Integrated microfluidic and electronic components
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsReid A. Brennen, Antonius A. A. M. van de Goor
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Abstract
A microfluidic component having a microfluidic channel is bonded to an electronics component having a circuit for processing signals related to the microfluidic component. In an embodiment, the electronics component is a prefabricated integrated circuit chip that includes signal processing and/or process control functionality. The bonding of the microfluidic component to the electronics component provides a modular architecture in which different combinations of microfluidic components and electronics components can be used to create customized processing and analysis tools.
Claims14
An integrated microsystem comprising:
- a prefabricated microfluidic component having microfluidic features for processing a fluid of interest;
- and
- an electronics component having signal detection and signal processing circuitry so as to evaluate a property of said fluid of interest, said electronics component and said prefabricated microfluidic component being first and second devices that are bonded together to provide a modular architecture, said electronics component being bonded to said prefabricated microfluidic component along exterior surfaces of said electronics and prefabricated microfluidic components such that said exterior surfaces face each other along at least one bond region, said electronics component also being structurally independent of any said microfluidic feature;
- wherein said electronics component is an integrated circuit chip that is flip chip bonded to said prefabricated microfluidic component.
An integrated microsystem comprising:
- a microfluidic component having microfluidic features, including a processing region for processing a fluid of interest, said microfluidic component being a first device having first and second outer surfaces, said first outer surface having a first plurality of contact pads;
- and
- an electronics component that is a second device bonded to said microfluidic component and having third and fourth outer surfaces, said third outer surface having a second plurality of contact pads, said microfluidic component being bonded to said electronics component, said electronics and microfluidic components being electrically and mechanically linked by electrically conductive material connecting said first and second pluralities of contact pads, said electronics component having circuitry to control a process within said microfluidic component, but being structurally independent of said microfluidic features.
A method for forming a microsystem comprising:
- providing an electrical circuit-containing device that includes signal processing circuitry, said electrical circuit-containing device having a first surface and being exclusive of any microfluidic feature;
- providing a microfluidic device that includes microfluidic features for processing a fluid of interest, said microfluidic device having a second surface and being a discrete device from said electrical circuit-containing device, such that said microfluidic features are structurally independent of said circuit-containing device;
- and
- bonding said electrical circuit-containing device to said microfluidic device at said first and second surfaces such that properties of said fluid of interest in said microfluidic features can be evaluated by said signal processing circuitry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.