WO2016043903A1 - Procédé pour l'assemblage de dispositifs nanofluidiques thermoplastiques fonctionnels - Google Patents

Procédé pour l'assemblage de dispositifs nanofluidiques thermoplastiques fonctionnels Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2016043903A1
WO2016043903A1 PCT/US2015/045712 US2015045712W WO2016043903A1 WO 2016043903 A1 WO2016043903 A1 WO 2016043903A1 US 2015045712 W US2015045712 W US 2015045712W WO 2016043903 A1 WO2016043903 A1 WO 2016043903A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
thermoplastic
substrate
surface portion
cover
thermoplastic cover
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PCT/US2015/045712
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English (en)
Inventor
Steven A. Soper
Franklin I. UBA
Kumuditha M. WEERAKOON-RATNAYAKE
Nyote J. CALIXTE
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The University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
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Publication of WO2016043903A1 publication Critical patent/WO2016043903A1/fr

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/50—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes
    • B01L3/502—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures
    • B01L3/5027—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures 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
    • B01L3/502707—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures 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 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/11—Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
    • B29C66/112—Single lapped joints
    • B29C66/1122—Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/50—General aspects of joining tubular articles; General aspects of joining long products, i.e. bars or profiled elements; General aspects of joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; General aspects of joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/51—Joining tubular articles, profiled elements or bars; Joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; Joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/53—Joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars
    • B29C66/534—Joining single elements to open ends of tubular or hollow articles or to the ends of bars
    • B29C66/5346—Joining single elements to open ends of tubular or hollow articles or to the ends of bars said single elements being substantially flat
    • B29C66/53461—Joining single elements to open ends of tubular or hollow articles or to the ends of bars said single elements being substantially flat joining substantially flat covers and/or substantially flat bottoms to open ends of container bodies
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/731—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/7311—Thermal properties
    • B29C66/73117—Tg, i.e. glass transition temperature
    • B29C66/73118—Tg, i.e. glass transition temperature of different glass transition temperature, i.e. the glass transition temperature of one of the parts to be joined being different from the glass transition temperature of the other part
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/739—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/7392—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
    • B29C66/73921—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B27/00—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin
    • B32B27/06—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material
    • B32B27/08—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material of synthetic resin
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B27/00—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin
    • B32B27/16—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin specially treated, e.g. irradiated
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B27/00—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin
    • B32B27/30—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin comprising vinyl (co)polymers; comprising acrylic (co)polymers
    • B32B27/308—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin comprising vinyl (co)polymers; comprising acrylic (co)polymers comprising acrylic (co)polymers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B27/00—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin
    • B32B27/32—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin comprising polyolefins
    • B32B27/325—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin comprising polyolefins comprising polycycloolefins
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B3/00—Layered products comprising a layer with external or internal discontinuities or unevennesses, or a layer of non-planar shape; Layered products comprising a layer having particular features of form
    • B32B3/26—Layered products comprising a layer with external or internal discontinuities or unevennesses, or a layer of non-planar shape; Layered products comprising a layer having particular features of form characterised by a particular shape of the outline of the cross-section of a continuous layer; characterised by a layer with cavities or internal voids ; characterised by an apertured layer
    • B32B3/30—Layered products comprising a layer with external or internal discontinuities or unevennesses, or a layer of non-planar shape; Layered products comprising a layer having particular features of form characterised by a particular shape of the outline of the cross-section of a continuous layer; characterised by a layer with cavities or internal voids ; characterised by an apertured layer characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B37/00—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
    • B32B37/04—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the partial melting of at least one layer
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
    • B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
    • B81C99/00—Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • B81C99/0075—Manufacture of substrate-free structures
    • B81C99/009—Manufacturing the stamps or the moulds
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
    • B01L2300/04—Closures and closing means
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
    • B01L2300/08—Geometry, shape and general structure
    • B01L2300/0887—Laminated structure
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/02—Preparation of the material, in the area to be joined, prior to joining or welding
    • B29C66/028—Non-mechanical surface pre-treatments, i.e. by flame treatment, electric discharge treatment, plasma treatment, wave energy or particle radiation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/71—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/71—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/712—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined the composition of one of the parts to be joined being different from the composition of the other part
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/756—Microarticles, nanoarticles
    • B29L2031/7562—Nanoarticles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
    • B32B2307/30—Properties of the layers or laminate having particular thermal properties
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
    • B32B2307/50—Properties of the layers or laminate having particular mechanical properties
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B82—NANOTECHNOLOGY
    • B82Y—SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
    • B82Y30/00—Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B82—NANOTECHNOLOGY
    • B82Y—SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
    • B82Y40/00—Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures

Definitions

  • Fluidic devices that employ structures less than 100 m in one or two dimensions (i.e., nanofluidics) are generating great interest due to the unique properties afforded by this size domain when compared to their micro-scale counterparts.
