Method of producing an electronic unit having a polydimethylsiloxane substrate and circuit lines

• US 8,202,566 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Davidson, James Courtney, Krulevitch, Peter A., Maghribi, Mariam N., Benett, William J., Hamilton, Julie K., Tovar, Armando R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Talbot, Brian K
• Application Number:
  US11/243,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20060029731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,451 Days
• Field of Search: 427/58, 427/96.1, 427/97.7, 427/98.4, 427/117
• US Class Current: 427/97.7
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/145 Organic substrates, e.g. plastic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5387 Flexible insulating substrates H01L23/5388 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1433 Application-specific integrated circuit [ASIC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0272 Adaptations for fluid transport, e.g. channels, holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0283 Stretchable printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/032 consisting of one material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/095 for polymer thick films, i.e. having a permanent organic polymeric binder
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0162 Silicon containing polymer, e.g. silicone
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0108 Male die used for patterning, punching or transferring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0126 Dispenser, e.g. for solder paste, for supplying conductive paste for screen printing or for filling holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/082 Suction, e.g. for holding solder balls or components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/101 by casting or moulding of conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/12 using thick film techniques, e.g. printing techniques to apply the conductive material or similar techniques for applying conductive paste or ink patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/1216 by screen printing or stencil printing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/1258 by using a substrate provided with a shape pattern, e.g. grooves, banks, resist pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/1275 by other printing techniques, e.g. letterpress printing, intaglio printing, lithographic printing, offset printing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/901 Printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24917 : including metal layer

Abstract

A system of metalization in an integrated polymer microsystem. A flexible polymer substrate is provided and conductive ink is applied to the substrate. In one embodiment the flexible polymer substrate is silicone. In another embodiment the flexible polymer substrate comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane).

Claims

1. A method of producing an electronic unit having a poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, an electronic device in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, a power source in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, and electronic circuit lines connecting the electronic device and the power source, comprising the steps of:

providing a poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate to produce the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body,

providing an electronic device in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body,

providing a power source in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body,

producing three-dimensional microfluidic channels in said poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body connecting the electronic device and the power source,

providing conductive ink, and

filling said three-dimensional microfluidic channels with said conductive ink by applying conductive ink to said three-dimensional microfluidic channels in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body to form the electronic circuit lines.

2. The method of producing an electronic unit having a poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, an electronic device in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, a power source in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, and electronic circuit lines connecting the electronic device and the power source of claim 1 including the step of curing said conductive ink to produce embedded conducting networks within said poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body.

3. The method of producing an electronic unit having a poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, an electronic device in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, a power source in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, and electronic circuit lines connecting the electronic device and the power source of claim 1 wherein said step of filling said three-dimensional microfluidic channels with said conductive ink comprises injecting said conductive ink into said three-dimensional microfluidic channels.

4. The method of producing an electronic unit having a poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, an electronic device in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, a power source in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, and electronic circuit lines connecting the electronic device and the power source of claim 1 wherein said step of filling said three-dimensional microfluidic channels with said conductive ink comprises injecting said conductive ink into said three-dimensional microfluidic channels using a syringe.

5. The method of producing an electronic unit having a poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate body, an electronic device in the substrate body, a power source in the substrate body, and electronic circuit lines connecting the electronic device and the power source of claim 1 wherein said step of filling said three-dimensional microfluidic channels with said conductive ink comprises using a vacuum to draw said conductive ink through said three-dimensional microfluidic channels.