Fabrication of microfluidic circuits by printing techniques

• US 6,509,085 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2000
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Caliper Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caliper Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Kennedy, Colin
• Primary Examiner(s): Loney, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US09/546,293
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 428/156, 428/120, 428/178, 428/188, 428/447, 428/137, 428/201, 428/204, 428/167, 428/172, 428/207, 428/192, 428/425, 428/198, 428/209, 428/210, 428/206, 204/400, 204/403, 204/409, 204/603, 204/412, 204/601, 204/602, 101/154, 101/114, 436/130, 436/180, 422/101, 422/102, 422/104, 156/277, 156/290, 156/291, 156/292, 210/198.2, 210/656, 366/336, 366/340, 73/233.9, 73/615.3, 427/2.11, 427/2.13
• US Class Current: 428/188
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• 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: B32B 3/30 characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/14 Printing or colouring
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/006 Patterns of chemical products used for a specific purpose, e.g. pesticides, perfumes, adhesive patterns; use of microencapsulated material; Printing on smoking articles
• 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: B81C 2201/0184 Digital lithography, e.g. using an inkjet print-head
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0185 Printing, e.g. microcontact printing
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/019 Bonding or gluing multiple substrate layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24744 Longitudinal or transverse tubular cavity or cell
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24826 Spot bonds connect components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24876 Intermediate layer contains particulate material [e.g., pigment, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24893 including particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24926 including ceramic, glass, porcelain or quartz layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Laminates having microfluidic structures disposed between sheets of the laminate are provided. The microfluidic structures are raised on a sheet of laminate, typically by printing the structure on the sheet. Printing methods include Serigraph, ink-jet, intaligo, offset printing and thermal laser printing.

Claims

1. A laminate comprising a first substrate and a second substrate, which first substrate comprises a printed surface, which printed surface defines one or more microfluidic feature on the first substrate, which microfluidic feature comprises at least one cross-sectional dimension between about 0.1 μ

m and about 500 μ

m, wherein the second substrate forms a cover layer over the printed surface.

2. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are planar.

3. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are rigid.

4. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are flexible.

5. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate comprise the same material.

6. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are independently selected from glass, a polymer, a ceramic, a metalloid, an acrylic, and an organic material.

7. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the one or more microfluidic feature comprises one or more microchannel or reservoir.

8. The laminate of claim 1, which printed surface comprises one or more wall, which one or more wall is raised in comparison to the first substrate.

9. The laminate of claim 8, wherein the one or more wall forms one or more microchannels.

10. The laminate of claim 9, wherein the one or more microchannels comprise a top region along a portion of the second substrate, a bottom region along a portion of the first substrate and one or more side region along one or more portion of the one or more wall.

11. The laminate of claim 9, wherein at least one of the one or more microchannels comprises an angled section and wherein the width and height of the at least one of the one or more microchannels is optimized to reduce turbulence of a liquid in the channel.

12. The laminate of claim 9, wherein at least one of the one or more microchannels comprises an electrokinetic fluid direction means for moving fluid in the one or more microchannels.

13. The laminate of claim 9, wherein the one or more microchannels comprise at least two intersecting microchannels.

14. The laminate of claim 8, wherein the one or more wall comprises an adhesive material, which adhesive material bonds the first substrate and second substrate together.

15. The laminate of claim 14, wherein the adhesive material is selected from:

a wax, a thermoplastic, an epoxy, a pressure sensitive material, and a photoresistive material.

16. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the printed surface is produced by one or more of serigraph printing, ink jet printing, intaglio printing, offset printing, thermal laser printing, silk screening and Heidelberg press printing.

17. The laminate of claim 1, further comprising a spacer between the first substrate and the second substrate, which spacer provides a uniform separation between the first substrate and the second substrate.

18. The laminate of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive material, which adhesive material bonds the first substrate and second substrate together.

19. The laminate of claim 1, further comprising a clamp, which clamp hold the first substrate and the second substrate together.

20. A method of forming a microfluidic laminate, the method comprising:

(i) depositing a material on a first surface of a first substrate, which material defines one or more microfluidic features on the first surface, which microfluidic features comprise at least one cross-sectional dimension between about 0.1 μ

m and about 500 μ

m;

(ii) covering the first surface with a second substrate, wherein the second substrate encloses the one or more microfluidic features.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein steps (i) and (ii) are performed in a single continuous process.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the material comprises a fluidic material, which fluidic material dries or hardens after depositing the material on the first surface.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein step (i) comprises depositing a material on the first surface, forming thereby the one or more microfluidic features.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein step (i) comprises printing the first surface.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein printing comprises printing an outline of the one or more microfluidic feature on the first surface.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein printing comprises serigraph printing, ink jet printing, intaglio printing, offset printing, thermal laser printing, silk screening, or Heidelberg press printing.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein printing comprises printing an area to include the one or more microfluidic feature and etching the one or more microfluidic feature out of the printed area.

28. The method of claim 20, step (i) comprising applying a coating over the first surface, applying a mask onto the first coating, etching the one or more microfluidic feature out of the coating and removing the mask to provide the one or more microfluidic feature.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising clamping the first substrate and the second substrate together.

30. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing a spacer between the first and second substrates to provide a uniform distance between the first and second substrates.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the material comprises a wax, a thermoplastic, an epoxy, a pressure sensitive material, or a photo-resistive material.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more microfluidic feature is laminated between the first and second surfaces.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises die-cutting the first and second substrates.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the method comprises printing the one or more microfluidic feature on the first surface, laminating the first and second substrates, thereby providing a laminate with the one or more microfluidic feature disposed between the first and second substrates.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising cutting the laminate into at least two pieces, thereby producing two laminates.

36. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more microfluidic feature comprises one or more microscale channel or one or more reservoir.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the one or more microfluidic feature comprises at least two intersecting channels.