  • nanofluidics i.e., n-fluidics
  • new DNA sequencing machines are being conceived, which employ nanofluidic devices.
  • thermoplastics have been extensively investigated as alternative substrates to glass and Silicon for the fabrication of microfluidic devices because of the availability of diverse and robust fabrication protocols that can be used to produce the desired structures in a high production mode and at low cost, the extensive array of physiochemical properties they possess, and the simple modification strategies that can be employed to tune their surface chemistry.
  • thermoplastic nanofluidic devices While the advantages of polymer microfluidics are currently being realized, the evolution of functional thermoplastic nanofluidic devices is fraught with challenges.
  • One major challenge is assembly of the device, which consists of sealing a cover plate to the fluidic substrate. Channel collapse or substrate dissolution can result when sealing the nanofluidic substrate with the cover plate, making the device inoperable. Accordingly, there is a need for new ways to manufacture nanofluidic devices.
  • the invention involves using a high glass transition temperature (Tg) substrate containing the nanofluidic structures thermally sealed to a cover plate possessing a lower Tg compared to the substrate.
  • Tg glass transition temperature
  • nanofluidic devices with dimensions ranging between about 40 and 200 nanometers were fabricated in a higher Tg substrate and sealed with a different cover plate having a lower Tg compared to the substrate.
  • the results obtained from sealing tests revealed continuity along all nanochamiels with the integrity of the nanochaimels intact following assembly.
  • the present invention provides a method of making a nanofluidic device, comprising the steps of: providing a thermoplastic substrate having a top surface portion, the top surface portion having at least one nanofluidic feature formed therein; providing a thermoplastic cover having a bottom surface portion, the thermoplastic cover having a glass transition temperature less than that of the substrate; optionally activating one or both of the thermoplastic substrate top surface portion and the thermoplastic cover bottom surface portion; and then thermally bonding the thermoplastic cover top surface portion to the thermoplastic cover bottom surface portion to produce the nanofluidic device.
  • FIG. 1 Process scheme for the fabrication and assembly of the thermoplastic-based nanofluidic devices.
  • A Fabrication of the Si master, which consisted of micron-scale access channels and the nanochannels;
  • B Fabrication of the protrusive polymer stamp in a UV-curable resin from the Si master;
  • C Generation of the fluid ic structures in the thermoplastic substrate from the UV-curable resin stamp by thermal imprinting and bonding of the substrate with the low T g cover plate to build the enclosed mixed-scale thermoplastic fluidic device.
  • FIG. 1 Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) of the Si master, resin stamp and PMMA substrate for the nanoslits (a, b, c) and nanochannel (d, e, f), respectively.
  • - Inset shows the off-axis (52°) cross section SEM images of the Si masters.
  • the dimensions (/ ⁇ w ⁇ h) were 21 urn x 1 ⁇ x 50 nm for each of the 4 nansoslits and 46 um ⁇ 120 nm ⁇ 120 nm for each of the 7 nanochannels.
