Reactor, a microchip, and a micro reactor system as well as a method for manufacturing the reactor

• US 20060169045A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Shinohara, Yoko, Kato, Haruki, Shinogi, Masataka, Yamamoto, Minao
• Granted Patent: US 8,828,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/580
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0256 Adsorption, desorption, surface mass change, e.g. on biosensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/036 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves

Abstract

In order to provide a reactor, a micro reactor chip, and a micro reactor system which can maintain high sensitivity without residual stresses on a crystal oscillator and unwanted oscillation modes, both surfaces of an AT-cut crystal plate 100 is deposited or sputtered with gold to prepare a detection electrode 601, an opposite electrode 602, and wiring to both electrodes. A resist is then formed on a cleaned silicon wafer. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is then poured onto the silicon wafer and allowed to cure. The PDMS is then peeled from the silicon wafer to form a groove 500 in the PDMS. The PDMS is then laid on the crystal plate. When the crystal substrate side is then irradiate with ultraviolet light the silicon-carbon bond between the crystal and the PDMS is cut, thus causing the crystal and the PDMS to bond to each other by means of a siloxane bond. The liquid introduction port and the liquid discharge port are then cut to form the reactor. A micro reactor chip and a micro reactor system are configured through the application of the construction of the reactor.

Claims

1. A reactor comprising:

a flow path for running a sample to be measured;

a reactor tank connected to the flow path and having capture means for capturing a specific substance contained in the sample to be measured; and

a liquid-phase sensor for measuring a physical quantity of the specific substance contained in the sample to be measured which has been caught by the capture means;

wherein the reactor tank has a substrate having a concave portion and made of a material that chemically bonds to silicon contained and a crystal substrate covering the concave portion and bonding to the substrate through a chemical bond, and the liquid-phase sensor has a crystal oscillator provided on a surface of the crystal substrate and having electrodes formed with the capture means and frequency measuring means connected to the electrodes for measuring a change in frequency of the crystal oscillator.

2. A reactor according to claim 1, wherein the chemical bond is a siloxane bond where silicon and oxygen bond with each other.

3. A reactor according to claim 1, wherein the physical quantity is mass.

4. A reactor according to claim 1, wherein the reactor has a plurality of electrodes formed with the capture means on the crystal oscillator, the electrodes being independent of one anther.

5. A reactor according to claim 1, wherein the crystal substrate has a mesa structure where a region of the electrodes serves as a bottom of a groove portion.

6. A reactor according to claim 1, wherein the frequency measuring means includes a variable-frequency AC power supply and a ammeter, which are connected in series to the electrodes of the crystal oscillator.

7. A reactor according to claim 1, wherein the frequency measuring means is a frequency meter for measuring an oscillation frequency of an oscillation circuit with the crystal oscillator incorporated therein.

8. A reactor according to claim 1, wherein the substrate has a concave portion shaped like a bank in a region where the substrate and the crystal substrate is to be bonded to each other.

9. A reactor according to claim 1, wherein the flow path has one or more through holes passing through the substrate for introducing the sample to be measured to and discharging the sample to be measured from the reactor tank.

10. A micro reactor chip comprising:

a substrate having a flow path for running a sample to be measured, a reactor tank having a concave portion connected to the flow path, a liquid introduction port for introducing the sample to be measured to the reactor tank through the flow path, and a liquid discharge port for discharging the sample to be measured from the reactor tank through the flow path;

a crystal oscillator includes a crystal substrate and an electrode formed on the crystal substrate and forming a the reactor tank by chemically bonding to the substrate and covering the concave portion; and

capture means formed on the electrode located in the reactor tank for capturing a specific substance contained in the sample to be measured.

11. A micro reactor chip according to claim 10, wherein the chemical bond is a siloxane bond where silicon and oxygen bond with each other.

12. A micro reactor chip according to claim 10, wherein the substrate has a valve mechanism for closing or opening the flow path, in the flow path.

13. A micro reactor chip according to claim 10, wherein the substrate is formed by laminating a plurality of substrate members formed with at least any of the concave portion, a groove and a through hole.

14. A micro reactor chip according to claim 10, wherein the crystal oscillator includes the crystal substrate having a mesa structure where a predetermined region including the electrode has a small thickness.

15. A micro reactor chip according to claim 10, wherein the substrate has a stepped portion for holding the crystal substrate in a predetermined region bonded to the crystal substrate by the chemical bond.

16. A micro reactor system comprising:

a micro reactor chip according to claim 10;

frequency measuring means connected to the electrode formed with the capture means for measuring a change in frequency of the crystal oscillator;

pump means connected to the liquid introduction port or the liquid discharge port for feeding the sample to be measured;

liquid feed control means for controlling the opening and closing of the valve mechanism; and

control means for controlling the pump means, the frequency measuring means, and the liquid feed control means.

17. A method for manufacturing a reactor comprising:

a first step of forming a concave portion in a substrate;

a second step of forming an electrode on a crystal substrate; and

a third step of causing the substrate and the crystal substrate to bond to each other through a chemical bond to form a reactor tank by laying the substrate and the crystal substrate over the concave portion.

18. A method for manufacturing a reactor according to claim 17, wherein the first step comprises a type substrate fabricating step of fabricating on a resin substrate a type substrate having a convex portion of the same size as the concave portion and a concave portion forming step of forming the concave portion on the substrate using the type substrate.

19. A method for manufacturing a reactor according to claim 17, wherein a step of bonding through a chemical bond in the third step is a step of irradiating a face where the substrate and the crystal substrate are to be bonded to each other with an ultra-violet ray and to cause the substrate to bond to the crystal substrate through a siloxane bond.

20. A method for manufacturing a reactor according to claim 17, further comprising, in the third step, a step of irradiating a face where the substrate and the crystal substrate are to be bonded to each other with a plasma or a step of flattening a surface of the crystal substrate.

21. A method for manufacturing a reactor according to claim 17, further comprising, after the second step, a fourth step of forming, on the electrode, capture means for capturing a specific substance contained in a sample to be measured.

22. A method for manufacturing a reactor according to claim 17, further comprising, after the third step, a fifth step of feeding a reagent into the reactor tank and forming on the electrode capture means for capturing a specific substance contained in a sample to be measured.