Method for bonding plastic micro chip

• US 7,842,157 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NanoEn Tek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Digital-Bio Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Jo, Han Sang, Park, Jun Ha, Hur, Dae Sung, Chung, Chanil, Chang, Jun Keun
• Primary Examiner(s): Molles; Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jiang; Fang-Xing
• Application Number:
  US10/583,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20070141805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,174 Days
• Field of Search: 438/455, 438/456, 438/690, 438/127, 438/670, 356/246, 156/292, 156/305, 156/308.4, 156/308.6, 156/257, 156/272.6
• US Class Current: 156/292
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• 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: B29C 59/14 by plasma treatment plasma tubes per se H01J
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/16 by wave energy or particle radiation , e.g. infrared heating B29C59/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/00 Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor general aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts B29C66/00; using porous material formed by internal pressure generated therein for joining preformed parts B29C44/1228, B29C44/326
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/14 using wave energy , i.e. electromagnetic radiation, or particle radiation using mechanical waves B29C65/06; using ultrasonic waves B29C65/08; pressing means transparent to electromagnetic radiation B29C66/81267
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/16 Laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4895 Solvent bonding, i.e. the surfaces of the parts to be joined being treated with solvents, swelling or softening agents, without adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/54 between pre-assembled parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/548 by capillarity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/02 Preparation of the material, in the area to be joined, prior to joining or welding B29C66/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/028 Non-mechanical surface pre-treatments, i.e. by flame treatment, electric discharge treatment, plasma treatment, wave energy or particle radiation B29C65/14 takes precedence; non-mechanical surface treatment of plastics in general B29C59/08 - B29C59/16
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/3022 : said melt initiators being integral with at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/53461 : joining substantially flat covers and/or substantially flat bottoms to open ends of container bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 : Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/542 : joining hollow covers or hollow bottoms to open ends of container bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 : characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73161 : Roughness or rugosity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 : Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/00 : Use of polymers of vinyl-aromatic compounds or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/06 : PS, i.e. polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/12 : Polymers of methacrylic acid esters, e.g. PMMA, i.e. polymethylmethacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 : PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 : Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 : Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0026 : Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/756 : Microarticles, nanoarticles
• 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: H10K 19/901 : Assemblies of multiple devices comprising at least one organic element specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1064 : Partial cutting [e.g., grooving or incising]

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of bonding upper and lower substrates for manufacturing a plastic micro chip comprising the upper substrate, the lower substrate and a sample filling space having a predetermined height for filling a sample between the upper and lower substrates. According to the method, the upper and lower substrates are bonded by introducing an organic solvent between the upper and lower substrates. In addition, the invention provides a method of manufacturing a micro chip using the method and a micro chip manufactured according to the method. According to the invention, it is possible to easily and precisely bond the upper and lower substrates of the plastic micro chip.

Claims

1. A method of bonding an upper substrate and a lower substrate in order to manufacture a plastic micro chip comprising the upper substrate, the lower substrate and a sample filling space having a predetermined height for filling a sample between the upper and lower substrates, the method comprising:

(a) forming recesses in each of side lower ends of a bonding region of the upper substrate, wherein the bonding region is a circumference region of the sample filling space; and

(b) overlapping the upper substrate and the lower substrate each other, and then introducing the organic solvent into the recesses to bond the upper and lower substrates, wherein the recesses are open channels and the organic solvent is introduced into the recesses by capillary phenomenon,

wherein the bonding region is bonded by the organic solvent introduced into the recesses.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the organic solvent is at least one selected. from a group consisting of ketone, aromatic hydrocarbon, cyanoacrylate compound and halogenated hydrocarbon.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the organic solvent is at least one selected from a group consisting of acetone, chloroform, methylene chloride, ethlcyanoacrylate and carbon tetrachloride.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower substrates are made of polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyproplene, polyethylene derivatives or polymethylmethylmethacrylate.

5. A method of manufacturing a plastic micro chip comprising an upper substrate, a lower substrate and a sample filling space having a predetermined height for filling a sample between the upper and lower substrates, the method comprising:

(a) forming recesses in each of side lower ends of a bonding region of the upper substrate, wherein the bonding region is a circumference region of the sample filling space; and

(b) overlapping the upper substrate and the lower substrate each other, and then introducing the organic solvent into the recesses to bond the upper and lower substrates,

wherein the recesses are open channels and the organic solvent is introduced into the recesses by capillary phenomenon,

wherein the bonding region is bonded by the organic solvent introduced into the recesses.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of forming one or more holes for introducing the organic solvent communicating with the fine channel when the fine channel is formed in the step of (a).

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of performing a corona or plasma treatment for the bonding area so that the organic solvent subsequently introduced smoothly flows and a bonding strength is increased, after forming the fine channel.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the fine channel has height of 100μ

m or less.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of (b) further comprises a sub-step of pressurizing or decompressing the fine channel after introducing the organic solvent into fine channel.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the organic solvent is at least one selected from a group consisting of ketone, aromatic hydrocarbon, cyanoacrylate compound and halogenated hydrocarbon.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the organic solvent is at least from a group consisting of acetone, chloroform, methylene chloride, ethylcyanoacrylate and carbon tetrachloride.

12. The method according to claim 5, wherein the upper and lower substrates are made of polycarbonate, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene derivatives or polymethlmethacrylate.

13. A method for making a plastic micro chip comprising:

(a) providing an upper substrate and a lower substrate, the lower substrate and the upper substrate being adapted to be joined together along an interface in such a way as to define therebetween a sample filling space having a predetermined height, the sample filling space being entirely surrounded by solid plastic;

further adapted to provide a fine channel within the solid plastic surrounding the sample filling space, the fine channel being provided in each of side lower ends of a bonding region of the upper substrate;

further adapted to provide solvent delivery holes whereby solvent can be delivered to the fine channel;

(b) bringing the upper substrate and lower substrate together into a laminating position;

(c) introducing organic solvent into the fine channel to join the upper substrate with the lower substrate, with the organic solvent passing through the fine channel and effecting bonding by movement of the organic solvent by capillary action.