JP3844305B1 - Microsuction structure and method for forming the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simple micro-suction structure that can move a fluid without using a special external driving device such as an external pump, can be used alone, and can be incorporated without depending on physical properties of an object to be used, and a method for forming the same. Is to provide.
SOLUTION: An internal space separated by a separating layer is provided on a vacuum space whose pressure is reduced below atmospheric pressure, and a coating layer is provided to cover the internal space, and external force is applied to the internal space. The micro-suction structure is provided with a bridge portion for transmitting to the isolation layer and destroying a part of the isolation layer, and a flow path space connected to the internal space and the external space.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a simple micro-suction structure that can transport a fluid such as gas and / or liquid without using an external driving force such as a pump, can be used alone, and a method for forming the same.

  The integrated micro-analysis system has recently attracted attention as a chip for chemical analysis such as gene analysis, clinical diagnosis, drug screening, and environmental measurement. Micro-analysis systems made from polymers such as glass, silicon, or acrylic have flow paths with tens to hundreds of μm in width, through which fluids such as gases and / or liquids can flow, mix, react, and separate The chip enables one or a plurality of operations among unit operations of extraction and analysis.

  As one type of chip, there is a type in which a sample such as a secretion from a human body, a reagent, and a control solution are transported to the same channel and reacted (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1). As another type of chip, there is a type in which a solution in which two kinds of substances are dissolved and a catalyst are transported from different places into the same channel, mixed, and reacted (for example, see Non-Patent Document 2). . As another type of chip, there is also a composite type that includes a region where two types of solutions containing different substances are transported, mixed, and reacted in the same channel, and a region where only the reactants required for analysis are separated and extracted. (For example, refer nonpatent literature 3).

B.H.Weigl et al., Advanced Drug Delivery Reveiew 55 (2003) 349-377 M. Ueno et al., Chem. Commun., 2003, 936-937 M. Tokeshi et al., Anal. Chem. 2002, 74, 1565-1571

  These chips are manufactured by overlapping the same or different materials using conventional bonding techniques (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 4).

D. C. Duffy et al., Anal. Chem. 1998, 70, 4974-4984

  A general method of transporting fluid in these chips is a method using an external pump, electrophoresis (see, for example, Patent Document 1), osmotic pressure, and surface tension. As an external pump, a pump using a syringe (for example, see Patent Document 2), a pump using a piston (for example, see Patent Document 3), a pump using a screw, a pump using a piezoelectric element (for example, a patent) Reference 4).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-10088 Japanese National Patent Publication No. 11-502931 JP 2002-21715 A JP 2000-249074 A

  However, these methods depend on the physical properties of the fluid to be used and require an external driving force. Therefore, the analysis system becomes large and complicated, takes time to manufacture and operate, and has a problem that it is difficult to handle. . These methods are not suitable for transporting simple fluids that do not require precise control over a long period of time, such as simple tips that are analyzed or inspected at the point of use and then disposable.

  Therefore, the object of the present invention is not dependent on the physical properties of the fluid to be used, and can be transported without using a special external drive device such as an external pump, and can be used alone or can be incorporated. And a method for forming the same.

As a means for solving the above problem, the invention according to claim 1, on a vacuum space is reduced to below atmospheric pressure, having an interior space separated with the vacuum space by isolating layers, the interior space A covering layer is provided, and a bridge portion is provided in the internal space to transmit an external force to the isolation layer and to destroy a part of the isolation layer, and to connect the internal space and the external space. A micro structure provided with a channel space, wherein the fluid is a gas and / or a liquid present in the channel space or in a space connected to the channel space by depressurization of the internal space due to destruction of the isolation layer Is a micro-suction structure, which is transported toward the internal space .

  As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 2 is the method according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum space in the vacuum space is maintained or the vacuum degree is further increased. It may be a fine suction structure in which the material is installed in the vacuum space.

As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one or more connected to the internal space for transporting fluid in a plurality of different spaces. of said channel space, may be one or more of different small space is formed micro suction structure leads to the channel space.

  As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vacuum space, the isolation layer, the internal space, and the The flow path space, the small space, and the coating layer are selected from Pyrex (registered trademark) glass, silicon, PDMS, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefin, PET, vinyl chloride, acrylic, fluororesin, epoxy resin, and the like. It may be a micro-suction structure formed from one or more types of materials. These materials are not expensive, are easy to handle, and can be easily processed by conventional techniques related to processing.

