US 12,011,715 B2
Tailorable electrode capping for microfluidic devices
Joshua T. Smith, Croton on Hudson, NY (US); Benjamin Hardy Wunsch, Mt. Kisco, NY (US); Adele L. Pacquette, Elmsford, NY (US); and Eugene J. O'Sullivan, Nyack, NY (US)
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US)
Filed by International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US)
Filed on Nov. 11, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/095,538.
Prior Publication US 2022/0143605 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502715 (2013.01) [B01L 3/502707 (2013.01); B01L 2200/12 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0645 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for forming a microfluidic device, the method comprising:
forming a first dielectric layer on a substrate;
embedding electrodes into a top surface of the first dielectric layer;
forming a second dielectric layer on the electrodes, the second dielectric layer having two wells and a channel between the two wells formed therein;
filling, with a metal material, the two wells such that the metal material is in direct contact with the electrodes;
forming a third dielectric layer on the metal material and on the second dielectric layer;
filling, with a structural material, the channel such that the structural material does not directly contact the electrodes;
forming a fourth dielectric layer on the third dielectric layer and on the structural material, the fourth dielectric layer having at least one vent hole formed therein;
extracting the structural material through the at least one vent hole formed in the fourth dielectric layer; and
forming a fifth dielectric layer on the fourth dielectric layer.