microfluidic device according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a first substrate having a first surface and a second substrate having a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface, wherein the first surface includes a first groove extending in a direction along the surface direction, a first region adjacent to the first groove and having an edge along the periphery of the first groove, and a second region disposed between the first surface and the first groove via the first region, wherein the first surface and the second surface are joined in the first region, and the first surface and the second surface are not joined in the second region.

[0008] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above objective, a method for manufacturing a microfluidic device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a microfluidic device comprising a first substrate and a second substrate, comprising the steps of forming a groove extending in an extending direction along the surface direction, a convex first region adjacent to the groove and having an edge along the periphery of the groove, and a second region disposed between the groove and the first region via the first region, on the surface of the first substrate, and applying a load in the thickness direction of the laminated first substrate and second substrate to join the first substrate and the second substrate at the first region without joining them at the second region. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a microfluidic device or a method for manufacturing a microfluidic device can improve the manufacturing accuracy of microfluidic channels in a microfluidic device with a substrate stacked structure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1A] A schematic perspective view showing an example of the flow path configuration of a microfluidic device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 1B] Figure 1A is an exploded perspective view showing the substrates that make up the microfluidic device. [Figure 1C] Schematic enlarged plan view showing part A1 of Figure 1B [Figure 2A] A schematic perspective view showing another example of a flow path configuration for the microfluidic device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2B] Figure 2A is an exploded perspective view showing the substrates that make up the microfluidic device. [Figure 2C] Schematic enlarged plan view showing part A2 of Figure 2B [Figure 3] Cross-sectional view along the cutting line D1-D1 in Figure 1B [Figure 4] This figure shows an example configuration of a microfluidic device according to Embodiment 1, and is a cross-sectional view along the cutting line C1-C1 in Figure 1A. [Figure 5] A diagram showing another configuration example of the microfluidic device according to Embodiment 1, a cross-sectional view along the cutting line C1-C1 in Figure 1A. [Figure 6]A diagram showing a further configuration example of the microchannel device according to Embodiment 1, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line C1-C1 of FIG. 1A [Figure 7] A diagram showing a further configuration example of the microchannel device according to Embodiment 1, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line C1-C1 of FIG. 1A [Figure 8] A schematic perspective view showing a configuration example of the microchannel device according to Embodiment 2 [Figure 9] An exploded perspective view showing the substrate constituting the microchannel device of FIG. 8 [Figure 10A] A schematic enlarged plan view showing the configuration of part A3 of FIG. 9 [Figure 10B] A cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line D3-D3 of FIG. 9 [Figure 11] A diagram showing a configuration example of the microchannel device according to Embodiment 2, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line C3-C3 of FIG. 8 [Figure 12] A diagram showing another configuration example of the microchannel device according to Embodiment 2, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line C3-C3 of FIG. 8 [Figure 13] A flowchart showing an example of the manufacturing process of the microchannel device according to the example [Figure 14] A schematic diagram showing the substrate forming process of the microchannel device according to the example [Figure 15] A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the formed substrate [Figure 16] A schematic diagram showing the bonding process of the microchannel device according to the example [Figure 17] A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the manufactured microchannel device

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a microfluidic device is provided comprising a first substrate having a first surface and a second substrate having a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface, wherein the first surface includes a first groove extending in a direction along the surface direction, a first region adjacent to the first groove and having an edge along the periphery of the first groove, and a second region disposed between the first groove and the first surface via the first region, wherein the first surface and the second surface are joined in the first region, and the first surface and the second surface are not joined in the second region.

[0012] According to this embodiment, the manufacturing accuracy of microchannels in a microchannel device using a substrate stacking structure can be improved.

[0013] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a microfluidic device according to the first aspect, wherein in the second region, the first surface and the second surface are arranged with a gap between them.

[0014] A third aspect of this disclosure provides a microfluidic device according to the second aspect, wherein, in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the extending direction of the first groove, the second region has a greater width than the first region.

[0015] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a microfluidic device is provided according to any one of the second or third aspects, wherein, in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the extension direction of the first groove, the first region has a width of 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0016] A fifth aspect of the present disclosure provides a microfluidic device according to any one of the second to fourth aspects, wherein a second groove is further disposed on the first surface in an extending direction along at least one surface direction, and a second region is disposed between the first groove and at least one second groove.

[0017] A sixth aspect of the present disclosure provides a microfluidic device according to any one of the second to fifth aspects, wherein the second surface includes a third groove extending in an elongation direction along the surface direction, and the third groove is positioned to face the first groove.

[0018] A seventh aspect of the present disclosure provides a microfluidic device according to the sixth aspect, wherein the second surface further includes a third region adjacent to a third groove and having an edge along the periphery of the third groove, and a fourth region disposed between the third groove and the third region via the third region, the third region being positioned to face the first region and joined to the first region, and the fourth region being positioned to face the second region and not joined to the second region.

[0019] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, a microfluidic device according to any one of the second to seventh aspects is provided, wherein the first surface has at least one protrusion projecting toward the second surface in the second region.

[0020] According to a ninth aspect of this disclosure, a microfluidic device according to the eighth aspect is provided, wherein there are a plurality of protrusions, and the plurality of protrusions are arranged to form a frame shape near the periphery of the first surface in a plan view.

[0021] According to a tenth aspect of this disclosure, a microfluidic device according to the eighth or ninth aspect is provided, wherein, in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the extending direction of the first groove, the protrusion has a width of 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0022] According to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, a microfluidic device is provided according to any one of the eighth to tenth aspects, wherein in a second region where a protrusion is arranged, the first surface and the second surface are separated by a first gap, and the protrusion and the second surface are separated by a second gap, the second gap being 50% or less of the first gap.

[0023] According to a twelfth aspect of this disclosure, a microfluidic device is provided according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are made of glass.

