公开(公告)号：US6062461A

公开(公告)日：2000-05-16

申请号：US116815

申请日：1998-06-03

申请人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Larry Lee Jordan ,  Ruth Ellen Beni ,  Anthony Alan Duffer ,  Shing Yeh

发明人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Larry Lee Jordan ,  Ruth Ellen Beni ,  Anthony Alan Duffer ,  Shing Yeh

IPC分类号： B81B7/00 ,  H01L21/50

CPC分类号： B81C1/00269

摘要： A method by which semiconductor wafers (10, 12) can be solder bonded to form a semiconductor device, such as a sensor with a micromachined structure (14). The method entails forming a solderable ring (18) on the mating surface of a device wafer (10), such that the solderable ring (18) circumscribes the micromachine (14) on the wafer (10). A solderable layer (20, 26, 28) is formed on a capping wafer (12), such that at least the mating surface (24) of the capping wafer (12) is entirely covered by the solderable layer (20, 26, 28). The solderable layer (20, 26, 28) can be formed by etching the mating surface (24) of the capping wafer (12) to form a recess (16) circumscribed by the mating surface (24), and then forming the solderable layer (26) to cover the mating surface (24) and the recess (16) of the capping wafer (12). Alternatively, the solderable layer (28) can be formed by depositing a solderable material to cover the entire lower surface of the capping wafer (12), patterning the resulting solderable layer (28) to form an etch mask on the capping wafer (12), and then to form the recess (16), such that the solderable layer (28) covers the mating surface (24) but not the surfaces of the recess (16).

摘要翻译： 可以将半导体晶片（10,12）焊接在一起以形成诸如具有微加工结构（14）的传感器的半导体器件的方法。 该方法需要在器件晶片（10）的配合表面上形成可焊接环（18），使得可焊接环（18）围绕晶片（10）上的微机械（14）。 在封盖晶片（12）上形成可焊层（20,26,28），使得封盖晶片（12）的至少配合表面（24）完全被可焊接层（20,26,28）覆盖 ）。 可焊层（20,26,28）可以通过蚀刻封盖晶片（12）的配合表面（24）形成由配合表面（24）限定的凹陷（16），然后形成可焊层 （26）以覆盖封盖晶片（12）的配合表面（24）和凹部（16）。 或者，可焊层（28）可以通过沉积可焊接材料以覆盖封盖晶片（12）的整个下表面，形成所得到的可焊接层（28）以在封盖晶片（12）上形成蚀刻掩模 ，然后形成凹部（16），使得可焊层（28）覆盖配合表面（24），而不覆盖凹部（16）的表面。

公开(公告)号：US20090283844A1

公开(公告)日：2009-11-19

申请号：US12464426

申请日：2009-05-12

申请人： Douglas Ray Sparks

发明人： Douglas Ray Sparks

IPC分类号： H01L23/02 ,  H01L21/50

CPC分类号： B81C1/00119 ,  B01L3/502707 ,  B81B2201/0214 ,  B81B2201/0278 ,  B81B2201/058 ,  G01F1/8445 ,  H01L24/94 ,  H01L2224/48091 ,  H01L2924/01322 ,  H01L2924/09701 ,  H01L2924/10253 ,  H01L2924/1433 ,  H01L2924/1461 ,  H01L2924/16152 ,  H01L2924/3025 ,  Y10T137/2191 ,  Y10T137/2224 ,  H01L2924/00014 ,  H01L2924/00

摘要： A process for fabricating multiple microfluidic device chips. The process includes fabricating multiple micromachined tubes in a semiconductor device wafer. The tubes are fabricated so that each tube has an internal fluidic passage and an inlet and outlet thereto defined in a surface of the device wafer. The device wafer is then bonded to a glass wafer to form a device wafer stack, and so that through-holes in the glass wafer are individually fluidically coupled with the inlets and outlets of the tubes. The glass wafer is then bonded to a metallic wafer to form a package wafer stack, so that through-holes in the metallic wafer are individually fluidically coupled with the through-holes of the glass wafer. Multiple microfluidic device chips are then singulated from the package wafer stack. Each device chip has a continuous flow path for a fluid therethrough that is preferably free of organic materials.