As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that a vacuum space reduced to an atmospheric pressure or lower is formed in the base layer, and an internal space separated from the vacuum space by a separating layer is formed as a flow path layer. Forming a bridge portion in the internal space in the flow path layer to cover the internal space with a covering layer, transmit external force to the isolation layer, and destroy a part of the isolation layer. A method for forming a microsuction structure, comprising forming a flow path space connected to the internal space and the external space and a small space connected to the flow path space in the flow path layer. And the separation layer, the flow path layer, and the coating layer are laminated and bonded by a technique related to bonding such as anodic bonding or thermal welding. .

  As means for solving the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to claim 5, wherein the vacuum space is formed by joining the base layer and the isolation layer under a simple vacuum. It may be a method of forming the micro suction structure to be formed.

  As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claim 5 or 6, wherein one or a plurality of the vacuum spaces are provided in one base layer. The flow path space connected to the internal space and each internal space is selected from technologies related to wet or dry etching using optical lithography, mechanical processing, FIB, LIGA, hot embossing, and printing for one flow path layer. It may be a method of forming a fine suction structure to be formed. These processing techniques are suitable for forming a plurality of spaces simultaneously or sequentially on a flat surface, in order to form one micro suction structure or to form a plurality of micro suction structures simultaneously. Used for.

  As a means for solving the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein one or a plurality of the flow path spaces connected to the internal space; Even if the one or a plurality of the small spaces connected to the flow path space form the micro suction structure formed at the same time when the internal space and the flow path space are formed in the flow path layer. Good.

According to the invention according to claim 1, when a force is applied directly or indirectly from the outside to one place on the microsuction structure, the force is transmitted to the isolation layer via the bridge portion. Part of the isolation layer is destroyed, the internal space and the vacuum space are connected, fluid flows from the internal space to the vacuum space, the internal space is decompressed, and is connected to the flow path space and the flow path space The fluid in the space is sucked toward the internal space. Therefore, an external driving force for transporting the fluid is not required, and the fluid existing in the flow path space or a space connected to the flow path space can be transported.

  According to the invention of claim 2, since the adsorbent is installed in the vacuum space, the degree of vacuum in the vacuum space is maintained, or the degree of vacuum is further increased. The suction force for transporting the fluid in the space connected to the road space can be maintained, or the suction force can be increased.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since one or a plurality of the flow path spaces connected to the internal space are formed, when the internal space is decompressed due to partial destruction of the isolation layer, the one or a plurality of the flows It is possible to transport fluid existing in the road space or in the space connected to the flow path space. For example, a plurality of the flow path spaces can be combined to branch or mix the fluid. Furthermore, since one or a plurality of the small spaces connected to the flow path space are formed, the fluid to be transported can be manipulated. For example, a reactive substance can be installed in the small space, and a fluid transported into the small space can be reacted. Furthermore, the internal space and the vacuum space also serve as a space for retaining the used fluid that has been transported or reacted.

  According to the invention according to claim 4, the material for forming the fine suction structure is not expensive, is easily available, and can be easily processed by conventional techniques related to processing, so that it is inexpensive and can be discarded after use. A structure can be provided. Furthermore, as described above, a simple and inexpensive analysis or inspection chip including a micro suction structure can be provided by forming the channel space related to transportation and the small space related to operation in the material. .

  According to the invention of claim 5, since the micro suction structure is formed by laminating and bonding the base layer, the isolation layer, the flow path layer, and the coating layer, many complicated formation processes are required. Therefore, a minute suction structure can be easily produced. This is a formation method suitable for mass production.

  According to the invention of claim 6, since the vacuum space is formed by joining the base layer and the isolation layer under a simple vacuum, the above formation process can be used and no special apparatus is required. .

  According to the invention of claim 7, one or more of the vacuum spaces are on the base layer, one or more of the internal spaces and the flow passage space connected to each of the internal spaces are on the flow passage layer, on a plane Are formed by a processing technique suitable for mass production in which a plurality of spaces are formed simultaneously or sequentially. The structure can be formed at the same time.

  According to the invention according to claim 8, the internal space, the one or more flow passage spaces connected to the internal space, and the one or more small spaces connected to the flow passage space are formed in the flow passage layer. The microsuction structure having the channel space for transportation and the small space for operation with the same number of lamination joining steps as the microsuction structure is formed using the channel layer because the channel layer is formed at the same time An attached simple analysis or inspection chip can also be produced. Furthermore, a plurality of the vacuum spaces are formed in the base layer, a plurality of the internal spaces, one or a plurality of the channel spaces connected to each of the internal spaces, and one or a plurality of channels connected to the channel spaces By simultaneously forming the small space in the flow path layer, using these layers, the same number of lamination bonding steps as when forming a single micro suction structure, and a simple attachment with a plurality of micro suction structures An analysis or inspection chip can also be formed.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a micro suction structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a surface of the layer 12 in FIG. 1 as viewed from above. The microsuction structure is separated by a separation layer 13 on a vacuum space 21 having a volume of 3 × 10 ³ mm ³ or less, which is decompressed to an atmospheric pressure in the range of 10 ⁻⁶ to 10 ⁻³ Torr. A covering layer 11 that covers the internal space 22 is provided, and a bridge portion 16 that transmits a force 31 applied directly or indirectly from the outside to the isolation layer 13 is provided in the internal space 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the micro-suction structure is provided with a flow path space 23 connected to the internal space 22 and the external space.