[0024] A thirteenth aspect of this disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a microfluidic device comprising a first substrate and a second substrate, the method comprising the steps of forming a groove extending in an extending direction along the surface direction, a convex first region adjacent to the groove and having an edge along the periphery of the groove, and a second region disposed between the groove and the first region via the first region, on the surface of the first substrate; and applying a load in the thickness direction of the stacked first substrate and second substrate to join the first substrate and the second substrate at the first region without joining them at the second region.

[0025] Furthermore, by appropriately combining any of the above various embodiments, the effects of each can be achieved.

[0026] The embodiments will be described in detail below, with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, unnecessarily detailed explanations may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters and redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily verbose and to facilitate understanding for those skilled in the art.

[0027] A microfluidic device and a method for manufacturing a microfluidic device according to embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1A to 17. The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims. In addition, elements in each figure are exaggerated to facilitate explanation. Substantially identical components in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0028] <Embodiment 1> (Configuration of microfluidic devices) The configuration of the microfluidic device will be described with reference to Figures 1A to 3. Figure 1A is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the channel configuration of the microfluidic device 100 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 1B is an exploded perspective view showing the substrates 11 and 12 that constitute the microfluidic device 100 in Figure 1A. Figure 1C is a schematic enlarged plan view showing part A1 of Figure 1B. Figure 2A is a schematic perspective view showing another example of the channel configuration of the microfluidic device 150 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2B is an exploded perspective view showing the substrates 15 and 16 that constitute the microfluidic device 150 in Figure 2A. Figure 2C is a schematic enlarged plan view showing part A2 of Figure 2B. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the cutting line D1-D1 in Figure 1B.

[0029] (Example of flow path configuration 1) The microfluidic device 100 according to this embodiment 1 may include a plurality of microfluidic channels, as illustrated in Figure 1A. The layout of the microfluidic channels may be linear, branched, comb-shaped, curved, spiral, zigzag, or any other shape depending on the intended use. In this embodiment, for example, the microfluidic device 100 includes a linear channel 21, branched channels 22 and 23, a comb-shaped channel section 24, and fluid communication ports 31, 32, and 33 that communicate with channels 21, 22, and 23, respectively. Fluid can be introduced or discharged through the fluid communication ports 31, 32, and 33.

[0030] The microfluidic device 100 is constructed by laminating a first substrate 11 and a second substrate 12 and joining them without using an adhesive. Figure 1B shows an exploded perspective view of the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 before joining. As shown, grooves 21A, 22A, 23A, and 24A that constitute fluid channels 21, 22, 23, and 24 are formed on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11, and grooves 21A, 22A, and 23A each have ends 31A, 32A, and 33A that constitute fluid communication ports. The ends 31A, 32A, and 33A may have a wider width than the other parts of the grooves 21A, 22A, and 23A in order to hold the fluid being introduced.

[0031] The second substrate 12 is provided with through holes 31b, 32b, and 33b, which are positioned to correspond to the ends 31A, 32A, and 33A of grooves on the first substrate 11, respectively. When the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are laminated and joined, flow channels 21, 22, 23, and 24 are formed between the two substrates, and fluid communication ports 31, 32, and 33 are formed on the upper surface 12b of the second substrate 12, which communicate with the flow channels 21, 22, and 23, respectively.

[0032] Although not shown in the figures, through holes communicating with the flow paths 21, 22, and 23 may be provided in the first substrate 11. Furthermore, fluid communication ports may be provided not only at the ends of the flow paths 21, 22, and 23, but also in the middle of the flow paths.

[0033] The microfluidic device 100 is composed of channels in which fluid communication ports 31, 32, and 33 are located on the surface of a substrate, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The microfluidic device may also include channels in which fluid communication ports are located on the side of the microfluidic device. The microfluidic device 150 shown in Figures 2A and 2B is an example thereof.

[0034] (Example of flow path configuration 2) As shown in Figure 2A, the microfluidic device 150 comprises a comb-shaped channel section 24, a straight channel 25, and branched channels 26 and 27. The straight channel 25 and the branched channels 26 and 27 extend to the sides 150A and 150B of the microfluidic device 150, respectively, where fluid communication ports 35, 36, and 37 are formed on the sides 150A and 150B of the microfluidic device 150.

[0035] The microfluidic device 150 is constructed by laminating a first substrate 15 and a second substrate 16 and joining them without using an adhesive. Figure 2B shows an exploded perspective view of the first substrate 15 and the second substrate 16 before joining. As shown in the figure, grooves 24A, 25A, 26A, and 27A, which constitute the fluid channels 24, 25, 26, and 27, are formed on the upper surface 15a of the first substrate 15. The grooves 25A, 26A, and 27A extend to the side surfaces 15A and 15B of the first substrate 15, respectively, and their ends 35A, 36A, and 37A are located on the side surfaces 15A and 15B of the first substrate 15.

[0036] In this configuration example, the second substrate 16 is a flat plate, and when the upper surface 15a of the first substrate 15 and the lower surface 16a of the second substrate 16 are laminated and joined, channels 24, 25, 26, and 27 are formed between the two substrates. Fluid communication ports 35, 36, and 37 are formed at the respective ends 35A, 36A, and 37A of the channels 25, 26, and 27 on the side surfaces 150A and 150B of the microfluidic device 150, allowing fluid to be introduced or discharged. Note that the second substrate 16 is not limited to being a flat plate; for example, through holes may be provided in the second substrate 16 to form fluid communication ports on the upper surface 16b that communicate with the channels.

