Method of manufacturing microfluidic devices

• US 5,882,465 A
• Filed: 06/18/1997
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Caliper Technologies Corp (Revvity, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Caliper Technologies Corp (Revvity, Inc.)
• Inventors: McReynolds, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mitchell, Shawn A.
• Application Number:
  US08/877,843
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 156/87, 156/104, 156/285, 156/286, 156/309.9, 156/308.2, 428/137, 428/138, 428/167, 428/172
• US Class Current: 156/285
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/10 using hot gases (e.g. combustion gases) or flames coming in contact with at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4895 Solvent bonding, i.e. the surfaces of the parts to be joined being treated with solvents, swelling or softening agents, without adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7847 using vacuum to hold at least one of the parts to be joined vacuum work holders in general B25B11/005
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/45 Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles methods or apparatus for laminating B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/82661 by means of vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/18 PTFE, i.e. polytetrafluorethene , e.g. ePTFE, i.e. expanded polytetrafluorethene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/12 Polymers of methacrylic acid esters, e.g. PMMA, i.e. polymethylmethacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2081/06 PSU, i.e. polysulfones; PES, i.e. polyethersulfones or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/756 Microarticles, nanoarticles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/1891 Using a robot for handling the layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1018 using only vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1841 : during laying up
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1744 : Means bringing discrete articles into assembled relationship
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1798 : with liquid adhesive or adhesive activator applying means

Abstract

The present invention is directed to improved methods and apparatuses for manufacturing microfabricated devices, and particularly, microfluidic devices. In general the methods and apparatuses of the invention provide improved methods of bonding substrates together by applying a vacuum to the space between the substrates during the bonding process.

Claims

1. A method of forming microfluidic devices comprising:

providing a first substrate having at least a first planar surface, a second surface opposite the planar surface, and having a plurality of apertures disposed through the first substrate from the first surface to the second surface;

applying a vacuum to the apertures;

mating the first planar surface of the first substrate with a first planar surface of a second substrate, wherein at least one of the first planar surface of the first substrate and the first planar surface of the second substrate comprises at least two intersecting channels fabricated therein, each of the channels being in fluid communication with at least one of the apertures disposed through the first substrate when the first and second substrates are mated; and

bonding the first surface of the first substrate to the first surface of the second substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying a vacuum to the apertures comprises mounting the second surface of the first substrate on a vacuum chuck whereby the vacuum chuck provides a vacuum to the apertures.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mating step comprises heating the first and second substrates to bond the first surface of the first substrate to the first surface of the second substrate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of heating the substrates comprises heating the first and second substrates to a temperature between about 80°

C. and 200°

C.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second substrates comprise polymeric substrates.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrates comprise silica-based substrates, and wherein the mating step further comprises heating the first and second substrates to a temperature between about 500°

C. and 1400°

C.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrates comprise silica-based substrates, and wherein the bonding step comprises heating the first and second substrates to between about 90°

and 200°

C., followed by the step of heating the first and second substrates to a temperature between about 500°

C. and 1400°

C.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of applying an adhesive to at least one of the first surface of the first substrate or the first surface of the second substrate prior to the mating step.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second substrates comprise glass.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second substrates are comprised of polymeric materials.