Microfluidic articles

• US 20020098124A1
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Johnston, Raymond P., Biernath, Rolf W., Poirier, Richard J., McClure, Donald J., Bentsen, James G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,761,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/502
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• 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 3/505 flexible containers not provided for above
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/148 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/222 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/022 characterised by the disposition or the configuration, e.g. dimensions, of the embossments or the shaping tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00009 provided with a sample supporting tape, e.g. with absorbent zones
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/906 Roll or coil
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24562 Interlaminar spaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 Parallel ribs and/or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24744 Longitudinal or transverse tubular cavity or cell
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal

Abstract

The present invention provides various microfluid processing architecture-bearing, polymeric articles. The articles may include microelectronic, microoptical or microchemical elements. The article also may include inorganic thin film coatings.

Claims

1. A process for preparing a molded article comprising:

(a) bringing a moldable material and an open molding tool comprising a molding surface into line contact with each other to imprint a microfluid processing architecture pattern onto said moldable material and thereby form a molded article; and

(b) separating said molded article from said molding surface.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein said moldable material comprises an embossable polymeric substrate.

3. A process according to claim 2 wherein said embossable polymeric substrate further comprises a microelectronic element.

4. A process according to claim 2 wherein said embossable polymeric substrate further comprises a microoptical element.

5. A process according to claim 2 wherein said embossable polymeric substrate further comprises a micromechanical element.

6. A process according to claim 1 wherein said moldable material comprises a flowable resin composition.

7. A process according to claim 6 wherein said flowable resin composition comprises a curable resin composition, said process comprising exposing said composition to thermal or actinic radiation prior to separating said molded article from said molding surface to cure said composition.

8. A process according to claim 6 wherein said curable resin composition comprises a photopolymerizable composition, said process comprising exposing said composition to actinic radiation prior to separating said molded article from said molding surface to cure said composition.

9. A process according to claim 6 wherein said flowable resin composition comprises a molten thermoplastic composition, said process comprising cooling said composition prior to separating said molded article from said molding surface.

10. A process according to claim 6 comprising introducing said flowable resin composition onto a major surface of a polymeric substrate, and relatively moving said polymeric substrate and said molding tool to bring said tool and said flowable resin composition into line contact with each other.

11. A process according to claim 10 wherein said polymeric substrate further comprises a microelectronic element.

12. A process according to claim 10 wherein said polymeric substrate further comprises a microoptical element.

13. A process according to claim 10 wherein said polymeric substrate further comprises a micromechanical element.

14. A process according to claim 6 comprising introducing said flowable resin composition onto said molding surface.

15. A process according to claim 14 further comprising bonding said flowable resin composition to a polymeric substrate.

16. A process according to claim 15 wherein said polymeric substrate comprises a microelectronic element.

17. A process according to claim 15 wherein said polymeric substrate comprises a microoptical element.

18. A process according to claim 15 wherein said polymeric substrate comprises a micromechanical element.

19. A process according to claim 1 further comprising bonding a polymeric substrate comprising a microelectronic element to said molded article.

20. A process according to claim 1 further comprising bonding a polymeric substrate comprising a microoptical element to said molded article.

21. A process according to claim 1 further comprising bonding a polymeric substrate comprising a micromechanical element to said molded article.

22. A process according to claim 1 further comprising bonding a substrate to said molded article to form a cover layer overlying said microfluid processing architecture.

23. A process according to claim 22 wherein said substrate comprises a polymeric substrate.

24. A process according to claim 22 wherein said substrate further comprises a microelectronic element.

25. A process according to claim 24 wherein said substrate comprises a polymeric substrate.

26. A process according to claim 22 wherein said substrate further comprises a microoptical element.

27. A process according to claim 22 wherein said substrate further comprises a micromechanical element.

28. A process according to claim 1 comprising continuously introducing mold able material into a molding zone defined by said molding tool and continuously bringing said molding tool into line contact with said moldable material to create a plurality of microfluid processing architectures.