摘要翻译： 一种用于制造多个微流体装置芯片的方法。 该方法包括在半导体器件晶片中制造多个微加工管。 管被制造成使得每个管具有内部流体通道以及限定在器件晶片的表面中的入口和出口。 然后将器件晶片接合到玻璃晶片以形成器件晶片叠层，并且使得玻璃晶片中的通孔与管的入口和出口分别流体耦合。 然后将玻璃晶片接合到金属晶片以形成封装晶片堆叠，使得金属晶片中的通孔与玻璃晶片的通孔独立地流体耦合。 然后从封装晶片堆叠单个多个微流体器件芯片。 每个装置芯片具有用于流过其中的流体的连续流动路径，其优选不含有机材料。

公开(公告)号：US07483805B2

公开(公告)日：2009-01-27

申请号：US11688399

申请日：2007-03-20

申请人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Vincent Cruz ,  Nader Najafi

发明人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Vincent Cruz ,  Nader Najafi

IPC分类号： G06F19/00

CPC分类号： G05B19/0425

摘要： A sensing and analysis system, method, and network that make use of a very portable and compact sensor unit and a physically separate electronic unit that serves to power and control the sensor unit, process and optionally display the output of the sensor unit, and transmit the sensor output to other locations, such as over a network. The sensor unit includes a housing, a sensing element within the housing and responsive to an input, and electronic circuitry within the housing and in communication with the sensing element to produce an electrical output based on an output signal generated by the sensing element. A communication providing device delivers instructions generated by the electronic unit to the sensor unit and delivers the electrical output from the sensor unit to the electronic unit.

摘要翻译： 一种感测和分析系统，方法和网络，其利用非常便携和紧凑的传感器单元和物理上分离的电子单元，其用于为传感器单元供电和控制，处理和可选地显示传感器单元的输出，并传输 传感器输出到其他位置，例如通过网络。 传感器单元包括壳体，壳体内的感测元件并响应于输入，以及壳体内的电子电路，并与感测元件通信，以产生基于由感测元件产生的输出信号的电输出。 通信提供设备将由电子单元产生的指令传递到传感器单元，并将电输出从传感器单元传送到电子单元。

公开(公告)号：US07437912B2

公开(公告)日：2008-10-21

申请号：US11184620

申请日：2005-07-19

申请人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Nader Najafi

发明人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Nader Najafi

IPC分类号： G01N11/00 ,  G01N11/08

CPC分类号： G01N11/06

摘要： A method and device for assessing rheological properties of a fluid, including lubricity and viscosity. The invention utilizes a tube into which the fluid is introduced, and relies on tracking the movement of the fluid through the tube either alone or with one or more particles intentionally introduced into the fluid to assess the rheological properties of the fluid. The method and device generally entail flowing the fluid and the optional suspended particle through a passage within the tube, and assessing a rheological property of the fluid within the tube by tracking the movement of the fluid and/or particle through the portion relative to the flow of the fluid through the portion.

摘要翻译： 用于评估流体的流变性质的方法和装置，包括润滑性和粘度。 本发明利用其中引入流体的管，并且依赖于通过管单独或与有意引入流体的一个或多个颗粒跟踪流体的运动，以评估流体的流变性质。 该方法和装置通常使流体和任选的悬浮颗粒流过管内的通道，并且通过跟踪流体和/或颗粒相对于流动的部分的运动来评估管内的流体的流变性质 的液体通过该部分。

公开(公告)号：US20080154535A1

公开(公告)日：2008-06-26

申请号：US11688399

申请日：2007-03-20

申请人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Vincent Cruz ,  Nader Najafi

发明人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Vincent Cruz ,  Nader Najafi

IPC分类号： G06F13/38

CPC分类号： G05B19/0425

摘要： A sensing and analysis system, method, and network that make use of a very portable and compact sensor unit and a physically separate electronic unit that serves to power and control the sensor unit, process and optionally display the output of the sensor unit, and transmit the sensor output to other locations, such as over a network. The sensor unit includes a housing, a sensing element within the housing and responsive to an input, and electronic circuitry within the housing and in communication with the sensing element to produce an electrical output based on an output signal generated by the sensing element. A communication providing device delivers instructions generated by the electronic unit to the sensor unit and delivers the electrical output from the sensor unit to the electronic unit.

