Microfluidic die with a high ratio of heater area to nozzle exit area
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsDaniele Prati, Domenico Giusti, Simon Dodd
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a microfluidic die having a substrate with an inlet path that is configured to move fluid into the die. The die includes a plurality of heaters formed above the substrate, each heater having a first area, a plurality of chambers formed above the plurality of heaters, and a plurality of nozzles formed above the chambers. Each nozzle having an entrance adjacent to the chamber and an exit adjacent to en external environment, the entrance having a second area, and the second having a third area, the first area being greater than the second area, and the second area being greater than the third area. A ratio of the first area to the third area being greater than 5 to 1.
Claims16
A device, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of heaters on the substrate, each heater having a heater area;
- a plurality of nozzles disposed above the heaters, each nozzle having an entrance and an exit, each entrance being closer to a heater than the exit, the exit having a first nozzle area, a ratio of the heater area to the first nozzle area being greater than 9 to 1;
- and
- a plurality of chambers disposed between the heaters and the nozzles.
A device, comprising:
- a substrate having an inlet path;
- a plurality of heaters formed above the substrate, each heater having a heater area;
- a plurality of chambers formed above the plurality of heaters;
- and
- a plurality of tapered nozzles formed above the chambers, each tapered nozzle having an entrance adjacent to the chamber and an exit adjacent to an external environment, the entrance having a first nozzle area, and the exit having a second nozzle area, the heater area being greater than the first nozzle area, and the first nozzle area being greater than the second nozzle area, a ratio of the heater area to the second nozzle area being greater than 9 to 1.
A method, comprising:
- forming an inlet path in a substrate;
- forming a plurality of heaters above the substrate, each heater having a heater area;
- forming a plurality of chambers above the plurality of heaters;
- and
- forming a plurality of tapered nozzles above the chambers, each a tapered nozzle having an entrance adjacent to the chamber and an exit adjacent to an external environment, the entrance having a first nozzle area, and the exit having a second nozzle area, the heater area being greater than the first nozzle area, and the first nozzle area being greater than the second nozzle area, a ratio of the heater area to the second nozzle area being greater than 9 to 1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.