[0037] The microfluidic devices of this disclosure are not limited to the shapes or flow path configurations shown in Figure 1A or Figure 2A. For example, the microfluidic devices 100 and 150 may have other shapes, such as circles, or other flow path configurations. For example, the microfluidic device 100 or the microfluidic device 150 may further include other flow paths that communicate with or are independent of flow paths 21, 22, 23, 24 or flow paths 24, 25, 26, 27. For example, the flow path configuration may be any combination of flow paths 21, 22, 23, 24 of the microfluidic device 100 and flow paths 24, 25, 26, 27 of the microfluidic device 150. Furthermore, the microfluidic devices of this disclosure are not limited to the shape or arrangement of fluid communication ports. The fluid communication ports may be configured in any shape and in any number, depending on the intended use.

[0038] The channel diameter of the microchannels included in the microfluidic devices of this disclosure is not particularly limited and can be configured according to the intended application to facilitate the transfer of fluids flowing within the channels.

[0039] The materials of the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 can be, for example, glass materials including low-melting-point glass and borosilicate glass, or quartz materials such as quartz and synthetic quartz, or resin materials including polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), cycloolefin polymer (COP), and cycloolefin copolymer (COC). Furthermore, the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 may be made of transparent or opaque materials. Microfluidic devices composed of transparent substrates may be convenient, for example, when visually observing the fluid in the channel or when measuring the optical properties of the fluid.

[0040] (Configuration of the first circuit board) Referring to Figures 1C and 2C, the configuration of the first substrates 11 and 15 of the microfluidic devices 100 and 150 will be described in more detail. Figure 1C schematically shows an enlarged plan view of the area A1 surrounding the groove 21A on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 of the microfluidic device 100.

[0041] As shown in Figure 1C, in the microfluidic device 100, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 includes a groove 21A extending in the direction E along the surface direction (XY plane shown) of the first substrate 11, a region 50 adjacent to the groove 21A, and a region 60 positioned between the groove 21A and the groove 21A via region 50. The inner edge 50a of region 50 is adjacent to the groove 21A and is positioned along the peripheral edge 21a of the groove 21A on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11. In this embodiment, region 60 is positioned adjacent to the outer edge 50b of region 50.

[0042] In the microfluidic device 100, the end 31A of the groove 21A is located on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11. At this time, the peripheral edge 21a of the groove 21A on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 includes the peripheral portions on both sides of the groove 21A extending in the extending direction E and the edge portion around the end 31A, and as shown in the figure, the region 50 is arranged to substantially surround the groove 21A.

[0043] Figure 2C schematically shows an enlarged plan view of the area A2 surrounding the groove 25A on the upper surface 15a of the first substrate 15 of the microfluidic device 150. The surface 15a of the first substrate 15 includes the groove 25A extending in the direction E along the surface direction (XY plane shown) of the first substrate 15, a region 50 adjacent to the groove 25A, and a region 60 positioned between the groove 25A and the region 60 via region 50. The inner edge 50a of region 50 is adjacent to the groove 25A and is positioned along the peripheral edge 25a of the groove 25A on the upper surface 15a of the first substrate 15. In this embodiment, region 60 is positioned adjacent to the outer edge 50b of region 50.

[0044] In the microfluidic device 150, the groove 25A extends to the side surface 15A of the first substrate 15, and the end 35A of the groove 25A is on the side surface 15A of the first substrate 15. Therefore, the peripheral edge 25a of the groove 25A on the upper surface 15a of the first substrate 15 does not include the edge portion around the end 35A. As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the peripheral edge 25a of the groove 25A on the upper surface 15a of the first substrate 15 is composed of the peripheral portions on both sides of the groove 25A that extends in the extending direction E, and the region 50 is arranged so as to sandwich the groove 25A on both sides. Although not shown, the groove 25A may be configured such that one end is on the side surface 15A of the first substrate 15 and the other end is on the upper surface 15a of the first substrate 15. At that time, the peripheral edge 25a of the groove 25A on the upper surface 15a of the first substrate 15 may include peripheral portions on both sides of the groove 25A extending in the extending direction E and edge portions around the end on the upper surface 15a.

[0045] In the microfluidic device of this disclosure, fluid flows along the extending direction E within a channel formed by grooves extending in the extending direction E. Figure 3 illustrates a cross-section of the first substrate 11 of the microfluidic device 100 along the cutting line D1-D1 shown in Figure 1B, in the XZ plane perpendicular to the extending direction E of the groove 21A in the first substrate 11. For the microfluidic device 150, the cross-section of the first substrate 15 along the cutting line D2-D2 shown in Figure 2B is similar, so its illustration and detailed description are omitted.

[0046] As shown in Figure 3, in the first substrate 11 before bonding, groove 21A is a recessed groove having an opening on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11. The region 50 adjacent to groove 21A is a convex region formed to protrude from the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11. The region 60 positioned between groove 21A and region 50 is not limited to this, but region 60 may be a flat portion on the upper surface 11a. Furthermore, region 60 may extend at least partially to the side surfaces 11A and 11B of the first substrate 11 in the X direction shown, and although not shown in Figure 3, region 60 may extend at least partially to the side surfaces 11C and 11D (shown in Figure 1B) of the first substrate 11 in the Y direction.

[0047] In this disclosure, the cross-sectional shape or dimensions of the groove 21A shown in Figure 3 are not limited and may be configured arbitrarily depending on the intended use. Furthermore, the region 50 on the first substrate 11 before bonding may be a convex region, and the cross-sectional contour shape of region 50 is not limited. In Figure 3, region 50 is shown with an arc-shaped cross-sectional contour, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, region 50 on the first substrate 11 before bonding may have a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-sectional contour shape.

[0048] In the cross-sectional view of Figure 3, on the -X side of groove 21A, region 60 has a width w2a and region 50 has a width w1a. On the +X side of groove 21A, region 60 has a width w2b and region 50 has a width w1b. The widths w2a and w2b of region 60 may be the same or different. Similarly, the widths w1a and w1b of region 50 may be the same or different.