  • Figure 3 Fluorescence images of the sealed (a) 1 ⁇ x 50 nm nanoslit, (b) 120 x 120 nm nanochannel (c) 2D nanochannels with sizes between 200 and 35 nm fabricated following the steps shown in Figure 2g - 2k (left to right - 200 nm, lOOnm, 50 nm, 35 nm, 80nm and 45 nm). All sealed devices were seeded with 10 mM FITC in 0.5X TBE buffer and acquired at exposure times of 200 ms (a and b) and 1 s (c). (d) Photograph of the thermally assembled hybrid nanofluidic devices fabricated in PMMA and sealed with COC.
  • FIG. 4 (a) Depiction of multi-structured device showing an entropic trap and nanopiilar separated by a single nanochannel (120 nm x 120 nm). (b) SEM image showing an array of the device with 1.3 ⁇ diameter nanopiilar (see insert), entropic traps ranging from 0 nm to 400 nm diameter with a spacing of 9.18 ⁇ . (c) and (d) shows the results obtained from the sealing test for the hybrid (PMMA - COC) device and PMMA - PMMA devices, respectively, acquired at 500 ms exposure time. The obscurity of the nanochannel/nanopillar region in the PMMA-PMMA devices is due to possible collapse of the device during assembly, (e) Microscope image of Lambda DNA translocation events through the hybrid device.
  • references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent" another feature can have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.
  • the device may otherwise be oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
  • the terms “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “vertical. “ “horizontal” and the like are used herein for the purpose of explanation only, unless specifically indicated otherwise.
  • first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. Rather, these terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer and/or section, from another element, component, region, layer and/or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed herein could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
  • the sequence of operations (or steps) is not limited to the order presented in the claims or figures unless specifically indicated otherwise.
  • Metal as used herein to describe thermoplastic materials from which a substrate or cover may be formed includes any suitable metal, such as sodium, magnesium, calcium, lead, lanthanum, boron, thorium, cerium, antimony, gold, aluminum, cobalt, indium, molybdnenum, nickel, palladium, platinum, tin, titanium, tungsten, zinc, silver, copper and combinations thereof.
  • suitable metal such as sodium, magnesium, calcium, lead, lanthanum, boron, thorium, cerium, antimony, gold, aluminum, cobalt, indium, molybdnenum, nickel, palladium, platinum, tin, titanium, tungsten, zinc, silver, copper and combinations thereof.
  • Polymer as used herein to describe thermoplastic materials from which a substrate or cover may be formed includes any suitable polymer (including copolymers), including but not limited to acrylate polymers such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polyamides such as nylon, polybenzimidazoles, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polytetrafluoroethylene, etc., including blends or combinations thereof such as interpenetrating polymer networks formed therefrom.
  • PMMA poly(methyl methacrylate)
  • PMMA poly(methyl methacrylate)
  • polyamides such as nylon
  • polybenzimidazoles polyethylene
  • PVC polyvinyl chloride
  • PET polyethylene terephthalate
  • polytetrafluoroethylene etc.
  • thermoplastic materials from which a substrate or cover may be formed includes any suitable material, including but not limited to fused silica glass, soda-lime-silica glass, sodium borosilicate glass, lead-oxide glass, aluminosilicate glass, oxide glass, silicon oxide, silicone nitride, colloidal glasses, glass- ceramics, etc., including combinations thereof. Such materials may contain dopants or other ingredients. Many such materials are generically referred to as "glass.”
  • Nanofluoric feature as used herein include wells, channels (or slits or trenches), pillars, and the like, including combinations and networks thereof, where the average width and/or depth dimensions thereof are typically about 1 or 2 to 100 or 200 nanometers in size.
  • the features preferably include channels, formed on the top surface of a substrate in the horizontal plane thereof, which are then enclosed as described herein.
