System and method for making lab card by embossing

• US 8,007,267 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gao, Chuan, Yamamoto, Melvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gupta; Yogendra N
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, JEREMIAH R
• Application Number:
  US11/761,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20070267782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 425/290, 425/390, 977/887
• US Class Current: 425/290
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• 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 2300/123 Flexible; Elastomeric
• 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: Y10S 977/887 Nanoimprint lithography, i.e. nanostamp

Abstract

In one aspect of the invention, systems, methods, and devices are provided for creating microfluidic and nanofluidic structures. In some embodiments, such systems, methods, and devices are used to create features with high aspect ratios in lab cards.

Claims

1. An apparatus for constructing at least one microchannel for a microfluidic device in a molded substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a mold structure having a top plate, a middle plate and a back plate with at least one microchannel pin fixedly connected to the back plate, wherein the mold structure forms a cavity where a solid unmolded substrate material can be molded, wherein a bottom surface of the top plate is planar, wherein a top surface of the middle plate is planar, wherein the at least one microchannel pin has an invariant diameter in the range of 10-500 microns, wherein the middle plate comprises at least one passage corresponding to each microchannel pin through which the at least one microchannel pin may pass during a molding operation, the at least one middle plate passage having a diameter equal to that of the corresponding microchannel pin, and wherein the planar bottom surface of the top plate and the planar top surface of the middle plate mold the substrate material such that the molded substrate has a planar top surface and a planar bottom surface;

a delay mechanism that when active prevents penetration of the substrate material by the at least one microchannel pin;

wherein deactivation of the delay mechanism allows the at least one microchannel pin to penetrate the substrate material to form at least one microchannel, wherein the at least one microchannel has an invariant diameter, wherein a top opening of the at least one microchannel is flush with the planar top surface of the molded substrate, wherein a bottom opening of the at least one microchannel is flush with the planar bottom surface of the molded substrate, and wherein the planar top and bottom surfaces of the molded substrate and the at least one microchannel are suitable for joining with at least one other molded substrate to form a fluid tight microfluidic device possessing at least one microchannel;

at least two alignment pins, wherein the alignment pins align the top, middle and back plates; and

a heater to heat the mold structure and the substrate material to a desired temperature such that the substrate material becomes soft and flowing allowing the substrate material to be molded within the cavity, wherein heating to the desired temperature deactivates the delay mechanism to allow penetration of the substrate material by the at least one microchannel pin, and wherein the substrate material at the desired temperature is soft such that the at least one microchannel pin is not damaged while constructing the at least one microchannel in the substrate material, thereby constructing at least one microchannel for a microfluidic device in the molded substrate.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microchannel has an aspect ratio of more than one, wherein the aspect ratio is the thickness of the molded substrate to the diameter of the microchannel.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the aspect ratio is in the range of 1 to 20.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the aspect ratio is in the range of 1 to 50.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the aspect ratio is in the range of 1 to 100.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one nano structure pin, wherein the nano structure pin imprints a nano structure on the substrate material, and wherein the nano structure is not a microchannel.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the delay mechanism comprises at least one heating component.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the top plate has a bottom layer with a mirror finish, and wherein the bottom layer of the top plate modifies the top surface of the molded substrate such that the top surface is at least partially transparent, thereby allowing observation of fluids present in the molded substrate.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the molded substrate has a length in a range of 1 to 20 cm, a width in a range of 1 to 15 cm, and a thickness in a range of 0.1 to 2.5 cm.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the molded substrate has a length of in a range of 2 to 15 cm, a width in a range of 2 to 20 cm, and a thickness in a range of 0.1 to 1.5 cm.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the molded substrate has a length of 7.5 cm, a width of 5.1 cm, and a thickness of 0.64 cm.

12. An apparatus for constructing at least one microchannel and at least one nano structure for a microfluidic device in a molded substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a mold structure having a top plate, a middle plate and a back plate with at least one microchannel pin fixedly connected to the back plate and at least one nano structure pin mounted on the microchannel pin, wherein the mold structure forms a cavity where a solid unmolded substrate material can be molded, wherein a bottom surface of the top plate is planar, wherein a top surface of the middle plate is planar, wherein the bottom surface of the top plate has a bottom layer with a mirror finish, wherein the at least one microchannel pin has an invariant diameter in the range of 10 to 500 microns, wherein the at least one nano structure pin has a diameter smaller than that of the microchannel pin, wherein the middle plate comprises passages, corresponding to the at least one microchannel pin and the at least one nano structure pin, through which the at least one microchannel pin and the at least one nano structure pin may pass during a molding operation, the passages having a diameter equal to that of their corresponding microchannel pins, wherein the planar bottom surface of the top plate and the planar top surface of the middle plate mold the substrate material such that the molded substrate has a planar top surface and a planar bottom surface, and wherein the bottom layer of the top plate modifies the top surface of the molded substrate such that the top surface is at least partially transparent;

a delay mechanism that when active prevents penetration of the substrate material by the at least one microchannel pin and the at least one nano structure pin, wherein deactivation of the delay mechanism allows the at least one microchannel pin and the at least one nano structure pin to penetrate the substrate material to form at least one microchannel and at least one nano structure, wherein the at least one microchannel has an invariant diameter, wherein a bottom opening of the at least one microchannel is flush with the planar bottom surface of the molded substrate, and wherein the planar top and bottom surfaces of the molded substrate and the at least one microchannel are suitable for joining with at least one other molded substrate to form a fluid tight microfluidic device possessing at least one microchannel;

at least two alignment pins, wherein the alignment pins align the top, middle and back plates; and

a heater to heat the mold structure and the substrate material to a desired temperature such that the substrate material becomes soft and flowing allowing the substrate material to be molded within the cavity, wherein heating to the desired temperature deactivates the delay mechanism to allow penetration of the substrate material by the at least one microchannel pin and the at least one nano structure pin, and wherein the substrate material at the desired temperature is soft such that the at least one microchannel pin and the at least one nano structure pin are not damaged while constructing the at least one microchannel and the at least one nano structure in the substrate material, thereby constructing at least one microchannel and at least one nanostructure for a microfluidic device in the molded substrate.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the microchannel has an aspect ratio of more than one, wherein the aspect ratio is the thickness of the molded substrate to the diameter of the microchannel.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the aspect ratio is in the range of 1 to 100.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the aspect ratio is in the range of 1 to 50.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the aspect ratio is in the range of 1 to 20.

17. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the delay mechanism comprises at least one heating component.