  The base layer 14 including the vacuum space 21, the isolation layer 13, the flow path layer 12 including the internal space 12 and the flow path space 23, and the covering layer 11 are made of an inorganic material such as Pyrex (registered trademark) glass or silicon, PDMS. , Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefin, PET, vinyl chloride, acrylic resin, fluororesin, and epoxy resin.

  The thickness of the base layer 14, the isolation layer 13, the flow path layer 12, and the coating layer 11 is in the range of 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm.

  In order to keep the degree of vacuum in the vacuum space 21 or to further increase the degree of vacuum, the adsorbent 15 may be installed in the vacuum space 21. In addition, as an example of the adsorbent 15, a porous material that adsorbs gas, such as St122 sold by SAES Getter, is used.

  When an external force 31 is applied to one place on the microsuction structure, the to-be-destructed small portion 17 that is a part of the flow path layer 12 including the internal space 22 shown in FIG. A part of the isolation layer 13 is broken through the bridge portion 16 of the flow path layer 12. At that time, the fluid in the internal space 22 flows into the vacuum space 21 in the direction of the arrow 32, whereby the internal space 22 is depressurized, and the flow path end 24 that is a part of the flow path space 23 or the flow path space 23. The fluid in the space connected to is sucked toward the internal space 22. Therefore, the driving force from the outside is not required, and the fluid existing in the flow path space 23 or the space connected to the flow path space 23 can be transported.

  A portion of the isolation layer 13 is thinner than the other part so that a part of the isolation layer 13 is easily destroyed when the external force 31 is transmitted to the isolation layer 13 via the bridge portion 16 to the part of the isolation layer 13. A portion 26 to be broken may be formed.

  Arbitrary unit operations related to, for example, fluid mixing, reaction, separation, extraction, analysis, and the like for one or more flow path spaces connected to the internal space 22 and one or more small spaces connected to the flow path space 23 As a part, you may form arbitrarily in the channel layer 12 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an example of the flow path layer 12 formed to sequentially react the fluid sucked from the flow path end 24 using different kinds of reactants installed in two different small spaces 25. . FIG. 4 shows a flow path layer 12 formed to branch the fluid sucked from the flow path end 24 and to react in parallel using different kinds of reactants installed in two different small spaces 25. It is an example. FIG. 5 is an example of the flow path layer 12 formed to mix different fluids sucked from the two flow path ends 24 and to react with each other by using a reactant installed in the small space 25. is there.

  6 to 9 show a method of forming a micro suction structure as an example of the embodiment of the present invention.

  As an example, the base layer 14 has a 3 mm thick Pyrex (registered trademark) glass, the isolation layer 13 has a 500 μm thick silicon substrate, the channel layer 12 has a 2 mm thick Pyrex (registered trademark) glass, and the coating layer 11 has a thick thickness. A PDMS of 500 μm is used.

  As a first step, as shown in FIG. 6, a minute space having a width of 10 mm, a depth of 1.5 mm, and a length of 20 mm forming a vacuum space 21 is etched into Pyrex (registered trademark) glass of the base layer 14. It was formed by means such as machining.

  As a second step, the adsorbent 15 was placed in the minute space formed in the first step in order to maintain the vacuum degree of the vacuum space 21 or further increase the degree of vacuum. As an example of the adsorbent 15, a porous material that adsorbs gas, such as St122 sold by SAES Getter, was used.

  As a third step, as shown in FIG. 7, a fractured portion 26 having a width of 10 mm, a depth of 400 μm, and a length of 10 mm was formed on the silicon substrate of the isolation layer 13 by means such as etching or machining.

As a fourth step, the vacuum space 21 is formed by anodic bonding the Pyrex (registered trademark) glass of the base layer 14 and the silicon substrate of the isolation layer 13 at a bonding temperature of 400 degrees Celsius under a vacuum of 10 ⁻⁴ Torr. It is formed. At the time of joining, the adsorbent 15 is heated for a certain period of time, so that it is activated and adsorbs the gas remaining in the vacuum space to maintain the degree of vacuum.

  As the fifth step, as shown in FIG. 8, the internal space 22 including the bridge portion 16 and the small portion 17 to be destroyed as shown in FIG. 2, the flow path space 23 connected to the internal space 22, and FIGS. 5 was formed in the Pyrex (registered trademark) glass of the flow path layer 12 by means such as etching or machining.

