Micromachined chemical jet dispenser

• US 5,877,580 A
• Filed: 12/23/1996
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America), Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Swierkowski, Steve P.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUDD, MARK OSBORNE
• Application Number:
  US08/772,639
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 310/328, 310/330-333, 347/68-72
• US Class Current: 310/328
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00378 Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0268 using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1041 Ink-jet like dispensers

Abstract

A dispenser for chemical fluid samples that need to be precisely ejected in size, location, and time. The dispenser is a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) device fabricated in a bonded silicon wafer and a substrate, such as glass or silicon, using integrated circuit-like fabrication technology which is amenable to mass production. The dispensing is actuated by ultrasonic transducers that efficiently produce a pressure wave in capillaries that contain the chemicals. The 10-200 μm diameter capillaries can be arranged to focus in one spot or may be arranged in a larger dense linear array (˜200 capillaries). The dispenser is analogous to some ink jet print heads for computer printers but the fluid is not heated, thus not damaging certain samples. Major applications are in biological sample handling and in analytical chemical procedures such as environmental sample analysis, medical lab analysis, or molecular biology chemistry experiments.

Claims

1. A fluid dispenser, comprising:

a substrate,

a member bonded to said substrate,

at least one ultrasonic transducer,

said substrate being provided with at least one capillary having one end at one edge of said substrate,

said member being provided with at least one fill well, at least one dead well, and at lease one driven well, said wells in said member being aligned with an in fluid communication with said at least one capillary in said substrate, and

said at least one ultrasonic transducer being positioned over said at least one driven well,

whereby actuation of said transducer forces fluid from said at least one driven well and out said one end of said at least one capillary.

2. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, wherein said at least one capillary has a diameter of 10-200 μ

m.

3. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, wherein said at least one fill well is constructed to include an opening in an upper surface of said member.

4. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one dead well and at least one driven well includes a thin membrane adjacent an upper surface of said member.

5. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, wherein said at least one ultrasonic transducer comprises a piezoelectric driver.

6. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, wherein said member is provided with a layer of acoustic absorption material on at least one surface thereof.

7. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, wherein said member is provided with a layer of strengthening material over at least said dead well and said driven well.

8. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, wherein said substrate is composed of material selected from the group consisting of glass, quartz, and metal;

and wherein said member is composed of material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide.

9. The fluid dispenser of claim 8, wherein said member is composed of silicon, and additionally including a layer of material on an upper surface of said silicon member selected from the group of silicon and silicon nitride.

10. The fluid dispenser of claim 8, additionally including a glass support layer positioned over at least said at least one dead well.

11. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, wherein each of said fill well, said dead well, and said driven well are formed in said member to have a configuration selected from the group consisting of square, rectangular, and circular.

12. The fluid dispenser of claim 11, wherein each of said wells include a tapering section with a larger diameter thereof on a surface of said member adjacent said substrate.

13. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, additionally including a fill tube positioned in said at least one fill well.

14. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, wherein said substrate is provided with a number of capillaries, and wherein said member is provided with a number of sets of fill wells, dead wells, and driven wells, each set being aligned with a capillary on said substrate.

15. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, being constructed to enable stacking thereof.

16. A micromachined chemical jet dispenser, comprising:

a glass substrate having a number of capillaries formed thereon,

a silicon member bonded to said glass substrate and having a number of sets of fill wells, dead wells, and driven wells formed therein, each set being aligned with and in fluid communication with a capillary on said glass substrate, and

a number of ultrasonic transducers positioned on said silicon member over said number of driven wells, whereby actuation of said transducers dispenses fluid from said capillaries.

17. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein said transducers can be actuated to produce a continuous flow or drop-on-demand of fluid from one or more of said capillaries.

18. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein said dead wells and said driven wells are constructed in said silicon member so as to define a thin wall of silicon at an upper surface of said silicon member.

19. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein said fill wells are constructed in said silicon member so as to define an opening extending through the silicon member.

20. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein said transducers are composite actuators driven by piezoelectric effect.