Micromachined fluidic device and method for making same
First Claim
1. / A method of manufacturing a fluid-flow device, the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
- providing a stack (30) comprising a support wafer (36), a single layer of insulating material (34) covering at least part of said support wafer (36), and a layer of single-crystal or polycrystalline silicon (32) covering said layer of insulating material (34) and presenting a free face;
providing at least one closure wafer (20);
using photolithography and chemical etching to machine a cavity (38) from said closure wafer (20) and/or from the free face of said silicon layer (32);
using photolithography and chemical etching to machine at least one duct (102;
412, 412′
) passing right through said support wafer (35);
chemically etching said layer of insulating material (34) at least via said duct (102;
412, 412′
) such that a zone of said silicon layer (32) is freed from said layer of insulating material (34), thereby forming a moving member (40) that is adjacent to said cavity and that responds to liquid pressure in said cavity (38) by moving reversibly towards said support wafer (36); and
using a physicochemical method, preferably by wafer bonding, to connect said closure wafer (20) in leaktight manner to said surface of silicon layer (32) that has not been machined.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The fluid-flow device (100) of the invention comprises a stack (30) covered by a closure wafer (20), said stack (30) comprising a support wafer (36), a layer of insulating material (34), and a silicon layer (32). The closure wafer (20) and/or said silicon layer (32) are machined so as to define a cavity (38) between said closure wafer (20) and said silicon layer (32), said support wafer (36) has at least one duct (102) passing right through it, said layer of insulating material (34) presenting at least one zone (35) that is entirely free of material placed at least in line with said duct (102) so as to co-operate with said cavity (38) to define a moving member (40) in said silicon layer (32), the moving member being suitable under the pressure of liquid in said cavity (38) for reversibly moving towards said support wafer (36) until contact is made between said moving member (40) and said support wafer (36).
24 Citations
37 Claims
-
1. / A method of manufacturing a fluid-flow device, the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
-
providing a stack (30) comprising a support wafer (36), a single layer of insulating material (34) covering at least part of said support wafer (36), and a layer of single-crystal or polycrystalline silicon (32) covering said layer of insulating material (34) and presenting a free face;
providing at least one closure wafer (20);
using photolithography and chemical etching to machine a cavity (38) from said closure wafer (20) and/or from the free face of said silicon layer (32);
using photolithography and chemical etching to machine at least one duct (102;
412, 412′
) passing right through said support wafer (35);
chemically etching said layer of insulating material (34) at least via said duct (102;
412, 412′
) such that a zone of said silicon layer (32) is freed from said layer of insulating material (34), thereby forming a moving member (40) that is adjacent to said cavity and that responds to liquid pressure in said cavity (38) by moving reversibly towards said support wafer (36); and
using a physicochemical method, preferably by wafer bonding, to connect said closure wafer (20) in leaktight manner to said surface of silicon layer (32) that has not been machined. - View Dependent Claims (3)
-
-
2. / A fluid-flow device (100;
-
400;
500) comprising a stack (30) of the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) type covered by a closure wafer (20), said stack (30) comprising a support wafer (36), a single layer of insulating material (34) covering at least part of said support wafer (36), and a layer of single-crystal or polycrystalline silicon (32) covering said layer of insulating material (34) and covered by said closure wafer (20),said closure wafer (20) and/or said silicon layer (32) being machined so as to define between said closure wafer (20) and said silicon layer (32) a cavity (38) to be filled with liquid, said support wafer (36) having at least one duct (102;
412, 412′
) passing right through it, andsaid layer of insulating material (34) being made of silicon oxide and having at least one zone that is entirely free from material (35) placed at least in line with said duct (102, 412, 412′
) and obtained by structuring by chemical etching via said duct (102;
412, 412′
) so as to co-operate with said cavity (38) to define a moving member (40) in said silicon layer (32) that responds, by virtue of its elasticity, to pressure of the liquid in said cavity (38) by moving reversibly towards said support wafer (36). - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
400;
Specification