[0049] The microfluidic device 100 is configured such that the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are joined in region 50, but the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are not joined in region 60. In this embodiment, in the cross-sectional view of Figure 3, region 60 has a larger width than region 50. That is, the relationships w2a > w1a and w2b > w1b are satisfied. Also, the widths w1a and w1b of region 50 are 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less. Alternatively, for example, the widths w1a and w1b of region 50 are 200 μm or more and 300 μm or less. This reduces the joining area between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12, allowing for stable joining of the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12. The joining of the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 will be described in detail below.

[0050] (Bonding between the first and second substrates) Referring to Figures 4 to 7, the microfluidic device of this embodiment, composed of a first substrate and a second substrate, will be described. Figures 4 to 7 are diagrams showing examples of the configuration of a microfluidic device according to Embodiment 1, and are cross-sectional views along the cutting line C1-C1 in Figure 1A. Figure 1A shows the state after joining the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 in the XZ plane perpendicular to the extending direction E of the channel 21 of the microfluidic device 100 shown. Note that the cross-sectional view of the microfluidic device 150 along the cutting line C2-C2 shown in Figure 2A is similar, so its illustration and detailed description are omitted.

[0051] (Configuration Example 1) Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the microfluidic device 100A of this embodiment. The microfluidic device 100A is constructed by laminating and bonding a first substrate 11 and a second substrate 12. In the constructed microfluidic device 100A, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are bonded in region 50. On the other hand, in region 60, the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are not bonded.

[0052] In this specification, the "joined region" refers to the region in which the two substrates become substantially one after substrate joining. The "unjoined region" refers to the region other than the grooves that constitute the flow channels, in which an interface exists between the two substrates after substrate joining, that is, the region in which the two substrates are not substantially one. The interface between the two substrates may be confirmed, for example, by observing cross-sectional SEM images using a scanning electron microscope. Alternatively, for example, in the case of a glass substrate, the existence of an interface between the two substrates may be confirmed by irradiating light from the surface of the substrate and measuring the light reflected at the interface.

[0053] As shown in Figure 3, in the first substrate 11 before bonding, groove 21A is a concave groove with an upper opening, and region 50 is a convex region protruding from the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11. When the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are bonded together to form the microfluidic device 100A, as shown in Figure 4, the upper opening of groove 21A is closed by the second substrate 12. In addition, the area around groove 21A is sealed by bonding the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 in region 50, which is adjacent to groove 21A and has an edge along the periphery of groove 21A on the upper surface of the first substrate 11. As a result, a channel 21 is formed between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12. On the other hand, in region 60 of the microfluidic device 100A, the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are not bonded together. In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are in contact via an interface formed by the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12.

[0054] Although not shown in the figures, a further convex region may be formed on the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12, corresponding to the convex region 50 on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11. In that case, the convex region on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the convex region on the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 may be joined to each other to form a channel in the microfluidic device.

[0055] When constructing a microfluidic device using a substrate stacking structure, the substrates can be stably joined by a technique known as thermal welding, which involves heating two substrates, bringing them into close contact, applying pressure in the thickness direction, and then cooling them. The microfluidic device according to this embodiment is configured such that the surface of the stacked substrate has areas that are joined and areas that are not. By reducing the joining area in this way, the pressure applied in the thickness direction to join the substrates can be reduced. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the substrate surface caused by the load applied in the thickness direction.

[0056] According to the microfluidic device 100A of this embodiment described above, the manufacturing accuracy of microfluidic channels can be improved.

[0057] (Configuration example 2) Figure 5 shows a cross-section of microfluidic device 100B, which is another configuration example of this embodiment. Microfluidic device 100B differs from microfluidic device 100A in the region 60 between the bonded first substrate 11 and second substrate 12. The following description of microfluidic device 100B will focus on these differences. Note that in Figure 5, components that are substantially the same as those in microfluidic device 100A are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0058] In the microfluidic device 100B, when the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are joined, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are joined in region 50. On the other hand, in regions 60a and 60b, the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are not joined, and the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are positioned opposite each other with a gap in between. This gap may, for example, communicate with the outside on the side surface of the microfluidic device 100B.

[0059] In the non-joined region, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 of the microfluidic device 100B may be arranged with a substantially uniform gap or with different gaps. For example, in the cross-sectional view of Figure 5, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are separated by a gap 65a with width T1 in the -X side region 60 of the fluid channel 21, and separated by a gap 65b with width T2 in the +X side region 60 of the fluid channel 21. Widths T1 and T2 may be the same or different. In addition, in a part of the non-joined region, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 may be in substantially contact with zero width distance.

[0060] (Configuration Example 3) Figure 6 shows a cross-section of microfluidic device 100C, which is another configuration example of this embodiment. Microfluidic device 100C differs from microfluidic device 100A in that it includes multiple channels and has regions 50 and 60 between at least two channels. The following description of microfluidic device 100C will focus on these differences. In Figure 6, components that are substantially the same as those in microfluidic device 100A are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0061] The microfluidic device 100C includes a channel 28 and a channel 29 in the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 6. The channels 28 and 29 may be, for example, branched channels that intersect each other, or they may be independent channels that do not intersect each other. Regions 50a and 50b are arranged adjacent to channel 28, and regions 50c and 50d are arranged adjacent to channel 29. Although not shown, in a top view of the first substrate 11, regions 50a, 50a and regions 50c and 50d are configured to have edges along the periphery of the grooves 28A and 29A that constitute the channels 28 and 29 on the top surface of the first substrate 11, respectively. Region 60a is arranged between it and channel 28 via region 50a, and region 60b is arranged between it and channel 29 via region 50d.

[0062] In this embodiment, region 60c is positioned between channel 28 and channel 29. Region 60c is positioned between channel 28 and channel 28 via region 50b, and between channel 29 and region 50c via region 50c. Regions 50a, 50b, 50c, and 50d have widths w1a, w1b, w1c, and w1d, respectively, while regions 60a, 60b, and 60c have widths w2a, w2b, and w2c, respectively. The widths w1a, w1b, w1c, and w1d, and w2a, w2b, and w2c may be the same or different.

