Integrated device microfluid thermoregulation, and manufacturing process thereof

• US 20010024820A1
• Filed: 02/08/2001
• Published: 09/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Villa, Flavio, Barlocchi, Gabriele, Mastromatteo, Ubaldo
• Granted Patent: US 6,673,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/287.2
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/026 Foldable pots
• CPC Class Codes: A41G 1/009 Artificial grass surfaces simulating grass E01C13/08
• CPC Class Codes: A41G 1/02 Implements, apparatus, or machines for making artificial flowers, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00873 Heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00961 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/245 for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/04 of plates or sheets B29C63/04 takes precedence; bending or folding paper B31F1/0003; folding films B65H45/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 61/02 Thermal shrinking
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/736 Shrinkable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/28 characterised by a layer comprising a deformed thin sheet , i.e. the layer having its entire thickness deformed out of the plane, e.g. corrugated, crumpled B32B29/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/144 : using layers with different mechanical or chemical conditions or properties, e.g. layers with different thermal shrinkage, layers under tension during bonding constructional features for tensioning B32B38/1825
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1866 : conforming the layers or laminate to a convex or concave profile
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 3/04 : Modelling plastic materials, e.g. clay
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 3/044 : Chemical modelling
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 3/087 : bending B44C3/082 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/005 : comprising inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/06 : Natural ornaments; Imitations thereof artificial flowers, fruit, leaves A41G1/00; artificial feathers A41G11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/14 : Iridescent effects
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 73/00 : Packages comprising articles attached to cards, sheets or webs B65D85/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2260/02 : having microchannels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1041 : Subsequent to lamination
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1051 : by folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 : with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2443 : Sand, clay, or crushed rock or slate

Abstract

The integrated device for microfluid thermoregulation comprises a semiconductor material body having a surface; a plurality of buried channels extending in the semiconductor material body at a distance from the surface of the semiconductor material body; inlet and outlet ports extending from the surface of the semiconductor material body as far as the ends of the buried channels and being in fluid connection with the buried channels; and heating elements on the semiconductor material body. Temperature sensors are arranged between the heating elements above the surface of the semiconductor material body.

Claims

1. An integrated device for microfluid thermoregulation, comprising:

a semiconductor material body having a surface;

at least one buried channel extending in said semiconductor material body, arranged at a distance from said surface, and having a first and a second end;

at least one first port and second port extending from said surface respectively as far as said first end and second end of said buried channel, and being in fluid connection with said buried channel; and

at least one heating element arranged on said semiconductor material body.

2. The device according to

claim 1

, comprising a plurality of buried channels extending parallel and adjacent to each other.

3. The device according to

claim 2

, wherein said inlet port and said outlet port are connected to all said buried channels.

4. The device according to

claim 2

, comprising a plurality of inlet ports and a plurality of outlet ports, said inlet and outlet ports extending from said surface of said semiconductor material body to a respective end of a respective buried channel.

5. The device according to

claim 2

, comprising a plurality of heating elements extending adjacent to each other, and each having opposite electric connection regions arranged on opposite sides of said buried channel.

6. The device according to

claim 5

, comprising a plurality of temperature sensing elements arranged between pairs of adjacent heating elements.

7. The device of

claim 1

, wherein said semiconductor material body comprises a monocrystalline substrate, with a <

110>

crystallographic orientation, and wherein each buried channel has a longitudinal direction that is substantially parallel to a crystallographic plane with a <

111>

orientation.

8. The device according to

claim 7

, wherein each buried channel has a depth of up to 600-700 μ

m.

9. A process for manufacturing an integrated device for microfluid thermoregulation, comprising:

forming a semiconductor material body having a surface;

forming at least a buried channel extending in said semiconductor material body, arranged at a distance from said surface, and having a first and a second end;

forming at least a first and a second port extending from said surface respectively as far as said first and second ends of said buried channel, and being in fluid connection with said buried channel; and

forming at least a heating element on said semiconductor material body.

10. The process according to

claim 9

, wherein forming a semiconductor material body and forming at least a buried channel comprises:

forming a substrate of semiconductor material;

forming surface trenches in said substrate; and

growing an epitaxial layer on said substrate.

11. The process according to

claim 10

, comprising, after forming surface trenches and before growing an epitaxial layer, anisotropically etching the substrate beneath said surface trenches to form said channels.

12. The process according to

claim 9

, wherein forming a semiconductor material body comprises forming a monocrystalline substrate;

forming said buried channel in said monocrystalline substrate; and

growing an epitaxial layer on top of said monocrystalline substrate and said buried channel.

13. The process according to

claim 12

, wherein forming a monocrystalline substrate comprises growing semiconductor material with a <

110>

orientation, and forming a buried channel comprises etching said monocrystalline substrate along a parallel direction to an <

111>

orientation plane.

14. The process according to

claim 13

, wherein, during etching of said monocrystalline substrate, a grid-shaped mask is used with polygonal apertures, with sides extending at approximately 45°

with respect to said <

111>

orientation plane.

15. The process according to

claim 13

, wherein said monocrystalline substrate is etched using TMAH.

16. The process according to

claim 12

, wherein forming a buried channel comprises masking said substrate through a grid-like hard mask, and etching said substrate through the hard mask.

17. The process according to

claim 16

, wherein said hard mask comprises a polycrystalline region, surrounded by a covering layer of dielectric material, and in that, after etching of said substrate, said covering layer is removed, and said epitaxial layer grows on said polycrystalline region and forms a polycrystalline region, and on said substrate and forms a monocrystalline region.

18. The process according to

claim 16

, wherein said hard mask comprises a dielectric material grid, and said epitaxial layer grows on said substrate and on said dielectric material grid, forming a monocrystalline region on said substrate, and a polycrystalline region on said dielectric material grid.

19. The process of

claim 12

, comprising depositing an insulating material layer on said semiconductor material body, before forming at least a heating element.

20. The process of

claim 12

, comprising forming at least a thermosensing element on said semiconductor material body, adjacent to said heating element.

21. A device for microfluid thermoregulation comprising:

at least one buried channel formed a predetermined distance beneath a surface of a semiconductor material body;

first and second ports formed in the semiconductor material body and in fluid communication with the surface of the semiconductor material body and with first and second ends, respectively, of the at least one buried channel; and

at least one heating element formed on the surface of the semiconductor material body and positioned over the at least one buried channel to heat fluid in the at least one buried channel.

22. The device of

claim 21

, further comprising a temperature sensing element arranged adjacent the at least one heating element, the temperature sensing element configured to regulate the temperature of the at least one heating element to thereby regulate the temperature of fluid in the at least one buried channel.

23. A method for manufacturing a device for microfluid thermoregulation, comprising:

forming at least one buried channel a predetermined distance beneath a surface of a semiconductor material body;

forming first and second ports in the semiconductor material body to be in fluid communication with the surface of the semiconductor material body and with first and second ends, respectively, of the at least one buried channel; and

forming at least one heating element on the surface of the semiconductor material body to be positioned over the at least one buried channel for heating fluid in the at least one buried channel.

24. The method of

claim 23

, further comprising forming at least one temperature sensing element adjacent the at least one heating element on the surface of the semiconductor material body, the temperature sensing element configured to regulate the temperature of the at least one heating element to thereby regulate the temperature of fluid in the at least one buried channel.