Controlled fluid delivery in a microelectronic package

• US 9,101,931 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Supriya, Lakshmi, Matayabas, James C. Jr., Chakrapani, Nirupama
• Primary Examiner(s): Wecker, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US11/966,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20090169427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,783 Days
• Field of Search: 422400-402, 422502-503, 422/68.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00527 Sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00619 using hydrophilic or hydrophobic regions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0627 Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0822 Slides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/16 Surface properties and coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/165 Specific details about hydrophobic, oleophobic surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• 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: B01L 3/502715 : characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/12 : by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/00 : Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures

Abstract

A microelectronic package includes a die which may include MEMS and CMOS circuitry for analyzing a fluid. A defined path is provided for channeling fluid to the die. Rather than patterning depressions or physical channels in the package substrate, the defined paths comprise coatings that may channel the flow of liquids to the die for biological sensor type applications. The defined paths may comprise a wetting coating that has an affinity to fluids. Similarly, the defined paths may comprise a dewetting coating the tend to repel fluid surrounding the paths.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate having a hollow defining space into which a die having a fluidic channel is positioned for processing fluids, wherein the die is positioned in the space so that a top surface thereof is flush with a top surface of the substrate;

a first coating patterned on the substrate;

a cover fit over the substrate;

a second coating patterned on the cover, wherein the first coating and the second coating define a fluid flow path;

a plurality of fluid inlet ports provided on an edge of the substrate and in line with the fluid flow path; and

a spacer between the substrate and the cover,

wherein the coating patterned on the substrate and the coating patterned on the cover respectively comprise a wetting coating within the fluid flow path and the wetting coating comprises functionalized nanoparticles including any of silica in epoxy resin or titania.

2. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate having a hollow defining a space, the substrate having a plurality of fluid inlet ports on an edge thereof into which a fluid may be introduced;

a first coating comprising a first wetting coating on the substrate;

a cover over the substrate;

a second coating comprising a second wetting coating on the cover,

wherein the first wetting coating and the second wetting coating define a plurality of fluid flow paths adjacent to the fluid inlet ports;

a die configured to process fluids and positioned in the space such that a top surface of the die is flush with a top surface of the substrate;

wherein the die has a fluidic channel which is in line with the fluid flow paths.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an inlet port between the substrate and the cover.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the inlet port is at a vertical side edge between the substrate and the cover.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fluid flow path defines a path from the inlet port to the die for carrying the fluids to the die.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a spacer between the substrate and the cover.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate having a space;

a plurality of fluidic inlets provided on an edge of the substrate into which a fluid is introduced,

a die for processing the fluid, the die having a plurality of first fluidic channels, wherein the die is positioned in the space such that a top surface thereof is flush with a top surface of the substrate;

a first coating patterned on the substrate defining one or more second fluidic channels in direct fluidic communication with the first fluidic channel;

a cover fit over the substrate;

a second coating patterned on the cover and which corresponds to the first coating, the second coating defining one or more third fluidic channels in direct fluidic communication with the fluidic inlets; and

a spacer between the substrate and the cover such that the second fluidic channels and the third fluidic channels define fluidic flow paths from the fluidic inlets to the fluidic channel of the die for carrying the fluid to the die.

8. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first coating and the second coating each comprise a wetting coating.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wetting coating comprises nanoparticles including silica or titania.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wetting coating comprises functionalized nanoparticles including any of silica in epoxy resin or titania.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wetting coatings comprise silanes with hydrophilic end groups including any of carboxylic acid or hydroxyl.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first coating and the second coating each comprise a dewetting coating.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the dewetting coating comprises one of alkoxysilanes and alkanethiolates.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the alsoxysilanes comprise any of octadecyltrichlorosilane, heptadecafluoro 1,1,2,2, tetrahydrodecyl trichlorosilane.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the alkanethiolates comprise n-alkanethiol.

16. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cover is transparent to light.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the cover comprises one of clear quartz, polyester, polycarbonate, or poly(methyl methacrylate).

18. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fluids comprise biological fluids and the die comprises:

CMOS and MEMS circuits for processing the biological fluids.