摘要翻译： 一种感测和分析系统，方法和网络，其利用非常便携和紧凑的传感器单元和物理上分离的电子单元，其用于为传感器单元供电和控制，处理和可选地显示传感器单元的输出，并传输 传感器输出到其他位置，例如通过网络。 传感器单元包括壳体，壳体内的感测元件并响应于输入，以及壳体内的电子电路，并与感测元件通信，以产生基于由感测元件产生的输出信号的电输出。 通信提供设备将由电子单元产生的指令传递到传感器单元，并将电输出从传感器单元传送到电子单元。

公开(公告)号：US07263882B2

公开(公告)日：2007-09-04

申请号：US11420491

申请日：2006-05-26

申请人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Nader Najafi

发明人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Nader Najafi

IPC分类号： G01F1/68

CPC分类号： B60T17/18 ,  G01F1/8445 ,  G01F1/8472 ,  Y10T137/0324

摘要： A fluid system installed on a vehicle and a method for assessing a property of a fluid flowing in the fluid system. The fluid system and method entail flowing at least a portion of the fluid through a passage within a freestanding portion of a micromachined tube supported above a substrate so as to define a gap therebetween, vibrating the freestanding portion of the micromachined tube at a resonant frequency thereof, sensing the movement of the freestanding portion of the micromachined tube so as to measure at least one of the vibration frequency and deflection of the freestanding portion relative to the substrate and produce therefrom at least one output corresponding to at least one of the mass flow rate, specific gravity, and density of the portion of the fluid flowing through the passage, and then using the output to compute the property of the fluid.

摘要翻译： 安装在车辆上的流体系统和用于评估在流体系统中流动的流体的性质的方法。 流体系统和方法需要使流体的至少一部分流过支撑在基底上的微加工管的独立部分内的通道，以便在其间形成间隙，使微机械管的独立部分以共振频率振动 感测所述微加工管的所述独立部分的运动，以便测量所述独立部分相对于所述基板的振动频率和偏转中的至少一个，并从其产生至少一个对应于质量流率 ，比重和密度，然后使用输出来计算流体的性质。

公开(公告)号：US06647778B2

公开(公告)日：2003-11-18

申请号：US10064190

申请日：2002-06-20

申请人： Douglas Ray Sparks

发明人： Douglas Ray Sparks

IPC分类号： G01F168

CPC分类号： G01F1/8445 ,  G01N2009/006

摘要： A sensing device that comprises a micromachined tube on a substrate for resonant sensing of mass flow and density of a fluid flowing through the tube. The sensing device further incorporates on the same substrate at least a second micromachined tube configured for sensing another property of the fluid, such as pressure, viscosity and/or temperature.

公开(公告)号：US06637257B2

公开(公告)日：2003-10-28

申请号：US10065578

申请日：2002-10-31

申请人： Douglas Ray Sparks

发明人： Douglas Ray Sparks

IPC分类号： G01N1508

CPC分类号： G01N15/0656 ,  Y10T436/103332 ,  Y10T436/104998 ,  Y10T436/105831 ,  Y10T436/25375 ,  Y10T436/255

摘要： A method and device for performing fluid analysis by separating cells and/or particles from a fluid, such as a biological, vehicular or industrial fluid. The device is a micromachined filtering device comprising a substrate with through-thickness vias having approximately equal diameters that prevent passage through the substrate of a first material while permitting passage through the substrate of other materials having diametrical dimensions less than the diameter of the vias. Electrodes are located on a surface of the substrate between vias so that as the first material collects at the surface of the substrate, the electrodes become electrically connected to produce an output signal in some proportion to the amount of the first material collected. The device can incorporate multiple micromachined substrates, yielding an analysis system that produces an electrical output for each of a number of properties or parameters.

