Microfluidic Sensor Package with Molded Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microfluidic sensors face challenges such as high manufacturing costs, susceptibility to damage, and complex photolithographic process control, which affect their reliability and integration into assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
A microfluidic sensor structure mounted on a micro lead frame, encapsulated with a molding compound resin, featuring molded channels or chambers that facilitate material exposure, reducing costs and enhancing protection and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If photolithographic techniques are used to form micrometer-sized metalized stand-offs during front-end wafer processing, then channels or chambers can be defined on the sensor chip, but the manufacturing cost increases due to expensive apparatuses and the device becomes susceptible to scratch damage and impact damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent forms channels and chambers by creating recesses in the substrate before mounting the sensor chip, rather than forming metalized stand-offs during front-end wafer processing. This preliminary structural preparation eliminates the need for photolithographic techniques and subsequent metalization steps, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining device reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the sensor chip from the wafer form after bonding to a substrate, separating the sensor chip assembly from the wafer processing sequence. This extraction allows the substrate to be formed with channels and chambers independently of the sensor chip fabrication, eliminating the need for expensive photolithographic apparatuses and reducing manufacturing complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If photolithographic techniques are used to form micrometer-sized metalized stand-offs, then channels or chambers can be defined, but process control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the photolithographic process (optical/mechanical system) with a mechanical recess formation process in the substrate. Channels and chambers are defined by physical recesses created during substrate preparation rather than by photoresist patterning and metal deposition, eliminating the complex photolithographic process control requirements while maintaining precise channel and chamber definitions.
3Ease of manufacture
If expensive PCB substrates are used for packaging the devices, then device integration is achieved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a substrate with recesses that provides the necessary structural support and channel/chamber formation without requiring expensive PCB substrates. The substrate serves as a cost-effective platform for mounting the sensor chip and providing fluidic pathways, eliminating the need for costly PCB materials while maintaining device integration capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the substrate material parameter from expensive PCB to a more cost-effective material that can still provide the required mechanical support and fluidic channel structures. This parameter change reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining the integration functionality through the recess-based channel and chamber formation approach.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a microfluidic sensor device includes microfluidic sensor mounted on and electrically connected a micro lead frame substrate. The microfluidic sensor is molded to form a package body. The package body includes a molded panel portion and, in some embodiments, a mask portion having one or more open channels, sealed channels, and/or a sealed chamber exposing an active surface of the microfluidic sensor. The molded panel portions and mask portions are configured to allow a material to dynamically or statically contact the microfluidic sensor for analysis.