Microfluidic Device and Method

• US 20140227147A1
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Bonart, Dietrich, Beyer, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 10,086,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/502
• 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: B81B 2201/0214 Biosensors; Chemical sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/051 Micromixers, microreactors
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/054 Microvalves
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/058 Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00119 Arrangement of basic structures like cavities or channels, e.g. suitable for microfluidic systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/56 Encapsulations, e.g. encapsulation layers, coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/568 Temporary substrate used as encapsulation process aid H01L21/4832 and H01L21/566 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/04105 Bonding areas formed on an encapsulation of the semiconductor or solid-state body, e.g. bonding areas on chip-scale packages
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/19 Manufacturing methods of high density interconnect preforms
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/96 the devices being encapsulated in a common layer, e.g. neo-wafer or pseudo-wafer, said common layer being separable into individual assemblies after connecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 MEMS

Abstract

A microfluidic device includes a semiconductor chip having a main chip surface. The microfluidic device further includes an encapsulation body embedding the semiconductor chip, the encapsulation body having a main body surface. A microfluidic component extends over the main chip surface and over the main encapsulation body surface and traverses an outline of the main chip surface.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a first semiconductor chip having a first main chip surface;

an encapsulation body embedding the first semiconductor chip, the encapsulation body having a first main encapsulation body surface; and

a first microfluidic component extending over the first main chip surface and over the first main encapsulation body surface and traversing an outline of the first main chip surface.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first main chip surface and the first main encapsulation body surface are laterally adjacent to each other.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the outline of the first main chip surface comprises a transition line delimiting the first main chip surface from the first main encapsulation body surface.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first main chip surface and the first main body surface are level with each other.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor chip comprises a sensor, an actuator, an emitter, an integrated control logic, or an integrated evaluation logic.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first microfluidic component comprises a component selected from the group consisting of a microfluidic channel, a microfluidic valve, a microfluidic multiplexor, a microfluidic mixer, a microfluidic reaction chamber, a microfluidic buffer, and a microfluidic network.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a first layer extending over the first main chip surface and the first encapsulation body surface, wherein the first microfluidic component is at least partly formed within the first layer.

8. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein the first layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a dielectric material, a photoresist, an elastomer, a ceramic-like material, and glass.

9. The microfluidic device of claim 7, further comprising a second layer extending over the first layer, wherein the first microfluidic component is partly formed within the first layer and is partly formed within the second layer.

10. The microfluidic device of claim 9, wherein a fluidic transport portion of the first microfluidic component is formed within the first layer, and wherein a control portion of the first microfluidic component configured to control fluidic transport through the fluidic transport portion is formed within the second layer.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising an electrical redistribution structure extending over the first main chip surface and over the first main encapsulation body surface and traversing the outline of the first main chip surface.

12. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a second semiconductor chip embedded in the encapsulation body, the second semiconductor chip comprising a sensor, an actuator, an emitter, an integrated control logic, or an integrated evaluation logic.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 12, further comprising a second microfluidic component extending over the first main chip surface of the second semiconductor chip and over the first main encapsulation body surface and traversing an outline of the first main chip surface of the second semiconductor chip, wherein the first microfluidic component and the second microfluidic component are fluidically interconnected.

14. The microfluidic device of claim 13, further comprising a first layer extending over the first main chip surface of the first semiconductor chip, the first main chip surface of the second semiconductor chip and the first encapsulation body surface, wherein the first microfluidic component and the second microfluidic component are at least partly formed within the first layer.

15. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a first semiconductor chip comprising a first integrated device configured to interact with a microfluidic flow;

a second semiconductor chip comprising a second integrated device configured to interact with a microfluidic flow; and

an encapsulation body embedding the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip.

16. The microfluidic device of claim 15, wherein the first integrated device is a sensor configured to sense a microfluidic quantity.

17. The microfluidic device of claim 16, wherein the second integrated device is an actuator or an emitter for processing the microfluidic flow.

18. The microfluidic device of claim 15, wherein the second integrated device is an actuator or an emitter for processing the microfluidic flow.

19. The microfluidic device of claim 15, further comprising:

a third semiconductor chip comprising an integrated logic circuitry; and

a wiring structure electrically interconnecting the integrated logic circuitry with the first or second integrated device.

20. The microfluidic device of claim 19, wherein the integrated logic circuitry comprises a control logic or an evaluation logic.

21. The microfluidic device of claim 15, further comprising a microfluidic component extending between the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip and configured to transport fluid between the first integrated device and the second integrated device.

22. A method of manufacturing a microfluidic device, the method comprising:

placing a plurality of semiconductor chips on a carrier, each semiconductor chip having an active region that faces the carrier;

covering the semiconductor chips with an encapsulating material that forms an encapsulant;

removing the carrier from the encapsulant;

forming a microfluidic component on each semiconductor chip, wherein the active region of each semiconductor chip is coupled to the microfluidic component; and

singulating the semiconductor chips to form multiple encapsulation bodies, each embedding at least one semiconductor chip.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein forming the microfluidic component on each semiconductor chip is performed prior to singulating the semiconductor chips.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein forming the microfluidic component on each semiconductor chip is performed after singulating the semiconductor chips.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein forming a microfluidic component on each semiconductor chip comprises:

applying a layer over the encapsulant and the semiconductor chips; and

structuring the layer to form a recess structure of the microfluidic components.