Integrated microfluidic and electronic components

• US 6,632,400 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2000
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies Europe BV (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Brennen, Reid A., van de Goor, Antonius A. A. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Soderquist, Arlen
• Assistant Examiner(s): QUAN, ELIZABETH S
• Application Number:
  US09/599,401
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 422/82.01, 422/98, 422/100, 422/102, 204/601, 204/600, 204/602, 204/603, 204/452
• US Class Current: 422/82.01
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0663 Whole sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0838 Capillaries
• 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 2201/058 Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00238 Joining a substrate with an electronic processing unit and a substrate with a micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4473 by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027

Abstract

A microfluidic component having a microfluidic channel is bonded to an electronics component having a circuit for processing signals related to the microfluidic component. In an embodiment, the electronics component is a prefabricated integrated circuit chip that includes signal processing and/or process control functionality. The bonding of the microfluidic component to the electronics component provides a modular architecture in which different combinations of microfluidic components and electronics components can be used to create customized processing and analysis tools.

Claims

1. An integrated microsystem comprising:

a prefabricated microfluidic component having microfluidic features for processing a fluid of interest; and

an electronics component having signal detection and signal processing circuitry so as to evaluate a property of said fluid of interest, said electronics component and said prefabricated microfluidic component being first and second devices that are bonded together to provide a modular architecture, said electronics component being bonded to said prefabricated microfluidic component along exterior surfaces of said electronics and prefabricated microfluidic components such that said exterior surfaces face each other along at least one bond region, said electronics component also being structurally independent of any said microfluidic feature;

wherein said electronics component is an integrated circuit chip that is flip chip bonded to said prefabricated microfluidic component.

2. The integrated microsystem of claim 1 wherein said electronics component is formed of discrete electronic devices on a substrate that is bonded to said prefabricated microfluidic component.

3. The integrated microsystem of claim 1 wherein said circuitry of said electronics component has an output for providing direct feedback to said prefabricated microfluidic component in response to signals from said circuitry, thereby creating a feedback loop that is isolated within said integrated microsystem.

4. The integrated microsystem of claim 1 wherein said electronics component includes a signal amplifier circuit for amplifying a signal from a signal detection subcircuit of said circuitry.

5. The integrated microsystem of claim 1 wherein said electronics component includes firmware for signal processing and signal control on-board said electronics component.

6. The integrated microsystem of claim 1 wherein said electronics component is bonded to said prefabricated microfluidic component such that a detector element is directly above at least one of said microfluidic features of said prefabricated microfluidic component.

7. The integrated microsystem of claim 1 further comprising a second electronics component bonded to said prefabricated microfluidic component.

8. The integrated microsystem of claim 7 wherein said electronics component and said second electronics component are on opposite sides of said prefabricated microfluidic component.

9. An integrated microsystem comprising:

a microfluidic component having microfluidic features, including a processing region for processing a fluid of interest, said microfluidic component being a first device having first and second outer surfaces, said first outer surface having a first plurality of contact pads; and

an electronics component that is a second device bonded to said microfluidic component and having third and fourth outer surfaces, said third outer surface having a second plurality of contact pads, said microfluidic component being bonded to said electronics component, said electronics and microfluidic components being electrically and mechanically linked by electrically conductive material connecting said first and second pluralities of contact pads, said electronics component having circuitry to control a process within said microfluidic component, but being structurally independent of said microfluidic features.

10. The integrated microsystem of claim 9 wherein said circuitry of said electronics component enables control of at least one of a reaction, concentration, or separation process that occurs within said microfluidic features of said microfluidic component.

11. The integrated microsystem of claim 9 wherein said circuitry of said electronics component enables control of the flow of fluids within said microfluidic component.

12. The integrated microsystem of claim 9 wherein said circuitry of said electronics component enables at least one of voltage control, current control, electrical field control, and magnetic field control.

13. The integrated microsystem of claim 9 wherein said circuitry of said electronics component further enables signal processing of signals generated by said electronics component in cooperation with said microfluidic component.

14. A method for forming a microsystem comprising:

providing an electrical circuit-containing device that includes signal processing circuitry, said electrical circuit-containing device having a first surface and being exclusive of any microfluidic feature;

providing a microfluidic device that includes microfluidic features for processing a fluid of interest, said microfluidic device having a second surface and being a discrete device from said electrical circuit-containing device, such that said microfluidic features are structurally independent of said circuit-containing device; and

bonding said electrical circuit-containing device to said microfluidic device at said first and second surfaces such that properties of said fluid of interest in said microfluidic features can be evaluated by said signal processing circuitry.