초록 ▼

An improved apparatus and method for vacuum fusion bonding of large, patterned glass plates. One or both glass plates are patterned with etched features such as microstructure capillaries and a vacuum pumpout moat, with one plate having at least one hole therethrough for communication with a vacuum

An improved apparatus and method for vacuum fusion bonding of large, patterned glass plates. One or both glass plates are patterned with etched features such as microstructure capillaries and a vacuum pumpout moat, with one plate having at least one hole therethrough for communication with a vacuum pumpout fixture. High accuracy alignment of the plates is accomplished by a temporary clamping fixture until the start of the fusion bonding heat cycle. A complete, void-free fusion bond of seamless, full-strength quality is obtained through the plates; because the glass is heated well into its softening point and because of a large, distributed force that is developed that presses the two plates together from the difference in pressure between the furnace ambient (high pressure) and the channeling and microstructures in the plates (low pressure) due to the vacuum drawn. The apparatus and method may be used to fabricate microcapillary arrays for chemical electrophoresis; for example, any apparatus using a network of microfluidic channels embedded between plates of glass or similar moderate melting point substrates with a gradual softening point curve, or for assembly of glass-based substrates onto larger substrates, such as in flat panel display systems.

대표청구항 ▼

[ The invention claimed is:] [1.] A vacuum fusion bonding apparatus for producing embedded microstructures, including:an oven platform having a flat upper surface for supporting associated substrates having microstructures therein to be fusion bonded,a vacuum facility including a pumpout block havin

[ The invention claimed is:] [1.] A vacuum fusion bonding apparatus for producing embedded microstructures, including:an oven platform having a flat upper surface for supporting associated substrates having microstructures therein to be fusion bonded,a vacuum facility including a pumpout block having a flat surface and a vacuum manifold therein adapted to be mounted on a surface of one of such associated substrates to be fusion bonded and adapted to be in alignment with at least one opening in one of such associated substrates to be fusion bonded,a blank-off block having a flat surface adapted to be mounted on the surface of said one of such associated substrates to be bonded and adapted to be positioned over an opening in the one of such associated substrates to be fusion bonded, and in spaced relation to said pumpout block, andremovable clamping means adapted to contact such associated substrates to be bonded and for temporarily retaining together and aligning such associated substrates to be bonded are located intermediate said platform and said blocks.