Microelectromechanical Systems Fabricated with Roll to Roll Processing

• US 20160131126A1
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Encite, LLC
• Original Assignee: Encite, LLC
• Inventors: Marsh, Stephen Alan
• Granted Patent: US 10,330,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/006 Micropumps F04B43/043 and F04B43/095 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/043 Micropumps

Abstract

Roll to roll processing techniques are described to produce microelectromechanical systems having releasable and moveable mechanical structures. A micro-pump that includes a pump body having compartmentalized pump chambers, with plural inlet and outlet ports and valves and plural membranes enclosing the pump chambers is described as a representative example.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical system, the microelectromechanical system comprising a fixed body element and a releasable and moveable feature in association with the fixed body element, the method comprising:

patterning a first sheet of a flexible plastic material having a metal coating on one surface of the sheet to produce a first metallic region on the one surface;

patterning the first sheet to produce the fixed body element from the first sheet of flexible plastic material and the releasable and moveable feature from the portion of the first sheet having the first metallic region, with the patterning of the releasable and moveable feature leaving the releasable and moveable feature tethered to a portion of the fixed body element; and

laminating a second sheet of a flexible plastic material to the first sheet to provide a composite laminated structure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the microelectromechanical system is a micro-pump, and the fixed body element is a pump body and the releasable and moveable element is a valve element.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the patterning of the first sheet comprises ablating, and produces the first metallic region and a second metallic region on the first sheet, with the moveable, releasable element being a first moveable, releasable element and the micro pump comprising a second moveable, releasable element patterned from the portion of the first sheet having the second metallic region, with the first and second moveable, releasable elements being valve elements at inlets and outlets of the pump body.

4. The method of claim of 2 wherein the moveable, releasable elements are a T-shaped member of a T valve and an Omega-shaped member of an Omega valve.

5. The method of claim of 1 further comprising:

depositing on the second sheet of a conductive layer on a first surface of the second sheet.

6. The method of claim of 1 wherein depositing of the conductive layer occurs prior to lamination of the second sheet.

7. The method of claim of 1 wherein the microelectromechanical system is fabricated on a roll to roll processing line, and the method further comprising:

removing the first sheet of the flexible plastic material having the metal coating from a first roll; and

removing the second sheet of the flexible plastic material having a metal coating on one surface from a second roll; and

wherein ablating occurs at a first station, patterning occurs at a second station, and lamination occurs at a third station.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

depositing on the second sheet of a conductive layer on a first surface of the second sheet;

patterning the conductive layer on the second sheet to provide isolated regions of the conductive layer that provide electrodes on the second sheet.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

dicing the composite laminated structure into individual dies comprising the fixed body element and the releasable and moveable feature;

stacking the individual dies to produce a stacked structure; and

laminating the stacked structure to produce a component of the microelectromechanical system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the microelectromechanical system is a micro-pump, and the fixed body element is a pump body and the releasable and moveable element is a valve element;

with patterning of the first sheet comprises ablating, for producing the first metallic region and a second metallic region on the first sheet, with the moveable, releasable element being a first moveable, releasable element and the micro pump comprising a second moveable, releasable element patterned from the portion of the first sheet having the second metallic region, with the first and second moveable, releasable elements being valve elements at inlets and outlets of the pump body.

11. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical system in a roll to roll processing line, the method comprising:

unrolling from a first roll a first web of a flexible material having a metal coating on one surface of the sheet;

unrolling from a second roll a second web of a flexible material;

producing at a first patterning station a body element and a moveable element from the second sheet of material as the sheet traverses through the first patterning station;

unrolling from a third roll a third web of a flexible material having a metallic layer on the third sheet;

laminating at a laminating station the third web to the second web.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the microelectromechanical system is a micro-pump and the moveable, releasable element is a valve element.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the micro-pump and two moveable, releasable elements that are valve elements at inlets and outlets of the body that is a pump body.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

applying a sacrificial filling material to the body element and moveable element; and

after laminating

removing the sacrificial filling material with a suitable solvent.