29. A process according to claim 28 comprising producing said article in the form of a roll comprising a plurality of microfluid processing architectures.

30. A process according to claim 28 further comprising continuously bonding a polymeric substrate comprising a microelectronic element to said molded article.

31. A process according to claim 28 further comprising continuously bonding a polymeric substrate comprising a microoptical element to said molded article.

32. A process according to claim 28 further comprising continuously bonding a polymeric substrate comprising a micromechanical element to said molded article.

33. A process according to claim 28 further comprising continuously bonding a polymeric substrate to said molded article to form a cover layer overlying said microfluid processing architectures.

34. A process according to claim 33 wherein said polymeric substrate further comprises a microelectronic element.

35. A process according to claim 33 wherein said polymeric substrate further comprises a microoptical element.

36. A process according to claim 33 wherein said polymeric substrate further comprises a micromechanical element.

38. An article according to claim 37 further comprising a cover layer overlying said microfluid processing architecture.

39. An article according to claim 38 wherein said cover layer comprises a polymeric cover layer.

40. An article according to claim 38 wherein said cover layer is bonded to said first major surface of said first substrate.

41. An article according to claim 37 wherein said microfluid processing architecture includes structures selected from the group consisting of microchannels, fluid reservoirs, sample handling regions, and combinations thereof.

42. An article according to claim 37 wherein said article further comprises a microelectronic element.

43. An article according to claim 37 wherein said article further comprises a microoptical element.

44. An article according to claim 37 wherein said article further comprises a micromechanical element.

46. An article according to claim 45 wherein said article further comprises a second polymeric substrate integrally bonded to said second major surface of said first substrate,

said second substrate being capable of forming a free-standing substrate in the absence of said first substrate.

47. An article according to claim 45 further comprising a polymeric cover layer bonded to the first major surface of said first substrate.

48. An article according to claim 45 wherein said microfluid processing architectures include structures selected from the group consisting of microchannels, fluid reservoirs, sample handling regions, and combinations thereof.

49. An article according to claim 45 wherein said article further comprises a microelectronic element.

50. An article according to claim 45 wherein said article further comprises a microoptical element.

51. An article according to claim 45 wherein said article further comprises a micromechanical element.

37. An article comprising:

(a) a first non-elastic, polymeric substrate comprising (i) a first major surface that includes a microfluid processing architecture, and (ii) a second major surface; and

(b) a second polymeric substrate that is integrally bonded to said second major surface of said first substrate,

said second substrate being capable of forming a free-standing substrate in the absence of said first substrate.

45. An article comprising a first polymeric substrate comprising (i) a first major surface that includes a plurality of microfluid processing architectures and (ii) a second major surface,

wherein said article is in the form of a roll.

52. An article comprising:

(a) a first polymeric substrate comprising (i) a first major surface that includes a microfluid processing architecture, and (ii) a second major surface; and

(b) a second polymeric substrate comprising (i) a first major surface that is integrally bonded to said second major surface of said first substrate and (ii) a second major surface that comprises a microelectronic element and a via extending between said first and second major surfaces of said second substrate,

said second substrate being capable of forming a free-standing substrate in the absence of said first substrate.

53. An article comprising:

a first polymeric substrate comprising (i) a first major surface that includes a microfluid processing architecture, and (ii) a second major surface that comprises a microelectronic element and a via extending between said first and second major surfaces of said substrate.

54. An article comprising:

(a) a first polymeric substrate comprising (i) a first major surface that includes a microfluid processing architecture, and (ii) a second major surface; and

(b) a polymeric cover layer comprising (i) a first major surface overlying said microfluid processing architecture, and (ii) a second major surface that comprises a microelectronic element and a via extending between said first and second major surfaces of said cover layer.

55. A method for processing a microfluid sample comprising:

(a) providing an article in the form of a roll comprising a first polymeric substrate comprising (i) a first major surface that includes a plurality of microfluid processing architectures and (ii) a second major surface;

(b) introducing a microfluid sample into one of said microfluid processing architectures; and

(c) processing said sample.