Vacuum fusion bonding of glass plates
Abstract
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.
- Inventors:
-
- Livermore, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 873995
- Patent Number(s):
- 6289695
- Assignee:
- Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C03 - GLASS C03B - MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02P - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- vacuum; fusion; bonding; glass; plates; improved; apparatus; method; patterned; etched; features; microstructure; capillaries; pumpout; moat; plate; therethrough; communication; fixture; accuracy; alignment; accomplished; temporary; clamping; start; heat; cycle; complete; void-free; bond; seamless; full-strength; quality; obtained; heated; softening; distributed; force; developed; presses; difference; pressure; furnace; ambient; channeling; microstructures; due; drawn; fabricate; microcapillary; arrays; chemical; electrophoresis; example; network; microfluidic; channels; embedded; similar; moderate; melting; substrates; gradual; curve; assembly; glass-based; larger; flat; panel; display; systems; vacuum pumpout; vacuum fusion; improved apparatus; flat panel; glass plates; panel display; vacuum pump; fusion bonding; vacuum drawn; capillary array; moderate melting; glass plate; display systems; pumpout moat; patterned glass; microstructure capillaries; gradual softening; fusion bond; etched features; microfluidic channel; /65/156/
Citation Formats
Swierkowski, Steve P, Davidson, James C, and Balch, Joseph W. Vacuum fusion bonding of glass plates. United States: N. p., 2001.
Web.
Swierkowski, Steve P, Davidson, James C, & Balch, Joseph W. Vacuum fusion bonding of glass plates. United States.
Swierkowski, Steve P, Davidson, James C, and Balch, Joseph W. Mon .
"Vacuum fusion bonding of glass plates". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/873995.
@article{osti_873995,
title = {Vacuum fusion bonding of glass plates},
author = {Swierkowski, Steve P and Davidson, James C and Balch, Joseph W},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001}
}