Microfluidic Chip Mold Alignment via Intersecting Ribs

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Solution Overview

Problem

The conventional multilayer soft lithography (MSL) process for manufacturing microfluidic devices often suffers from misalignment issues when attaching the control channel layer, leading to inaccurate positioning and closure of microfluidic channels.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a metal mold assembly with intersecting ribs and trenches is used to form a channeled plate with complementary microfluidic channels and thin film valves, ensuring precise arrangement and function of the microfluidic chip components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the conventional multilayer soft lithography (MSL) process is used to attach the control channel layer, then the manufacturing process can be completed, but misalignment issues occur leading to inaccurate positioning of microfluidic channels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Alignment marks are pre-formed on both the control channel layer and the microfluidic channel layer during the molding process. These marks are created simultaneously with the channels themselves, ensuring that alignment features exist before the layers are attached, thereby eliminating misalignment issues during assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Alignment marks serve as intermediary features that facilitate precise positioning between the control channel layer and microfluidic channel layer. These marks act as reference points that guide the attachment process, ensuring accurate alignment without requiring complex alignment mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the control channel layer is attached to the microfluidic channel layer, then fluid control function is achieved, but misalignment causes inaccurate closure of microfluidic channels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid control functionVSAvoidchannel closure accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The alignment marks are created in advance during the molding process, before the layers are attached. This preliminary formation of reference features ensures that when the control channel layer is attached to achieve fluid control function, the alignment is already predetermined and accurate, leading to precise channel closure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If multiple layers are assembled in the MSL process, then complex microfluidic structures are created, but alignment errors accumulate between layers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrofluidic structure complexityVSAvoidlayer alignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Alignment marks are formed simultaneously with the channels during the molding process for each layer. This preliminary creation of alignment features ensures that when multiple layers are assembled to create complex microfluidic structures, each layer has pre-defined reference points that prevent alignment errors from accumulating

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Alignment marks serve as intermediary reference features that facilitate precise positioning between multiple layers. These marks act as consistent reference points throughout the multi-layer assembly process, ensuring that alignment precision is maintained across all layers regardless of the overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10646867B2Method of manufacturing microfluidic chip and a microfluidic chip made thereby

Publication Date: 2020.05.12 TAIWAN GREEN POINT ENTERPRISE

AI summary

A method of manufacturing a microfluidic chip includes providing an upper mold having multiple upper ribs extending along a second direction, and a lower mold having multiple lower ribs extending along a first direction different from the second direction, forming a forming material in a filling space defined by the upper and lower molds to provide a channeled plate having multiple upper microfluidic channels complementary in shape to the upper ribs, lower microfluidic channels complementary in shape to the lower ribs, and multiple thin film valves formed at intersections where the upper microfluidic channels intersect the lower microfluidic channels, separating the upper and lower molds, and covering the lower and upper microfluidic channels.