  As a sixth step, Pyrex (registered trademark) glass of the flow path layer 12 was anodically bonded onto the silicon substrate of the isolation layer 13. The bonding of the Pyrex (registered trademark) glass of the flow path layer 12 and the silicon substrate of the isolation layer 13 may be performed simultaneously with the bonding of the silicon substrate of the isolation layer 13 and the Pyrex (registered trademark) glass of the base layer 14 or sequentially. You may carry out continuously.

  As a seventh step, as shown in FIG. 9, the inner space 22 oxidizes the surface of the PDMS of the coating layer 11 by means of oxygen plasma or the like, and then the Pyrex (registered trademark) glass of the flow path layer 12. It forms by sticking so that it may cover.

  As an example of an embodiment of the present invention, only one micro-suction structure is shown in the figure, but a base layer 14 having a large area, an isolation layer 13, a flow path layer 12, and a covering layer 11 are shown. A plurality of microsuction structures may be formed at the same time, and when forming the plurality of internal spaces 22 in the flow path layer 12, which is one of the forming steps, the internal spaces 22 of each microsuction structure are used. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a flow path space 23 and a small space 25 for any unit operation part related to fluid mixing, reaction, separation, extraction, analysis, etc. are formed at the same time. May be.

It is a schematic sectional drawing of the micro suction structure which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a general | schematic top view of the one part of the micro suction structure which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a general | schematic top view of the one part of the micro suction structure which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a general | schematic top view of the one part of the micro suction structure which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a general | schematic top view of the one part of the micro suction structure which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a process of forming the fine suction structure according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a process of forming the fine suction structure according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a process of forming the fine suction structure according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a process of forming the fine suction structure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Cover layer 12 Channel layer 13 Separation layer 14 Base layer 15 Adsorbent 16 Bridge part 17 Small part to be destroyed 21 Vacuum space 22 Internal space 23 Channel space 24 Channel end 25 Small space 26 Part to be destroyed 31 External force 32 Fluid Flow of

Claims (8)

An internal space separated from the vacuum space by a separating layer is provided on the vacuum space that has been depressurized to an atmospheric pressure or lower, and a coating layer is provided to cover the internal space, and external force is applied to the internal space. A microstructure having a bridge portion for transmitting to the isolation layer and destroying a part of the isolation layer, and having a flow passage space connected to the internal space and the external space, the breakdown of the isolation layer The microsuction is characterized in that the fluid that is gas and / or liquid in the flow path space or in the space connected to the flow path space is transported toward the internal space by the pressure reduction of the internal space by Structure. The microsuction structure according to claim 1, wherein an adsorbent is installed in the vacuum space in order to maintain the vacuum degree in the vacuum space or to further increase the vacuum degree. And wherein for transport in different spatial fluids with multiple, one or a plurality of the channel space leads to the internal space, that one or more of different small space leading to the channel space is formed The fine suction structure according to claim 1 or 2. The vacuum space, the isolation layer, the internal space, the flow path space, the small space, and the coating layer are made of Pyrex (registered trademark) glass, silicon, PDMS, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefin, PET, The micro suction structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the micro suction structure is formed from one or more kinds of materials selected from vinyl chloride, acrylic, fluororesin, epoxy resin, and the like. body. A vacuum space reduced to below atmospheric pressure is formed in the base layer, an internal space separated from the vacuum space by the isolation layer is formed in the flow path layer, the internal space is covered with a coating layer, and external force is applied. A flow path space that is communicated to the isolation layer and forms a bridge portion in the flow path layer for breaking a part of the isolation layer in the internal space, and is connected to the internal space and the external space; and the flow path A method of forming a microsuction structure including forming a small space connected to a space in the flow path layer, wherein the base layer, the isolation layer, the flow path layer, and the covering layer are: A method for forming a micro-suction structure characterized by being laminated and bonded by a technique related to bonding such as anodic bonding or thermal welding. 6. The method of forming a micro suction structure according to claim 5, wherein the vacuum space is formed by bonding the base layer and the isolation layer under a simple vacuum. One or a plurality of the vacuum spaces in the base layer, one or a plurality of the internal spaces and the flow path space connected to each of the internal spaces in the flow path layer, wet or dry etching using photolithography, The method of forming a micro suction structure according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the micro suction structure is formed by selecting and using a technique related to machining, FIB, LIGA, hot embossing, and printing. When one or more of the channel spaces connected to the internal space and one or more of the small spaces connected to the channel space form the internal space and the channel space in the channel layer, The method for forming a microsuction structure according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the microsuction structure is formed simultaneously.

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