[0063] In the microfluidic device 100C, when the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are joined, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are joined in regions 50a, 50b, 50c, and 50d, while the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are not joined in regions 60a, 60b, and 60c. Similar to the microfluidic device 100B, in the regions that are not joined, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 may be arranged with a substantially uniform gap or with different gaps. For example, in the cross-sectional view of Figure 6, in regions 60a, 60b, and 60c, there are gaps 65a, 65b, and 65c between the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12. The gaps 65a, 65b, and 65c may have the same width or different widths. Furthermore, in a portion of the unjoined region, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 may be in substantially contact with zero width. Regions 60a and 60b may, for example, extend at least partially to the side surfaces 11A and 11B of the first substrate 11, and region 60c may, for example, extend at least partially to the side surface 11C of the first substrate 11 (see Figure 1B). The gaps 65a, 65b, and 65c may communicate with the outside on the side surface of the microfluidic device 100C, for example.

[0064] Furthermore, although Figure 6 shows two channels in a cross-sectional view, the disclosure is not limited thereto. The microfluidic device 100C may further include other channels, and the cross-sectional view may include three or more channels. The disclosure also states that the region 60 may be located between some of the channels among the multiple channels included in the microfluidic device 100C, or between all of the channels.

[0065] (Configuration example 4) Figure 7 shows a cross-section of a microfluidic device 100D, which is another configuration example of this embodiment. Microfluidic device 100D differs from microfluidic device 100A in that a groove 21B is located on the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12. The following description of microfluidic device 100D will focus on this difference. In Figure 7, components that are substantially the same as those in microfluidic device 100A are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0066] The microfluidic device 100D has a groove 21A on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11, and a groove 21B on the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 corresponding to the groove 21A in the first substrate 11. When the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are joined together, the grooves 21A and 21B are positioned opposite each other, facing each other, and together they form a flow channel 21 between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12. By having the grooves formed on both substrates combine to form a flow channel, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel can be increased, thereby enabling a compact microfluidic device to handle large-flow fluids.

[0067] In the microfluidic device 100D, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are joined in adjacent regions 50a and 50b to the channel 21, while the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are not joined in regions 60a and 60b, which are located between the channel 21 and these regions via regions 50a and 50b. Regions 60a and 60b may, for example, extend at least partially to the side surfaces 11A and 11B of the first substrate 11.

[0068] Furthermore, on the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12, regions 50e and 50f adjacent to the groove 21B may be arranged, and regions 60e and 60f arranged between the groove 21B via regions 50e and 50f may be arranged. Although not shown in the figures, in a bottom view of the second substrate 12, regions 50e and 50f are configured to have edges along the periphery of the groove 21B on the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12. In this case, in the microfluidic device 100D, grooves 21A and 21B are arranged to face each other, regions 50a and 50b and regions 50e and 50f are arranged to face each other, and regions 60a and 60b and regions 60e and 60f are arranged to face each other. Also, regions 50a and 50b and regions 50e and 50f are joined, while regions 60a and 60b and regions 60e and 60f are not joined.

[0069] Furthermore, although Figure 7 shows that there is a gap between the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 in each of the regions 60a and 60b, the disclosure is not limited thereto. In a portion of the region that is not joined, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 may be in substantially contact with each other at zero width.

[0070] In the above description, an example configuration was given in which groove 21B corresponding to groove 21A is arranged on the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, a groove extending to the side surface of the substrate may be arranged on the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 to correspond to groove 25A shown in Figure 2B, and the grooves formed on both substrates may come together to form a channel that extends to the side surface of the microfluidic device. Furthermore, the disclosure is not limited to the shape or dimensions of the cross-section of groove 21B, as long as groove 21A and groove 21B can come together to form a channel. When grooves 21A and groove 21B are arranged facing each other, it is sufficient that they can be sealed by a joined region around them to form a channel 21. Grooves 21A and groove 21B may have similar shapes and / or dimensions in their cross-sections, or they may have different shapes and / or dimensions in their cross-sections.

[0071] Furthermore, this disclosure is not limited to the shape or dimensions of the cross-sections of regions 50e, 50f and regions 60e, 60f. Regions 50e, 50f and regions 60e, 60f may each have a cross-section with the same shape and / or dimensions as regions 50a, 50b and regions 60a, 60b, or they may have a cross-section with a different shape and / or dimensions. For example, regions 50a, 50b and regions 50e, 50f may be arranged facing each other and joined together to seal grooves 21A and 21B and form a flow path 21, and are not limited to having a cross-section with the same shape and / or dimensions. Similarly, regions 60a, 60b and regions 60e, 60f may be arranged facing each other and not joined together to reduce the bonding area of ​​both substrates, and are not limited to having a cross-section with the same shape and / or dimensions.

[0072] As described above, all of the microfluidic devices 100A, 100B, 100C, and 100D according to this embodiment 1 shown in Figures 4 to 7 are configured such that a portion of the surface of the laminated substrate is bonded, while other portions are not bonded. By reducing the bonding area between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12, the pressure required in the thickness direction for bonding the substrates can be reduced. This improves the manufacturing accuracy of the microfluidic channels.

[0073] <Embodiment 2> The configuration of the microfluidic device according to Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 12. The microfluidic device according to Embodiment 2 differs from Embodiment 1 described above in that a protrusion is provided on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 in a region that is not joined to the second substrate 12. Hereinafter, Embodiment 2 will be described focusing on this difference. Note that in Figures 8 to 12, the components of Embodiment 2 that are substantially the same as the components of Embodiment 1 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0074] Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view showing an example configuration of the microfluidic device 200 according to Embodiment 2. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the substrates 11 and 12 that constitute the microfluidic device in Figure 8. Figure 10A is a schematic enlarged plan view showing part A3 of Figure 9, and Figure 10B is a cross-sectional view along the cutting line D3-D3 in Figure 9. Figures 11 and 12 are diagrams showing examples configurations of the microfluidic device according to Embodiment 2, and are cross-sectional views along the cutting line C3-C3 in Figure 8.