  • the present invention provides a method of making a nanofluidic device, comprising the steps of: providing a thermoplastic substrate having a top surface portion, the top surface portion having at least one nanofluidic feature formed therein; providing a thermoplastic cover having a bottom surface portion, the thermoplastic cover having a glass transition temperature less than that of the substrate; optionally activating one or both of the thermoplastic substrate top surface portion and the thermoplastic cover bottom surface portion; and then thermally bonding the thermoplastic cover top surface portion to the thermoplastic cover bottom surface portion to produce the nanofluidic device.
  • the thermoplastic cover has a glass transition temperature at least 1, 2, 5, 10 or 20 degrees less than that of the thermoplastic substrate.
  • the thermoplastic cover has a glass transition temperature not more than 30, 40, 60 or 80 degrees less than that of the thermoplastic substrate.
  • the thermoplastic substrate comprises an organic polymer, an amorphous inorganic solid, or a metal. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic substrate has a Young's modulus not greater than 200, 100, 50, or 20.
  • the thermoplastic cover comprises an organic polymer, an amorphous inorganic solid, or a metal.
  • the thermoplastic cover has a Young's modulus not greater than 200, 100, 50, or 20.
  • the substrate comprises a first poly(methyl methacrylate) and the cover comprises a second poly(methyl methacrylate) different from the first poly (methyl methacrylate).
  • the thermally bonding step is carried out at an elevated temperature and elevated pressure, with the elevated temperature not greater than the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic cover.
  • the activating step is carried out by plasma etching.
  • ID and 2D nanofluidic networks with dimensions ranging between about 40 and 200 nanometers were fabricated in PMMA substrate and sealed with a lower Tg COC cover plate.
  • the substrate and cover plate were pretreated under controlled oxygen plasma conditions and assembled at a temperature ⁇ 5°C lower than that the Tg of the cover plate. Bond strengths approaching those of the native polymers assembled at temperatures above their glass transition temperatures are demonstrated with the integrity of the fluidic channels being retained.
  • Sealed devices were seeded with 10 mM FITC and visualized under a fluorescence microscope to check for uniformity and continuity along the length of the nanochannels. Functionality of our bonding scheme was tested by monitoring the translocation of lambda DNA through an assembled device containing multiple nanostructures. Overall, this simple, low cost and high throughput device assembly scheme was found to enable strong bonds between thermoplastic nanofluidic substrates and their cover plates and useful in the designing of functional thermoplastic based sub-50 nm 2D nanofluidic devices.
  • PMMA sheets (Tg ⁇ 104 °C) and cover plates used for the device fabrication were purchased from Good Fellow (Berwyn, PA).
  • Cycloolefin copolymer sheets, COC 6017 (Tg ⁇ 170°C) used as the backbone for fabricating the nanoimprinting stamp and COC 8007 (Tg ⁇ 75°C) used as the cover plate, were purchased from TOPAS Advanced Polymers (Florence KY).
  • Si ⁇ 100> wafers were purchased from University wafers (Boston, MA).
  • Anti-adhesion monolayer of (Tridecafluoro - 1,1,2,2 - Tetrahydrooctyl) Tricholorosilane (T-Silane) was purchased from Gelest, Inc.
  • Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (FITC) salt and 10X Tris Borate EDTA (TBE) buffer were purchased from Sigma- Aldrich (Saint Louis, MO). All required dilutions were performed using 18 ⁇ /cm milliQ water (Millipore technologies) and all measurements were performed at 25 °C unless specified otherwise.
  • Nanofluidic Devices Fabrication of Nanofluidic Devices. Previously, we have reported the development of nanoslits and nanochannels in polymer substrates following a single step fabrication scheme that is based on nanoimprint lithography (NIL). 1 ' 2 The schematic showing the steps involved in the development of the nanofluidic device is shown in Figure 1. Device fabrication involves four key steps; (i) Fabrication of Silicon master with nanochannels using FIB lithography, (ii) Fabrication of the UV -resin stamp with COC backbone, (iii) Thermal imprinting into thermoplastic substrate, and (iv) Sealing of the fluidic channels with low Tg cover plate.
