SCHOTT Glass Substrates for Microfluidic Applications

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SCHOTTSCHOTT Glass Glass Substrates for Substrates for MicrofluidicMicrofluidic Systems Systems

Alistair Rees

MF-2.4 Second European Microfluidics Consortium Meeting,

Salzburg, 10 December 2010

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1. Overview of SCHOTT

3. Glass Types & Formats used for Microfluidics

4. Production of Flat Glass

Agenda

2. Why use Glass for Microfluidics?

5. Photostructurable Glass Ceramic

6. Summary

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Legal Structure

SCHOTT AG Mainz

Carl Zeiss AGOberkochen

Subsidiaries Subsidiaries

100 % 100 %

SCHOTT Group Carl Zeiss Group

Carl-Zeiss-StiftungHeidenheim an der Brenz und Jena

Foundation acting as shareholder

SCHOTT AG is not listed on the Stock Market The Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung (Foundation) is sole shareholder of SCHOTT AG

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Key Figures

capital expenditures in property, plant and equipment 216 million euros

global sales, 73% generated outside of Germany2.26 billion euros

employees, 6,500 of whom are in Germany17,400

production plants and sales offices in 43 countries

Fiscal Year 2008/2009

earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) -22 million euros

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SCHOTT Business Units

Solar

Home Tech

Flat Glass

Pharmaceutical Systems

Electronic Packaging

Advanced Materials

Lighting and Imaging

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Why Use Glass for Microfluidics?

• Chemically Inert / Bio-compatibility / Hydrophilic / Non-porous

• High Stability / Corrosion Resistant

• Excellent Optical Transmittance / Low auto fluorescence

• High Mechanical Hardness / Good Breaking Strength

• Excellent Electrical Isolation

• Good Thermal Properties / Low Expansion

• Easily Bonded to Other Materials

• Variety of Forms / Formats

• Suitable for Rapid Prototyping

• Can be Inexpensive

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Glass Formats / Types used for Microfluidics

Flat glassThin Glass Sheets

Glass Wafers

Photostructurable Glass Ceramic

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Microfluidic Foundries

Flat Glass Formats for Microfluidics

Processed WafersFlat Glass Sheets

MicroFluidic Device Manufacturer

D263 T, Borofloat 33 and B270 wafers for manufacture of microfluidic components

D263 M “Optical” covers for polymer microfluidics

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SCHOTT Sites Producing Glass for Microfluidics

Grünenplan

Jena

Mainz

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Microfloat

Down-Draw Up-Draw

Melting Technologies for SCHOTT Flat Glasses

Microfloat

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The Down-Draw Process - Key Characteristics

• Seven glass types are produced by the down-draw process:

D

D

D

D

v

• Fire-polished surface with surface roughness < 1nm

• Wide thickness range, down to 30 µm

• High flexibility regarding throughput and width

bMEMpax


D

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D

D

• Two glass types are made by the up-draw process:

The Up-Draw Process - Key Characteristics

• Excellent surface quality

• Wide thickness range from 0.8 – 10 mm

• High flexibility regarding throughput and width


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Overview of the Microfloat process

Cutting/Inspection

AnnealingFloatingMelting tank

Glass

Tin bathTin bath

GlassGlass

Lip stoneLip stone

80 °C730 °C1240 °C1650-1700°C


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Details of the Microfloat Process

Lip Stone

Heating Element

Glass

Lift Out Roller

Reducing Atmosphere


Molten Tin Bath

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• One glass type is made by the float process:

• High throughput

• Low cost

• Excellent largescale flatness possible

• Fire-polished surface with surface roughness < 1nm

The Float Process - Key Characteristics


D

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Overview Thickness of SCHOTT Flat Glasses

0,7 mm0,4 mm

0,1 mm0,2 mm

0,3 mm0,5 mm

0,6 mm0,8 mm

0,9 mm1,0 mm

1,1 mm1,2 mm

1,3 mm0,05 mm

10 mm

Thickness Range

………………3 mm

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Flat or Notch C-or facet shape Seaming

Edge Treatment Clean Room Production Inspection and measurement

under clean room conditions

Clean Room Packaging

Ultrasonic washing Megasonic washing

Washing Process

Lapping Polishing Coating

Surface Refinement

Thermal Chemical

Toughening

Processing Processing CapabilitiesCapabilities

optional

Cutting

Laser or Diamond Cutting

Silanes Optical Metallic

Coatings

Main Competencies in Glass Processing

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Foturan Photostructurable Glass Ceramic

• Foturan is a photostructurable “glass ceramic” from SCHOTT

• Glass properties: Transparency, hardness, chemical, and thermal resistance

• Very fine structures (> 25 µm) with tight tolerances

• High aspect ratios ((> 30:1 hole depth / hole width)

• Low microroughness <1 µm

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Foturan Photostructurable Glass Ceramic

1. Mask / UV Exposure 2. Heating / Crystallisation 3. Chemical Etching

500 – 600 °C HF

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Summary

• Glass is an attractive material for microfluidic devices due to a number of special properties

• SCHOTT can offer a wide range of glass suitable for microfuidic applications

• But at the end of the day customers will decide on suitability based on specific project requirements

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Thank you !

End

SCHOTT Glass Substrates for Microfluidic Applications

Technology

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