[0075] The configuration example of the microfluidic device 200 according to this embodiment 2 shown in Figure 8 may have a flow channel configuration similar to that of the microfluidic device 100 in Figure 1A, and is configured by joining a first substrate 11 and a second substrate 12, as shown in Figure 9. In the microfluidic device according to this embodiment, the first substrate 11 is joined to the second substrate 12 in region 50 of the upper surface 11a, and is configured to have a gap between it and the second substrate 12 in region 60. The microfluidic device 200 may have a flow channel configuration similar to that of the microfluidic device 150 in Figure 2A.

[0076] In this embodiment, at least one protrusion is arranged on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 of the microfluidic device 200, projecting from the upper surface 11a toward the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12. For example, as shown in Figure 9, protrusions 41, 42, 43, and 44 are arranged on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11. In this embodiment, for example, as schematically shown in Figure 8, the protrusions 41, 42, 43, and 44 may be arranged in a frame shape 40 near the periphery of the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 in a plan view, for example, within a range of 5 mm from the periphery toward the center. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. The protrusions 41, 42, 43, and 44 may be arranged within a region 60 of the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11, as will be described in detail below.

[0077] Furthermore, in a plan view, the arrangement of the multiple protrusions to form a frame shape near the periphery of the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 is not limited to the multiple protrusions being connected to each other and forming a complete frame. For example, at least some of the multiple protrusions may be spaced apart from each other, and the multiple protrusions as a whole may be arranged to form a frame shape with some gaps. Moreover, this disclosure is not limited to the shape of a frame, and the protrusions may be arranged to form any frame shape on the upper surface of the first substrate 11.

[0078] Referring to Figures 10A and 10B, the protrusions provided on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 will be described in more detail. As shown in the figures, the protrusions 41, 42, 43, and 44 (not shown in Figures 10A and 10B) are located within the region 60 and have a cross-sectional shape that protrudes from the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 toward the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12.

[0079] In this embodiment, the number or planar shape of the protrusions provided within the region 60 on the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 is not limited. The protrusions may have any number and planar shape, and when multiple protrusions are provided, they may be connected to each other in a plan view, as shown schematically in Figure 10A, as protrusions 41 and 43, or they may not be connected to each other, as shown in Figure 10A, as protrusions 42 and 43.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shapes of the protrusions 41, 42, 43, and 44 are not limited. The protrusions 41, 42, 43, and 44 may be composed of any cross-sectional shape. In the cross-sectional view of Figure 10B, the protrusion 41 located in the region 60 on the -X side of the groove 21A has a width w3a, and the protrusion 42 located in the region 60 on the +X side of the groove 21A has a width w3b. The widths w3a of the protrusion 41 and w3b of the protrusion 42 may be the same or different. In this embodiment, the widths w3a of the protrusion 41 and w3b of the protrusion 42 are 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less. Alternatively, for example, the widths w3a of the protrusion 41 and w3b of the protrusion 42 may be 200 μm or more and 300 μm or less. This allows the protrusions to provide support force to improve the strength of the microfluidic device. This will be described in detail later.

[0081] Referring to Figures 11 and 12, an example configuration of the microfluidic devices 200A and 200B according to this second embodiment will be described. The microfluidic devices 200A and 200B differ from the microfluidic device 100B shown in Figure 5 in that a protrusion is provided in the unbonded region of the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11. The following description of the microfluidic device 200A will focus on this difference. In Figures 11 and 12, components that are substantially the same as those in the microfluidic device 100B are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0082] (Configuration example 5) In the microfluidic device 200A shown in Figure 11, when the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are joined, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are joined in region 50. On the other hand, in regions 60a and 60b, the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are not joined, and there are gaps 65a and 65b between the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12.

[0083] Furthermore, in the microfluidic device 200A, a protrusion is provided in region 60 of the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11, projecting from the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 toward the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12. In the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 11, in region 60a on the -X side of the flow channel 21, the protrusion 41 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are in contact via an interface formed by the upper end 41a of the protrusion 41 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12. In region 60b on the +X side of the flow channel 21, the protrusion 42 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 are in contact via an interface formed by the upper end 42a of the protrusion 42 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12.

[0084] (Configuration example 6) The microfluidic device 200B shown in Figure 12 differs from the microfluidic device 200A in Figure 11 in that when the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are joined, the upper ends 42a of the protrusion 41 and the upper ends 42a of the protrusion 42 have gaps 75a and 75b between them and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12, respectively.

[0085] In Figure 12, as shown in the enlarged inset of region S, a gap 65b with width T is formed between the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 in region 60b. A gap 75b with width t is formed between the upper end 42a of the protrusion 42 located in region 60b and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12. In this embodiment, the width t of the gap 75b is 50% or less of the width T of the gap 65b. Similarly, in region 60a, the width of the gap 75a is 50% or less of the width of the gap 65a (not shown). The widths of the gaps 75a and 75b may be the same or different. The gaps 75a and 75b may communicate with the outside, for example, on the side surface of the microfluidic device 200B.

[0086] Figure 11 shows that both the protrusion 41 and the protrusion 42 are in contact with the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 at their upper ends, and Figure 12 shows that both the protrusion 41 and the protrusion 42 have a gap between them and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, one of the protrusion 41 and the protrusion 42 may be in contact with the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12, while the other has a gap between it and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12.

[0087] The microfluidic devices 200A and 200B according to this second embodiment are configured, similar to the microfluidic device according to the first embodiment described above, to have areas on the surface of the laminated substrate that are bonded and areas that are not bonded. By reducing the bonding area between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12, the pressure applied in the thickness direction for bonding the substrates can be reduced. This improves the manufacturing accuracy of the microfluidic channels.

[0088] Furthermore, in the microfluidic devices 200A and 200B according to this second embodiment, the upper surface 11a of the first substrate 11 is configured to have a gap between it and the lower surface 12a of the second substrate 12 in a region that is not joined to the second substrate 12. Because there is a gap between the two substrates near the periphery of the microfluidic device, for example, in a range of 5 mm from the periphery toward the center, the two substrates may be subjected to localized pressure from the outside in the thickness direction of the substrate, or foreign matter may enter between the two substrates, causing a force that separates them. In that case, there is a risk of tilting or delamination of the substrates. In the microfluidic devices 200A and 200B according to this second embodiment, by providing a protrusion on the upper surface of the first substrate 11 in a region that is not joined to the second substrate 12, support force can be provided, tilting or delamination of the substrates can be suppressed, and the strength of the microfluidic device can be improved. In addition, by providing a protrusion near the periphery of the first substrate 11 in a shape that forms a frame surrounding the upper surface of the first substrate 11, it is possible to further suppress foreign matter from entering between the two substrates. The width and height of the protrusions can be configured to suppress tilting or peeling of the substrate, depending on the area in which the protrusions are located.

[0089] <Examples> (Manufacturing process for microfluidic devices) Next, with reference to Figures 13 to 17, an example of manufacturing a microfluidic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. However, the present disclosure is not limited in any way to the following examples. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the manufacturing process of a microfluidic device according to the example. Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the substrate molding process of a microfluidic device according to the example, and Figure 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a molded substrate. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing the bonding process of a microfluidic device according to the example, and Figure 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a manufactured microfluidic device.

[0090] As shown in Figure 13, the method for manufacturing a microfluidic device may include steps S01 to S03. Each step in the embodiment will be described below with reference to the schematic diagram shown in Figures 14-17.

[0091] In step S01, the material for substrate molding is prepared. In this example, a microfluidic device was manufactured using a glass material. The glass material used was an L-BSL7 polished plate manufactured by Ohara Corporation, which has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 498°C and a flexing temperature (At) of 549°C. The shape of the glass material used for substrate formation is not limited to a flat plate. It may also be a plano-convex lens shape, a biconvex lens shape, a gob shape, or a ball shape.

[0092] Next, step S02 is a substrate molding process in which a substrate having grooves and convex regions on its surface is molded. Here, the grooves are formed along the surface direction of the substrate and constitute the channels of a microfluidic device. The convex regions are formed adjacent to and surrounding the grooves and constitute the regions that are joined when the substrates are joined.

[0093] In this embodiment, the substrate molding process in step S02 was performed by mold molding using a molding apparatus 300 schematically shown in Figure 14. The molding apparatus 300 shown in Figure 14 comprises a pair of punches 310a and 310b arranged opposite each other. The molding apparatus 300 also has a body mold 330 that surrounds the punches 310a and 310b and the area to which the substrate molding material is supplied, and can be heated by a pair of heater blocks 320a and 320b. During mold molding, the upper punch 310a mounted on the heater block 320a is moved along the load axis toward the lower punch 310a, bringing the upper punch 310a into contact with the substrate molding material.

[0094] The movement control of the upper punch 310a is not particularly limited. For example, a braking device (not shown) may be provided to stop the upper punch 310a at a set height, or a control device (not shown) may be used to stop the upper punch 310a at a predetermined height. Alternatively, for example, a load detection device (not shown) may be provided to detect the load applied to the substrate in the load direction, and the operation of the upper punch 310a may be controlled based on the detected load.

[0095] In this embodiment, during the substrate molding process, an upper punch 310a having a shape corresponding to grooves and convex regions was mounted on a heater block 320a, and a flat material 411A was placed on a lower punch 310b. The heater block 320a and the upper punch 310a were lowered until the upper punch 310a contacted the flat material 411A, and the substrate was heated to 580°C by the heater blocks 320a and 320b, while a pressure of 500 kgf was applied in the load direction F. After pressurization, the molded substrate was cooled to below 60°C and removed.

[0096] An example of a molded substrate 411 is shown in Figure 15. As shown in the figure, grooves 421A, 422A, and 423A and convex regions 51a, 51b, 52a, 52b, 53a, and 53b are formed on the upper surface 411a of the substrate 411. Although not shown in the figure, in a plan view, the convex regions 51a, 51b, 52a, 52b, and 53a, 53b are formed adjacent to grooves 421A, 422A, and 423A, respectively, and are formed to surround each groove.

[0097] Next, step S03 is a bonding process in which the first substrate 411 and the second substrate 412, which were formed in step S02, are laminated and bonded to form a microfluidic device. In this embodiment, the second substrate 412 was made of an L-BSL7 polished plate manufactured by Ohara Corporation, similar to the first substrate 411.

[0098] In the joining process of step S03, the first substrate 411 and the second substrate 412 were joined by heat welding using the molding apparatus 300, similar to step S02. As schematically shown in Figure 16, the upper punch 310c was attached to the heater block 320a, the first substrate 411 formed in step S02 was placed on the lower punch 310b, and the second substrate 412 was placed on top of the first substrate. Note that the arrangement of the first substrate 411 and the second substrate 412 may be reversed vertically. The heater block 320a and the upper punch 310c were lowered until the upper punch 310c contacted the second substrate 412, and the heater blocks 320a and 320b heated the substrate to 550°C while applying pressure of 100 kgf in the load direction F in the substrate thickness direction. After pressurization, the manufactured microfluidic device was cooled to below 60°C and removed.