公开(公告)号：US5706565A

公开(公告)日：1998-01-13

申请号：US707107

申请日：1996-09-03

申请人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  William J. Baney ,  Steven Edward Staller ,  Dan Wesley Chilcott ,  James Werstler Siekkinen

发明人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  William J. Baney ,  Steven Edward Staller ,  Dan Wesley Chilcott ,  James Werstler Siekkinen

IPC分类号： G01L9/00 ,  H01G7/00

CPC分类号： G01L9/0073 ,  Y10T29/435

摘要： An all-silicon monolithic capacitive absolute pressure-sensing device and method for making the same. The device employs a single-crystal silicon diaphragm that serves at a flexible capacitor plate of a variable capacitor. The diaphragm is bonded to a single-crystal silicon wafer to overlie a cavity etched into the wafer. A fixed capacitor plate of the variable capacitor is formed by a heavily-doped region at the bottom of the cavity. A thin dielectric layer is grown on the fixed capacitor plate to complete the capacitor. The cavity has a minimal depth such that the fixed capacitor plate provides overpressure protection for the diaphragm. At least a portion of the operating range of the pressure sensor occurs while the diaphragm is contacting the doped region. As a result, the capacitive output signal of the pressure sensor is produced by changes in contact area between the diaphragm and a thin dielectric situated on the doped region in response to pressure applied to the diaphragm.

摘要翻译： 全硅单体电容式绝对压力感测装置及其制造方法。 该器件采用在可变电容器的柔性电容器板上工作的单晶硅膜片。 隔膜结合到单晶硅晶片以覆盖蚀刻到晶片中的空腔。 可变电容器的固定电容器板由空腔底部的重掺杂区域形成。 在固定电容器板上生长薄介电层以完成电容器。 空腔具有最小的深度，使得固定电容器板为隔膜提供过压保护。 当隔膜接触掺杂区域时，压力传感器的工作范围的至少一部分发生。 结果，压力传感器的电容输出信号是通过响应于施加到隔膜的压力而在隔膜和位于掺杂区域上的薄电介质之间的接触面积的变化产生的。

公开(公告)号：US20120260718A1

公开(公告)日：2012-10-18

申请号：US13270817

申请日：2011-10-11

申请人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Richard Thayre Smith ,  Nader Najafi

发明人： Douglas Ray Sparks ,  Richard Thayre Smith ,  Nader Najafi

IPC分类号： G01N29/02

CPC分类号： G01N9/002 ,  A61M5/16831 ,  A61M5/365 ,  A61M16/08 ,  A61M2016/003 ,  A61M2016/0039 ,  A61M2016/0042 ,  A61M2016/1025 ,  A61M2016/103 ,  A61M2016/1035 ,  A61M2202/0208 ,  A61M2202/0225 ,  A61M2202/025 ,  A61M2202/0283 ,  A61M2205/0244 ,  A61M2205/3317 ,  A61M2205/3331 ,  A61M2230/202 ,  A61M2230/205 ,  B01L3/502723 ,  G01F1/74 ,  G01F1/8445 ,  G01F1/8472 ,  G01F1/849

摘要： A microfluidic device and sensing method that utilize a resonating tube configured to have sufficient sensitivity to be capable of sensing the volume of a gas present as bubbles in a liquid or the flow rate and/or density of a gas or gas mixture flowing through the tube. The tube has a freestanding tube portion supported above a surface of a substrate so as to be capable of vibrating in a plane normal to the surface of the substrate. As a gas-containing fluid flows through an internal passage of the tube, a drive signal vibrates the freestanding tube portion at a resonant frequency thereof. Coriolis-induced deflections of the freestanding tube portion are sensed relative to the substrate to produce an output corresponding to the sensed deflections, and the drive signal and/or the output are assessed to determine the volume, density and/or flow rate of the gas of the gas-containing fluid.

摘要翻译： 一种微流体装置和感测方法，其利用构造成具有足够灵敏度的谐振管以能够感测作为液体中的气泡存在的气体的体积或流过管的气体或气体混合物的流量和/或密度 。 管具有支撑在基板的表面上方的独立管部，以能够在垂直于基板的表面的平面中振动。 当含气流体流过管的内部通道时，驱动信号以独立管部分以其谐振频率振动。 相对于衬底检测独立管部分的科里奥利诱导的偏转，以产生对应于感测到的偏转的输出，并且评估驱动信号和/或输出以确定气体的体积，密度和/或流速 的含气体流体。