Method of making a micro-channel array device

• US 20050287047A1
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polymicro Technologies LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Polymicro Technologies LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Macomber, Robert J., Nelson, Gary W., Clarkin, James P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,216,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/400
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• 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: B81B 1/002 Holes characterised by their shape, in either longitudinal or sectional plane
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/058 Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44721 by optical means

Abstract

Micro channel array devices drawn from a bulk preform having an array of components to reduce the cross section. The reduced cross section fiber like structure is cut to produce individual arrays of small scale. End caps are drawn and optionally micro machined. The end caps are used to provide input and output ports and other structures for use with the micro channel arrays. A micro channel array may be used with different end caps for analysis and may form a lab on a chip or a component thereof.

Claims

1-37. -37. (canceled)

38. A method of making a device for analyzing a plurality of sample components, comprising:

heating a preform body including at least two preformed channels formed therein and extending along a length of said preform body; and

drawing said preform body along said length so as to extend a length of said at least two preformed channels while substantially maintaining a cross sectional geometry of said at least two preformed channels.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein a cross-sectional area of at least one of the at least two preformed channels is in the range of 0.0001 mm² to 1 mm² after said drawing.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the length of at least one of said at least two preformed channels after said drawing is in the range of 1 mm to 1 km.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein, subsequently to said drawing, the preform body is utilized in a micro electro mechanical system.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein, subsequently to said drawing, the preform body is utilized in a lab on a chip system.

43. The method of claim 38, further comprising adjusting one or more of draw rate, draw tensions, draw temperature, and draw pressure to vary a cross-sectional area of said at least two preformed channels along the length of said preform.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein said preform body includes an optical waveguide formed therein and extending in a direction parallel to the length of said preform.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein said preform body further comprises an electrical conductor extending in the direction parallel to the length of said preform.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein the preform body further comprises at least one optical isolator extending in the direction parallel to the length of said preform.

47. The method of claim 38, wherein the cross-sectional geometry of a first one of the at least two preformed channels after said drawing is different from the cross-sectional geometry of a second one of the at least two drawn channels.

48. The method of claim 38, wherein the preform body comprises a material selected from the group comprising:

glass, ceramic, and thermoplastic polymers.

49. The method of claim 38, wherein the preform body comprises a material selected from the group comprising:

fused silica, fused quartz, and PMMA.

50. The method of claim 38, further comprising providing the preform body with an exterior coating comprising a material selected from the group consisting of polyimide, acrylate, fluorinated acrylate, silicone, metal, and optical cladding.

51. The method of claim 38, further comprising, after said drawing, providing the drawn preform body with an exterior coating comprising a material selected from the group consisting of magnetic, radio opaque, optically filtering, conductive, and dielectric.

52. The method of claim 38, further comprising providing the preform body with an interior coating comprising a material selected from the group consisting of hydrophobic bonded phases, hydrophyllic bonded phases, polyacrlyamides, silver, silver halide, gold, and polytetrafluoroethylene.

53. The method of claim 38, wherein at least a selected one of the at least two preformed channels after said drawing has at least of a portion of a wall comprising a lens.

54. The method of claim 38, wherein at least a selected one of the at least two preformed channels after said drawing has at least a portion of a wall comprising a reflector.

55. The method of claim 38, wherein the preform body after said drawing has at least one alignment groove on its exterior surface, down its length.

56. The method of claim 38, wherein said preform body further includes an optical fiber interfaced into one of the preformed channels.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein said preform body further includes a structure for redirecting light in the preformed channel interfaced with the optical fiber.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the structure for redirecting light comprises a reflecting surface located on the end of the optical fiber interfaced into the preformed channel.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein after said drawing the at least two preformed channels have a substantially constant spacing therebetween, a substantially constant relative rotational alignment and a substantially constant relative angular alignment along the length of the substrate.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein two of the preformed channels after said drawing have a portion of a wall comprising a lens and the two lenses have a substantially constant spacing therebetween, a substantially constant relative rotational alignment and a substantially constant relative angular alignment along the length of the substrate.

61. The method of claim 38, further comprising cutting said preform body after said drawing to a desired length.

62. The method of claim 38, further comprising attaching at least one endcap substrate having at least one endcap channel to said preform body after said drawing, said at least one endcap channel being in fluid communication with at least one preformed channel.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein said endcap channel is in fluid communication with said at least two preformed channels.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein said attaching comprises heating said endcap substrate and drawing said endcap substrate so as to extend a length of said at least one endcap channel while substantially maintaining a cross sectional geometry of said at least one endcap channel.

65. The method of claim 62, wherein said endcap substrate comprises an endcap channel having a cross-sectional geometry different from a cross-sectional geometry of the at least one endcap channel.

66. The method of claim 62, wherein said at least one endcap channel has at least a portion of a wall comprising a lens.

67. The method of claim 62, wherein said at least one endcap channel has at least a portion of a wall comprising a reflector.

68. The method of claim 62, wherein said at least one endcap substrate has at least one alignment groove on its exterior surface.

69. The method of claim 62, wherein another endcap channel and said at least one endcap channel have a substantially constant spacing therebetween, a substantially constant relative rotational alignment and a substantially constant relative angular alignment along a length of the endcap substrate.