Systems and methods for sealing a plurality of reservoirs of a microchip element with a sealing grid

A method of hermetically sealing an array of reservoirs, the method comprising:

• obtaining a sealing substrate having a first side, an opposed second side, and a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, wherein the first side comprises a plurality of electrically conductive reservoir caps which close off the plurality of apertures, wherein the second side comprises a single continuous sealing protrusion extending therefrom and surrounding each of the apertures;
• obtaining a primary substrate having a plurality of reservoirs which are each defined by a closed end wall, an open end, at least one sidewall extending between the closed end wall and the open end, and a single continuous sealing groove disposed around each of the plurality of reservoirs;
• and compressing the sealing substrate to the primary substrate to force the single continuous sealing protrusion into the single continuous sealing groove to plastically deform the continuous sealing protrusion and form a cold weld and hermetically seal each of the plurality of reservoirs, with the open end of the plurality of reservoirs in fluid communication with at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures.