Sensor array and a method of manufacturing the same

• US 8,835,247 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: De Langen, Michel, Reuvers, Ger, Meeuwsen, Frans
• Primary Examiner(s): Nhu, David
• Application Number:
  US12/992,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20110062531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,954 Days
• Field of Search: 438/197, 438/241, 438/9, 438/311, 438/270, 438/597, 438/602, 438/603, 438/604, 438/612, 438/106, 438/608, 438/680, 438/692, 438/745, 257/E21.006, 257/E21.007, 257/E21.051, 257/E21.126, 257/E21.127, 257/E21.17, 257/E21.229, 257/E21.264, 257/E21.267, 257/E21.304, 257/E21.311, 257/E21.329, 257/E21.521, 257/213, 257/415
• US Class Current: 438/241
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00315 Microtiter plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00364 Pipettes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00529 DNA chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00653 the compounds being bound to electrodes embedded in or on the solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00704 integrated with the reactor apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00725 Peptides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0074 Biological products
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00743 Cells
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0663 Whole sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6454 using an integrated detector array
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 : connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 : the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 : Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8592 : Applying permanent coating, e.g. protective coating
• 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 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details

Abstract

A sensor array for detecting particles, the sensor array comprising a substrate having a plurality of holes, a plurality of electronic sensor chips each having a sensor active region being sensitive to the presence of particles to be detected, and an electric contacting structure adapted for electrically contacting the plurality of electronic sensor chips, wherein the plurality of electronic sensor chips and/or the electric contacting structure are connected to the substrate in such a manner that the plurality of holes in combination with the plurality of electronic sensor chips and/or the electric contacting structure form a plurality of wells with integrated particle sensors.

Claims

1. A sensor array for detecting particles, the sensor array comprising

a substrate having a plurality of holes;

a plurality of electronic sensor chips each having a sensor active region being sensitive to the presence of particles to be detected;

an electric contacting structure adapted for electrically contacting the plurality of electronic sensor chips;

wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic sensor chips and the electric contacting structure are connected to the substrate so that the plurality of holes in combination with at least one of the plurality of electronic sensor chips and the electric contacting structure form a plurality of wells with integrated particle sensors.

2. The sensor array of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes include through holes.

3. The sensor array of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of electronic sensor chips is adapted for evaluating a sensor signal, optionally, an electronic sensor signal, generated at the sensor active region in response to the presence of the particles to be detected.

4. The sensor array of claim 1, wherein a surface of each of the plurality of electronic sensor chips closes a respective one of the plurality of holes to thereby form a bottom of a respective one of the plurality of wells.

5. The sensor array of claim 1, wherein the electric contacting structure electrically interconnects different ones of the plurality of electronic sensor chips.

6. The sensor array of claim 1, wherein the electric contacting structure is a patterned foil comprising electrically conductive traces.

7. The sensor array of claim 1, further comprising bumps and/or wires electrically coupling the electric contacting structure to the plurality of electronic sensor chips.

8. The sensor array of claim 1, further comprising a sealing element for sealing an interface between the electric contacting structure and the electronic sensor chips.

9. The sensor array of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface electrically coupled to the electric contacting structure and adapted for providing electric sensor signals to a communication partner device couplable to the sensor array via the communication interface.

10. The sensor array of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a rigid plate.

11. The sensor array of claim 1, adapted as a microtiter plate having at least one of a pitch selected from 9 mm, 4.5 mm and 2.25 mm and one of 96, 384 and 1536 wells.

12. The sensor array of claim 1, adapted as a self-sufficiently operable portable sensor array.

13. The sensor array of claim 1, wherein at least a part of the plurality of electronic sensor chips is partially encapsulated by an encapsulant and is partially free of an encapsulation so that the sensor active region is exposed.

14. The sensor array of claim 1, wherein at least a part of the plurality of electronic sensor chips has a plurality of sensor active regions arranged in a finger configuration having at least one of a finger size and a pitch configured in order to fit in a microplate.

15. The sensor array of claim 1, whereas at least one of the group including an integrated circuit, a capacitor, and another electronic element is attached and electrically connected to the substrate.

16. A method of manufacturing a sensor array for detecting particles, the method comprising;

providing a substrate having a plurality of holes;

providing a plurality of electronic sensor chips each having a sensor active region being sensitive to the presence of particles to be detected;

providing an electric contacting structure adapted for electrically contacting the plurality of electronic sensor chips;

connecting at least one of the plurality of electronic sensor chips and the electric contacting structure to the substrate so that the plurality of holes in combination with at least one of the plurality of electronic sensor chips and the electric contacting structure form a plurality of wells with integrated particle sensors.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising

mounting the plurality of electronic sensor chips on the electric contacting structure to thereby form a continuous contacted chip arrangement;

and

subsequently connecting the continuous contacted chip arrangement to the substrate.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising

forming the electric contacting structure on the substrate to thereby form a continuous contacted substrate arrangement;

and

subsequently mounting the plurality of electronic sensor chips on the continuous contacted substrate arrangement.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising

moulding the electric contacting structure into a material constituting the substrate to thereby form a continuous contacted substrate arrangement;

and

subsequently mounting the plurality of electronic sensor chips on the continuous contacted substrate arrangement.