Low temperature methods for hermetically sealing reservoir devices

• US 20050050859A1
• Filed: 07/19/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchips Biotech, Inc. (Keratin Biosciences, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MicroCHIPS Inc.
• Inventors: Santini, John T. Jr., Sheppard, Norman F. Jr., Uhland, Scott A., Polito, Benjamin F., Coppeta, Jonathan R., Snell, Douglas B., Feakes, Christina M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,114,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/471
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis microelectromechanical systems A61K9/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0097 Micromachined devices; Microelectromechanical systems [MEMS]; Devices obtained by lithographic treatment of silicon; Devices comprising chips intradermal microneedle arrays A61K9/0021; MEMS in general B81B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0677 phase change valves; Meltable, freezing, dissolvable plugs; Destructible barriers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/058 Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00269 Bonding of solid lids or wafers to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0145 Hermetically sealing an opening in the lid
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/50 Assembly of semiconductor devices using processes or apparatus not provided for in a single one of the subgroups H01L21/06 - H01L21/326, e.g. sealing of a cap to a base of a container

Abstract

Methods are provided for hermetically sealing an opening in a reservoir of a containment device. The method comprises applying a polymeric material to an opening in a reservoir of a containment device, the reservoir comprising reservoir contents (such as a drug or a sensor) to be hermetically isolated within the reservoir, the applied polymeric material closing off the opening and forming a temporary seal; and adhering a hermetic sealing material onto the polymeric material to hermetically seal the opening. The reservoir can be a micro-reservoir. The containment device can comprises an array of two or more of reservoirs, and the method comprises hermetically sealing each of the two or more reservoirs.

Claims

1. A method for hermetically sealing an opening in a reservoir of a containment device comprising:

applying a polymeric material to an opening in a reservoir of a containment device, the reservoir comprising reservoir contents to be hermetically isolated within the reservoir, the applied polymeric material closing off the opening and forming a temporary seal; and

adhering a hermetic sealing material onto the polymeric material to hermetically seal the opening.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is defined in a substrate which has a sealing surface circumscribing the opening of the reservoir.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is closed, at an end distal the opening in need of sealing, by a reservoir cap which can be selectively disintegrated or permeabilized to expose or release the reservoir contents.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservoir contents comprise a drug.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservoir contents comprise a sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material comprises a thermoplastic.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the thermoplastic is applied to the opening in a molten state and then is cooled to solidify and form the temporary seal.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the polymeric material comprises a filler material to modify the hermeticity and coefficient of thermal expansion characteristics of the temporary seal.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the polymeric material comprises a desiccant.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material comprises a thermoset.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the thermoset is applied to the opening in a liquid state and then is cured to solidify and form the temporary seal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the thermoset is cured by heating.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein heat is applied to the thermoset in a pulsed manner.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the containment device or a portion thereof is cooled while the thermoset is being heated.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the thermoset is cured by light activation.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the thermoset cures at ambient temperature after two or more hours.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the thermoset is applied such that the reservoir is underfilled.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material comprises a photodefinable polymer.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material is applied to the opening in solution with a volatile solvent and then the volatile solvent is evaporated to solidify the polymeric material and form the temporary seal.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material comprises a polyester-based liquid crystal polymer material.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising interposing a barrier layer between the reservoir contents and the polymeric material.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein a barrier layer precursor material is dispensed into the reservoir and then is reacted to form the barrier layer.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the barrier layer is selected from the group consisting of synthetic polymers, sol gel glasses or ceramics, and biopolymers.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the synthetic polymer comprises an epoxy, a silicone, or a polyurethane.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the barrier layer comprises a silica sol gel or a titania sol gel.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the barrier layer comprises an alginate, albumin, glutaraldehyde, or combinations thereof.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing a solid secondary component into the opening before or after the polymeric material is applied to the opening but before the hermetic sealing material is adhered.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is a micro-reservoir.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the containment device comprises an array of two or more of micro-reservoirs, and the method further comprises sealing the two or more micro-reservoirs.

30. The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate is formed of one or more hermetic materials.

31. The method of claim 2, wherein the sealing surface comprises one or more structures confining the location of the applied polymer.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more structures comprise a trench surrounding the reservoir.

33. The method of claim 2, wherein the hermetic sealing material is further adhered to the sealing surface at least in an area circumscribing the opening.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the hermetic sealing material is selected from the group consisting of titanium, platinum, gold, stainless steels, aluminum, and combinations thereof.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the hermetic sealing material is selected from the group consisting of tin, gold-tin, indium, indium-tin, gold-silicon, polysilicon, and combinations thereof.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the hermetic sealing material is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, titanium nitride, and combinations thereof.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the hermetic sealing material comprises a liquid crystal polymer.

45. A containment device having at least one reservoir hermetically sealed by the method of claim 1.

38. A method for hermetically sealing a plurality of openings of reservoirs in a containment device comprising:

providing a device which comprises a substrate in which a plurality of reservoirs are defined, the substrate having a sealing surface circumscribing the openings of the reservoirs;

applying a polymeric material to the openings to close off the opening and form a temporary seal; and

adhering a hermetic sealing material onto the polymeric material and onto the sealing surface to hermetically seal the opening.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising, before applying the polymeric material, loading the reservoirs with reservoir contents, which are selected from the group consisting of drugs, sensors, and combinations thereof, wherein the method hermetically isolates the reservoir contents within the reservoir.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein one or more polymer pathways between said two or more reservoirs are formed by the application of the polymeric material and the polymer pathways are removed before the hermetic sealing material is adhered over the temporary seals.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the polymer pathways are removed by dry etching, polishing, or laser ablation.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein a wetting control means is used to manipulate surface tension effects to limit the wetting of the polymer to specific locations on the surface of the substrate.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the wetting control means comprises depositing and patterning a wetting control agent on the surface of the substrate before application of the polymeric material.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the reservoirs are micro-reservoirs.

46. A containment device having at least two reservoirs hermetically sealed by the method of claim 38.