Semiconductor Device for Culturing Cells
OwnerDries Braeken, Maria del Mar Condorinventors
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Abstract
An aspect may include a semiconductor device comprising a first unit comprising a semiconductor substrate with through holes, a cell culture chamber in the bottom surface, microfluidic channels crossing the top surface, and sensors/actuators attached to it. The second unit has a cell culture chamber above the top surface covered by a transparent layer, and an inlet/outlet for liquid. The bottom surface of the first unit is covered by a second transparent layer. Together, this device allows for sensing and controlling liquid within the chambers, and provides an optically transparent environment for cell culture.
Claims28
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a first unit comprising:
- a first semiconductor substrate having through holes, a top surface and a bottom surface,
- a first cell culture chamber formed in the bottom surface and in fluid communication with the through holes,
- at least a first microfluidic channel crossing the top surface and in fluid communication with the first cell culture chamber, and
- at least one sensor and/or an actuator attached to the top surface or the bottom surface;
- and
- a second unit comprising:
- a second cell culture chamber formed above the top surface of the first semiconductor substrate and in fluid communication with the through holes,
- a first optically transparent layer covering the second cell culture chamber, and
- an inlet and an outlet for allowing liquid to enter and exit the second cell culture chamber, and
- a second optically transparent layer bonded with the bottom surface of the first semiconductor substrate and covering the first cell culture chamber.
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A process for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising:
- providing a first semiconductor substrate having through holes, a top surface and a bottom surface;
- forming a first cell culture chamber in the bottom surface and in fluid communication with the through holes;
- forming at least a first microfluidic channel crossing the top surface and in fluid communication with the first cell culture chamber;
- forming at least one sensor and/or an actuator on the top surface or bottom surface;
- forming a second cell culture chamber above the top surface of the first semiconductor substrate such that the first cell culture chamber is in fluid communication with the second cell culture chamber;
- providing a first optically transparent layer;
- bonding the first optically transparent layer to the top surface of the second cell culture chamber so that it is covered by the first optically transparent layer;
- providing a second optically transparent layer;
- and
- bonding the second optically transparent layer to the bottom surface of the first semiconductor substrate such that the first cell culture chamber is covered by the second optically transparent layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.