[0099] An example of the manufactured microfluidic device 400 is shown in Figure 17. As shown in the figure, the microfluidic device 400 has channels 421, 422, and 423 formed between the stacked first substrate 411 and second substrate 412. The first substrate 411 and the second substrate 412 are joined at a region 50 formed on the first substrate 411. On the other hand, the first substrate 411 and the second substrate 412 are not joined in a region 60 provided between the channels 421, 422, and 423 via region 50.

[0100] In the manufacturing of the microfluidic device 400, the shape accuracy of the substrate 411 in the surface direction, measured using an ultra-high-precision three-dimensional measuring machine UA3P (manufactured by Panasonic Production Engineering Co., Ltd.), was 1 μmPV during the substrate molding process. The surface roughness of the inner surface of the groove formed on the substrate 411, measured using a white light interferometer NewView (manufactured by Zygo), was equivalent to that of the mold 350, with a surface roughness of 200 nmRa. In the bonding process, the pressure applied in the thickness direction of the substrate was 100 kgf, which was approximately one-third of the pressure applied when bonding the entire upper surface 411a of the first substrate 411 and the lower surface 412b of the second substrate 412. In this way, by reducing the bonding area between the first substrate 411 and the second substrate 412, the pressure required to bond the substrates was reduced, resulting in a microfluidic device 400 with improved manufacturing accuracy of microfluidic channels.

[0101] Although the manufacturing process of the microfluidic device was explained using the first substrate 411 shown in Figure 15 as an example, various microfluidic devices, including the embodiments described above, can be manufactured by adjusting, for example, the shape of the mold in the substrate molding process or the movement control of the upper punch in the bonding process. Furthermore, the manufacturing process of the microfluidic device shown in Figure 13 is merely an example, and the manufacturing of the microfluidic device according to this disclosure is not limited to the process shown in Figure 13. In addition, the materials or manufacturing conditions used in this embodiment are also examples, and the manufacturing process of the microfluidic device is not limited to the contents of the embodiments described above.

[0102] As described above, the attached drawings and detailed description are provided to illustrate the embodiments of the technology described herein. Therefore, the components described in the attached drawings and detailed description may include not only components essential for solving the problem, but also components that are not essential for solving the problem, in order to illustrate the technology described above. Therefore, the mere presence of such non-essential components in the attached drawings and detailed description should not be immediately assumed to mean that those non-essential components are essential.

[0103] While this disclosure is fully described in relation to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Such modifications, as well as embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments, are also included in the technical scope of this disclosure. [Industrial applicability]

[0104] This disclosure is applicable to microfluidic devices, and is applicable to microfluidic devices with a substrate stacked structure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0105] 11, 12, 15, 16 circuit boards 11A,11B,11C,11D Board side 11a,12a Surface of the substrate 15a, 16a Surface of the substrate 21, 22, 23, 24 Channels 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 Channel 21a, 25a Periphery of the groove 31,32,33 Fluid communication port 35,36,37 Fluid communication port 21A,21B,22A,23A,24A Groove 25A,26B,27A groove 100, 150, 200, 400 microfluidic devices 50,60 area 65a,65b,65c gap 75a,75b gap 41, 42, 43, 44 Convex parts 300 Molding equipment 310a, 310b punch 320a, 320b Heater Blocks 330 Body type 411,412 circuit boards 411A Flat material 421,422,423 Channel E. Direction of extension of groove or flow path

Claims

1. A microfluidic device comprising a first substrate having a first surface and a second substrate having a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface, The first surface is A first groove extending in the direction of extension along the surface, A first region adjacent to the first groove and having an edge along the periphery of the first groove, A second region is positioned between the first groove and the first region, Includes, In the first region, the first surface and the second surface are joined together. In the second region, the first surface and the second surface are not joined. Microfluidic devices.

2. In the second region, the first surface and the second surface are arranged with a gap between them. The microfluidic device according to claim 1.

3. In a cross-sectional view of the first groove perpendicular to the extension direction, The second region has a larger width than the first region. The microfluidic device according to claim 2.

4. In a cross-sectional view of the first groove perpendicular to the extension direction, The first region has a width of 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less. The microfluidic device according to claim 2.

5. A second groove is further provided on the first surface, extending in a direction along at least one surface direction. The second region is located between the first groove and at least one of the second grooves. The microfluidic device according to claim 2.

6. The second surface includes a third groove extending in a direction along the surface direction, The third groove is positioned to face the first groove. The microfluidic device according to claim 2.

7. The second surface is A third region adjacent to the third groove and having an edge along the periphery of the third groove, A fourth region is positioned between the third groove and the third region via the third region, It further includes, The third region is positioned to face the first region and is joined to the first region. The fourth region is positioned to face the second region and is not joined to the second region. The microfluidic device according to claim 6.

8. The first surface has at least one protrusion projecting toward the second surface in the second region. The microfluidic device according to claim 2.

9. The aforementioned protrusions are plurality, and the plurality of protrusions are arranged to form a frame shape near the periphery of the first surface in a plan view. The microfluidic device according to claim 8.

10. In a cross-sectional view of the first groove perpendicular to the extension direction, The aforementioned protrusion has a width of 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less. The microfluidic device according to claim 8.

11. In the second region where the convex portion is arranged, The first surface and the second surface are arranged with a first gap between them. The aforementioned protrusion and the second surface are separated by a second gap, The second gap is 50% or less of the first gap. The microfluidic device according to claim 8.

12. The first substrate and the second substrate are made of glass. A microfluidic device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. A method for manufacturing a microfluidic device comprising a first substrate and a second substrate, The steps of forming a groove extending in a direction along the surface direction, a convex first region adjacent to the groove and having an edge along the periphery of the groove, and a second region disposed between the groove and the first region, on the surface of the first substrate, The steps include applying a load in the thickness direction to the stacked first substrate and second substrate, and joining the first substrate and the second substrate in the first region without joining them in the second region, including, A method for manufacturing microfluidic devices.

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