Partitioned microelectronic device array

• US 5,863,708 A
• Filed: 01/27/1997
• Issued: 01/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Judd, Amrit Kaur, Zanzucchi, Peter John, Cherukuri, Satyam Choudary, McBride, Sterling Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea, Thorl
• Application Number:
  US08/789,739
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 216/17, 216/18, 216/39, 216/41, 216/52, 430/320, 430/323
• US Class Current: 506/23
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• 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 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00315 Microtiter plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00351 Means for dispensing and evacuation of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00353 Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00369 in multiple or parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00389 Feeding through valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00488 by rotation of the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00495 Means for heating or cooling the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/005 Beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00536 in the shape of disks
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00547 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0059 Sequential 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 2219/00612 the surface being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00621 by physical means, e.g. trenches, raised areas
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00626 : Covalent
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00637 : by coating it with another layer
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00648 : by the use of solid beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 : Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0068 : Means for controlling the apparatus of the process
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00686 : Automatic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00698 : Measurement and control of process parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 : Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00725 : Peptides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00826 : Quartz
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00828 : Silicon wafers or plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00831 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00891 : Feeding or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00952 : Sensing operations
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 : Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 : Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 : Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0803 : Disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0806 : Standardised forms, e.g. compact disc [CD] format
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 : comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 : Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 : Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0874 : Three dimensional network
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 : using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 : capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 : centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 : electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0633 : with moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 : for parallel transport of multiple samples
• 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: B01L 3/50273 : characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 : characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 : with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 1/042 : characterised by the nature of the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/06 : Libraries containing nucleotides or polynucleotides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/10 : Libraries containing peptides or polypeptides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 : for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 70/00 : Tags or labels specially adapted for combinatorial chemistry or libraries, e.g. fluorescent tags or bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 : Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/805 : Optical property
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/807 : Apparatus included in process claim, e.g. physical support structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis

Abstract

A method of making a dielectric substrate array for conducting a plurality of reactions in parallel in a number of wells, the method comprising: forming a first passage and a second passage each extending through a dielectric substrate, the substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface; forming a plurality of channels on said first or second surface, including a first channel, a second channel, a third channel and a fourth channel on the substrate, wherein the first channel is on the first surface and intersects with the first passage, wherein the second channel is on the second surface and intersects with both of the first passage and the second passage, wherein the third channel is on the first surface and intersects with the second passage, wherein the fourth channel is on the first surface and is located between the outlets of the first and second passage at the first surface, and wherein (a) the connected first channel, first passage, second channel, second passage and third channel define a cross-over channel having dimensions suitable for promoting capillary action and (b) the fourth channel defines another channel having dimensions suitable for promoting capillary action; forming a plurality of reservoirs in a surface of the substrate, each connected to a channel, with one of the reservoirs connected to the first channel; and bonding a first plate to the top surface of the substrate and a second plate to the bottom surface of the substrate, thereby enclosing the channels, wherein the cross-over channel crosses over from the first surface to the second surface via the first passage and back to the first surface via the second passage and thereby avoids intersecting with the fourth channel located on the first surface.

Claims

1. A method of making a dielectric substrate array for conducting a plurality of reactions in parallel in a number of wells, the method comprising

forming a first passage and a second passage each extending through a dielectric substrate, the substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface,

forming a plurality of channels on said first and second surfaces of the dielectric substrate wherein the plurality of channels comprises a first channel, a second channel, a third channel and a fourth channel,

wherein the first channel is on the first surface and intersects with the first passage,

wherein the second channel is on the second surface and intersects with both of the first passage and the second passage,

wherein the third channel is on the first surface and intersects with the second passage,

wherein the fourth channel is on the first surface and is located between the outlets of the first and second passage at the first surface,

and wherein (a) the connected first channel, first passage, second channel, second passage and third channel define a cross-over channel having dimensions suitable for promoting capillary action and (b) the fourth channel defines another channel having dimensions suitable for promoting capillary action,

forming a plurality of reservoirs in at least one of the first and second surfaces of the dielectric substrate, each connected to a channel, with one of the reservoirs connected to the first channel, and

bonding a first plate to the top surface of the substrate and a second plate to the bottom surface of the substrate, thereby enclosing the channels,

wherein the cross-over channel crosses over from the first surface to the second surface via the first passage and back to the first surface via the second passage and thereby avoids intersecting with the fourth channel located on the first surface.

2. The method of making a dielectric substrate array of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises glass, fused silica, quartz or a silicon wafer.

3. The method of making a dielectric substrate array of claim 2 wherein the first and second plates comprise the same material as the substrate.

4. The method of making a dielectric substrate array of claim 2, wherein the substrate comprises glass or fused silica.

5. The method of making a dielectric substrate array of claim 4 wherein the first and second plates comprise the same material as the substrate.

6. The method of making a dielectric substrate array of claim 2, wherein the substrate comprises glass having a flow temperature of about 844°

C. or more.

7. The method of making a dielectric substrate array of claim 6 wherein the first and second plates comprise the same material as the substrate.

8. The method of making a dielectric substrate array of claim 2, wherein the substrate and the first and second plates are sealed together by a sealing process conducted at a temperature below the flow temperature of the substrate first plate.

9. The method of making a dielectric substrate array of claim 1, wherein the reservoirs or channels are formed by photolithography.