  • NIL nanoimprint lithography
  • the silicon master was developed by initially patterning two V-shaped access microfluidic channels, 55 urn wide, 12 um deep 1.5 cm long in Si ⁇ 1 ()()> wafer using standard photolithography followed by anisotropic etching with 50% KOH solution. Next, nanofluidic channels were patterned across the microchannels by FIB milling using a Helios NanoLab 600 Dual Beam instrument (FEI Company). For the fabrication of the smaller 2D nanochannels ( ⁇ 50 nm), 100 nm Al layer was deposited on the Si wafer prior to FIB milling following the method described by Menard et al. 3 After fabrication, the Al was stripped-off using Al etching solution. In all cases, the spot size (beam current), sputtering rate and dwell time were carefully controlled to ensure that the desired channel dimensions were designed.
  • an anti-adhesion monolayer of T-Silane was coated on the Si master from gas phase in a desiccator under vacuum for 2 h to facilitate the demolding process.
  • the structures on the Si master were then carefully transferred into a UV-curable resin polymeric blend, containing 68 wt% TPGA as the base, 28 wt% TMPA as the crosslinking agent and 4 wt% Irgacure 651 as photo- initiator) coated onto a cyloolefm copolymer (COC) base plate, via UV-NIL to produce polymer stamps with protrusive structures.
  • COC cyloolefm copolymer
  • the Si master (mold) was initially coated with the UV resin by dispensing with a pipette, followed by gentle pressing of the COC base plate on the resin- coated master to ensure complete filling of the resin into mold cavities. This was followed by exposure to a 365nm UV light (10 J/m 2 ) through the COC backbone for 5 min in a CL-100 Ultraviolet Crosslinker. After curing, the UV-curable resin was gently demolded from the Si mold to get the negative copy on UV-curable resin.
  • the patterned UV-curable resin was used as the stamp to hot emboss into a 3 mm-thick PMMA sheet (Lucite CP) (2 cm x 2 cm) with access holes for reservoirs, drilled prior to embossing.
  • the imprinting was performed at a pressure of 1910 kN/m 2 for 120 s with the top and bottom plates maintained at a temperature of 125°C using the Hex03 hot-embosser (JenOptik). Pressure was applied after 30 s preheating of the stamp and the substrate at the desired molding temperature, and was maintained during the imprinting process until the system was cooled down to 45°C. Upon cooling, PMMA copy was easily demolded from the UV-resin stamp.
  • a 120 ⁇ thick COC 8007 sheet was used as the cover plate. Both the patterned PMMA sheet and cover plate were pre-activated with oxygen plasma at 50 W for 35 s and 7 seem gas flow rate. Device assembly was performed immediately at 70°C for 900 s under a 680 kN/m 2 pressure. This approach not only aids in achieving a low temperature device assembly with high bond strength but also contributes to the effective functionalization of the nanochannel surface with carboxyl (hydrophilic) functional groups, which may be necessary in subsequent experiments.
  • the Silicon (Si) master which consisted of micron-scale access channels (fabricated using photolithography and wet chemical etching) and an array of connecting nanoslits or nanochannels (fabricated using Focused Ion Beam (FIB) milling), was used to fabricate the protrusive polymer stamp, which was made from a UV-curable resin.
  • Thermal imprinting was used to transfer the nanofluidic structures into the PMMA substrate from the UV-curable resin stamp and the device was sealed with a COC 8007 cover plate using low-temperature plasma assisted bonding to build the enclosed mixed-scale polymer device.
  • UV-NIL conditions were carefully controlled to ensure that patterns from the Si master were transferred with high fidelity and minimum deformations into the resin stamp.
  • FIG. 2 shows scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the original Si master, cured UV-resin stamp and thermally imprinted PMMA substrate with an array of four nanoslits ( Figures 2a - 2c) and seven nanochannels ( Figures 2d - 2f).
