Fluid deposition appartus and method

• US 10,155,244 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Cheng, Chun-Wen, Peng, Jung-Huei, Liu, Yi-Shao, Lai, Fei-Lung, Tsai, Shang-Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Picardat, Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US14/027,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20150079704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,919 Days
• Field of Search: 438 14, 438 15, 438 17
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00286 Reactor vessels with top and bottom openings
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00353 Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00387 Applications using probes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00418 using pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0043 for direct application of reagents, e.g. through openings in a shutter
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00623 Immobilisation or binding
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00698 Measurement and control of process parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/1039 Recovery of excess liquid or other fluent material; Controlling means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/18 performed by dipping
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/04 to obtain a surface receptive to ink or other liquid B05D5/02, B41M5/52 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4145 specially adapted for biomolecules, e.g. gate electrode with immobilised receptors
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06783 containing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2886 Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks G01R31/2865 takes precedence, test connections, e.g. test sockets, or probes per se, G01R1/04 or G01R1/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2887 involving moving the probe head or the IC under test; docking stations moving single probes G01R1/06705; moving individual probes in multiple probes G01R1/07392
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2889 Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a micro-fluidic probe card that deposits a fluidic chemical onto a substrate with a minimal amount of fluidic chemical waste, and an associated method of operation. In some embodiments, the micro-fluidic probe card has a probe card body with a first side and a second side. A sealant element, which contacts a substrate, is connected to the second side of the probe card body in a manner that forms a cavity within an interior of the sealant element. A fluid inlet, which provides a fluid from a processing tool to the cavity, is a first conduit extending between the first side and the second side of the probe card body. A fluid outlet, which removes the fluid from the cavity, is a second conduit extending between the first side and the second side of the probe card body.

Claims

1. A micro-fluidic probe card, comprising:

a probe card body having a first side and a second side;

a sealant element connected to the second side of the probe card body in a manner that forms a cavity within a hollow interior of the sealant element, wherein the cavity is configured to contact a substrate comprising one or more bio-sensors;

a fluid inlet comprising a first conduit extending between the first side and the second side, wherein the fluid inlet is configured to provide a fluid from a processing tool to the cavity;

a fluid outlet comprising a second conduit extending between the first side and the second side, wherein the fluid outlet is configured to remove the fluid from the cavity;

a performance monitoring element configured to perform an in-situ monitoring process to determine if the fluid has been applied to the substrate, wherein the performance monitoring element comprises an electromagnetic radiation source configured to provide electromagnetic radiation to the fluid and a fluorescence monitor configured to measure a fluorescence response of the fluid; and

wherein the probe card body comprises a transparent surface positioned between the performance monitoring element and the substrate.

2. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1, further comprising:

a chemical source configured to selectively provide one or more fluidic chemicals to the cavity via the fluid inlet.

3. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1, further comprising:

a chemical recycling element configured to receive fluidic chemicals removed from the cavity via the fluid outlet and to provide the removed fluidic chemicals to the cavity via the fluid inlet.

4. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1, further comprising:

a cleaning solution source configured to selectively provide a cleaning solution to the cavity via the fluid inlet.

5. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1, further comprising:

a drying agent source configured to selectively provide a drying agent to the cavity via the fluid inlet.

6. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1,

wherein the substrate configured to contact with the cavity comprises a plurality of sub-regions respectively comprising one or more devices;

and

wherein the cavity is defined by sidewalls of the sealant element, which are configured to continuously surround a number of sub-regions less than the plurality of sub-regions at a given time.

7. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1,

wherein the substrate configured to contact with the cavity comprises a plurality of sub-regions;

and

wherein the micro-fluidic probe card is configured to provide the fluid to the plurality of sub-regions at a same time.

8. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1, wherein the sealant element is configured to contact an upper surface of the substrate, so that the upper surface of the substrate forms a lower surface of the cavity.

9. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1, wherein the micro-fluidic probe card comprises a transparent material.

10. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1, wherein sidewalls of the probe card body are completely confined between the first side and the second side.

11. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1, wherein the sealant element comprises an elastic polymer.

12. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1, wherein the sealant element comprises polydimethylsiloxane, ethylene propylene diene monomer, fluoroelastomer, perfluoro-elastomer, or polytetrafluoroethylene.

13. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 1, wherein the sealant element is arranged completely below the first conduit and the second conduit.

14. A micro-fluidic probe card, comprising:

a fluid inlet comprising a first conduit extending between a first surface of a micro-fluidic probe card and a second surface of the micro-fluidic probe card, wherein the fluid inlet is configured to provide a fluidic chemical from a processing tool to an exposure chamber on the second surface of the micro-fluidic probe card;

a fluid outlet comprising a second conduit extending between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the fluid outlet is configured to remove the fluidic chemical from the exposure chamber;

a sealant element configured to contact a substrate having one or more biosensors, wherein the sealant element is connected to the second surface of the micro-fluidic probe card at a position that forms sidewalls of the exposure chamber;

wherein the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are defined by sidewalls of the micro-fluidic probe card, which are coupled between the first surface and the second surface;

a performance monitoring element configured to perform an in-situ monitoring process to determine if the fluidic chemical has been applied to the substrate in contact with the exposure chamber;

wherein the micro-fluidic probe card comprises a transparent surface positioned between the performance monitoring element and the substrate; and

wherein the performance monitoring element comprises a light source configured to provide a light to the fluidic chemical, and a fluorescence monitor is configured to measure a fluorescence response of the fluidic chemical.

15. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 14, further comprising:

a chemical recycling element configured to receive the fluidic chemical removed from the exposure chamber via the fluid outlet and to provide the removed fluidic chemical to the exposure chamber via the fluid inlet.

16. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 14, further comprising:

a drying agent source configured to selectively provide a drying agent to the exposure chamber via the fluid inlet.

17. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 14, wherein the sealant element comprises an o-ring.

18. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 14, wherein the sealant element is arranged completely below the sidewalls of the micro-fluidic probe card defining the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.

19. A micro-fluidic probe card, comprising:

a probe card body having a first side and a second side;

a sealant element connected to the second side of the probe card body in a manner that forms a cavity within a hollow interior of the sealant element, wherein the cavity is configured to contact a substrate comprising one or more bio-sensors;

a fluid inlet comprising a first conduit extending between the first side and the second side, wherein the fluid inlet is configured to provide a fluid from a processing tool to the cavity;

a fluid outlet comprising a second conduit extending between the first side and the second side, wherein the fluid outlet is configured to remove the fluid from the cavity; and

a chemical recycling element configured to receive the fluid removed from the cavity via the fluid outlet and to provide the removed fluid to the cavity via the fluid inlet.

20. The micro-fluidic probe card of claim 19, wherein the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are defined by sidewalls of the probe card body, which are completely confined between the first side and the second side.