Microfluidic Device Chips Metallic Packaging Substrate

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing microfluidic devices face contamination, corrosion, and biocompatibility issues due to the use of organic materials in their packaging, which limits the types of fluids they can handle, especially low or high pH liquids, high-temperature fluids, and corrosive substances.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a metallic packaging substrate in microfluidic device chips eliminates organic materials from the fluid flow path, using a metallic substrate that is bonded at the wafer level to create a continuous flow path free of plastics and other organic materials, enabling the handling of a wider variety of fluids.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If organic materials (plastic, epoxy) are used in packaging substrate, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to contamination and corrosion from incompatible fluids

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter of the packaging substrate from organic materials (plastic, epoxy) to inorganic materials (glass, metal). This parameter change resolves the contradiction by eliminating contamination and corrosion issues while maintaining manufacturability through established wafer bonding techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite material structures where the packaging substrate is formed from inorganic materials (glass or metal) bonded to semiconductor wafers. This composite approach combines the chemical inertness of inorganic materials with the manufacturing capabilities of semiconductor processing, resolving the reliability-manufacturability contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Device complexity

If organic materials are used in packaging, then device complexity is reduced, but object-affected harmful factors increase due to contamination and corrosion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidcontamination and corrosion

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the packaging substrate from organic to inorganic materials. This eliminates the harmful effects of contamination and corrosion from incompatible fluids while maintaining relatively simple device structure through wafer-level integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If wafer-level bonding is used for mass production, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveproductivityVSAvoidmanufacturing precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by forming through-holes and bonding interfaces on complete wafers before final assembly. This wafer-level preliminary processing enables mass production while maintaining precision through controlled fabrication processes established in semiconductor manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical assembly methods with wafer-level bonding processes. This substitution enables parallel processing of multiple devices simultaneously, improving productivity while maintaining precision through controlled bonding parameters and automated alignment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

This solution allows for the handling of previously incompatible fluids, reduces manufacturing costs through high-volume production, and enhances the reliability of devices like Coriolis mass flow sensors and bio sensors by avoiding contamination and corrosion risks.

Implementation Method 1

Anodic bonding of individual device chips to a metal substrate has also been proposed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAnodic bonding:

Implementation Method 2

wafer bonding techniques are used to produce micromachined microfluidic devices

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWafer bonding:

Data Source

PatentUS8021961B2Process of fabricating microfluidic device chips and chips formed thereby

Publication Date: 2011.09.20 INTEGRATED SENSING SYSTEMS INC

AI summary

A process for fabricating multiple microfluidic device chips. The process includes fabricating multiple micromachined tubes in a semiconductor device wafer. The tubes are fabricated so that each tube has an internal fluidic passage and an inlet and outlet thereto defined in a surface of the device wafer. The device wafer is then bonded to a glass wafer to form a device wafer stack, and so that through-holes in the glass wafer are individually fluidically coupled with the inlets and outlets of the tubes. The glass wafer is then bonded to a metallic wafer to form a package wafer stack, so that through-holes in the metallic wafer are individually fluidically coupled with the through-holes of the glass wafer. Multiple microfluidic device chips are then singulated from the package wafer stack. Each device chip has a continuous flow path for a fluid therethrough that is preferably free of organic materials.