  • the original channel fabricated by FIB milling into the Si master was purposely designed with dimensions (width ⁇ depth) of 995 nm ⁇ 50 nm and 1 18 nm ⁇ 122 nm for the nanoslit and nanochannel, respectively, to account for slight deformation of the UV resin stamp during the high pressure and temperature thermal imprinting. 2
  • the final PMMA devices had the dimensions of 1 um ⁇ 50 nm and 120 nm ⁇ 120 nm, with the same polarity as the structures in the Si master.
  • Figures 2g and h shows the off-axis (52°) SEM images of the Si master with the 40 ⁇ 40 nm nanochannel before and after the removal of 80 nm Al layer.
  • On axis view of the produced Si master, UV-resin stamp and PMMA substrate are shown in Figures i - k.
  • the UV resin Compared to Si as stamp material, the UV resin possessed a low Young's modulus value of 600-800 MPa4 and a thermal expansion coefficient similar to that of the PMMA substrate (6 ⁇ 10-5/°C), which leads to reduced adhesion and thermal stress during thermal NIL production of the nanofluidic device.5,6 Moreover, the UV resin stamp can be easily and repeatedly fabricated through replication from the Si master using UV-NIL. A single UV resin stamp was used for thermal imprinting for up to 10 times without any noticeable damage to the structures.
  • the PMMA substrates were sealed to the low Tg COC cover plate using the low temperature thermal fusion bonding scheme described above.
  • the formation of leak-free fluidic devices or discontinuities due to channel collapse during assembly was evaluated by introducing 10 mM fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) solution in 0.5X TBE buffer into the fluidic network and allowing the channels to be filled by capillarity. As shown in Figures 3b - 3c, the fluidic channels did not show any leakage between the substrate and the cover plate.
  • FITC fluorescein isothiocyanate

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Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé de fabrication d'un dispositif nanofluidique, réalisé par l'utilisation d'un substrat thermoplastique présentant une partie de surface de dessus, au moins une caractéristique nanofluidique étant formée dans la partie de surface de dessus ; par l'utilisation d'un couvercle thermoplastique présentant une partie de surface de dessous, le couvercle thermoplastique présentant une température de transition vitreuse inférieure à celle du substrat ; éventuellement par l'activation d'un ou des deux de la partie de surface de dessus du substrat thermoplastique et de la partie de surface de dessous du couvercle thermoplastique ; puis par liaison thermique de la partie de surface de dessus du couvercle thermoplastique à la partie de surface de dessous du couvercle thermoplastique pour produire le dispositif nanofluidique.
PCT/US2015/045712 2014-09-15 2015-08-18 Procédé pour l'assemblage de dispositifs nanofluidiques thermoplastiques fonctionnels WO2016043903A1 (fr)

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CN109476087A (zh) * 2016-07-15 2019-03-15 优志旺电机株式会社 基板的贴合方法及微芯片的制造方法
CN115243895A (zh) * 2020-03-04 2022-10-25 汉席克卡德应用研究协会 制造由聚合物基底和密封的微流体盒构成的复合结构

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WO2009037361A1 (fr) * 2007-09-20 2009-03-26 Iline Microsystems, S.L. Dispositif microfluidique et procédé de détermination du temps de coagulation d'un fluide
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WO2009037361A1 (fr) * 2007-09-20 2009-03-26 Iline Microsystems, S.L. Dispositif microfluidique et procédé de détermination du temps de coagulation d'un fluide
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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN109476087A (zh) * 2016-07-15 2019-03-15 优志旺电机株式会社 基板的贴合方法及微芯片的制造方法
EP3488998A4 (fr) * 2016-07-15 2020-03-11 Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Procédé de liaison de substrats et procédé de fabrication de micropuce
CN115243895A (zh) * 2020-03-04 2022-10-25 汉席克卡德应用研究协会 制造由聚合物基底和密封的微流体盒构成的复合结构

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