Biochip Pillar Structure with Compensation Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Biochip pillar structures face issues such as substrate recessing during cooling in injection molding, sample damage due to collisions with well sidewalls, and bubble formation in culture solutions, affecting analysis accuracy and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A biochip pillar structure featuring a substrate with both downward protruding insertion pillars and upward protruding compensation pillars, where the compensation pillars compensate for substrate contraction and have a diameter ratio of 1 to 1.3 to the insertion pillars, preventing substrate recessing and bubble formation, and reducing collisions with well sidewalls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a simple pillar structure is used where pillars simply protrude from the substrate surface, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the substrate undergoes non-uniform contraction during cooling, causing recessed portions that reduce manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces asymmetric pillar structures with different configurations (e.g., varying heights, diameters, or spatial arrangements) to compensate for non-uniform thermal contraction during cooling. This asymmetric design allows certain pillars to act as compensation elements that maintain substrate flatness despite differential cooling rates across the substrate surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention modifies pillar parameters such as height, diameter, spacing, or material composition to create differential thermal behavior. By changing these parameters, the pillar structure can compensate for substrate contraction during cooling, preventing recessed portions and maintaining manufacturing precision.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the pillar diameter is increased to reduce collision between pillars and well sidewalls, then sample damage is reduced, but narrow gaps prevent air escape during insertion, causing bubble formation that harms the sample
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the pillar structure into multiple sections along its length, with each segment having different diameters. The upper portion has a larger diameter to prevent collision with well sidewalls, while the lower portion has a smaller diameter to maintain adequate gaps for air escape during insertion, thereby preventing bubble formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by giving different parts of the pillar structure different properties - specifically, varying the diameter along the pillar length. The upper section has increased diameter for collision protection, while the lower section maintains smaller diameter for proper fluid dynamics and air escape during insertion.
3Device complexity
If pillars are directly inserted into wells without protective structures, then the device complexity is low, but external force or vibration causes sample separation or damage through collision with well sidewalls
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates cushioning structures such as tapered portions, rounded edges, or elastic materials at critical contact points of the pillars. These cushioning features are designed in advance to absorb impact forces from external vibrations or mishandling, preventing sample separation or damage while maintaining relatively simple overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution prevents substrate recessing during cooling, enhances microscopic image accuracy and reliability, and minimizes bubble formation and sample damage, improving overall biochip performance.
Implementation Method 1
when the pillar structure is cooled after an injection molding process, the substrate undergoes non-uniform contraction
Data Source
AI summary
Technology for a pillar structure for a biochip is disclosed. The pillar structure for a biochip includes: a substrate portion having a plate structure; an insertion pillar portion formed in one piece with the substrate portion and protruding downward from a lower surface of the substrate portion so as to be inserted into a well; and a compensation pillar portion formed in one piece with the substrate portion, the compensation pillar portion corresponding to the insertion pillar portion and protruding upward from an upper surface of the substrate portion. Therefore, when the pillar structure is cooled during an injection molding process, the substrate portion is prevented from being partially recessed, and when samples are analyzed using microscopic images, accuracy and reliability may be improved.