Structure and Method to Use Active Surface of a Sensor

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method of forming, including a supporting structure, a sensor on the supporting structure, a pair of columns on the supporting structure at opposite sides of the sensor, the pair of columns having a column height relative to a top surface of the supporting structure, the column height being higher than a height of the active surface of the sensor relative to the top surface of the supporting structure, and a lidding layer on the pair of columns and over the active surface, the lidding layer being supported at opposite ends by the pair of columns. The active surface of the sensor, the lidding layer and the pair of columns form an opening above at least more than about half of the active surface of the sensor, and the supporting structure, the sensor, the lidding layer and the pair of columns together form a flow cell.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a supporting surface;   a sensor having an active surface and positioned on the supporting surface;   sides extending from the supporting surface;   a layer on the sides and covering the active surface; and   a secondary layer over the sensor and comprising a plurality of channels;   wherein the active surface is positioned beneath the channels and wherein the sides are outwardly spaced from the active surface.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary layer is patterned. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the secondary layer is patterned with a plurality of nanowells. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the nanowells form at least a portion of each of the channels. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each channel of the secondary layer has an inlet and an outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD), or an N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (NMOS) sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sides are not positioned on the active surface. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary layer has a roughness about equal to a roughness of the active surface of the sensor. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for at least one of biological analysis and chemical analysis, the apparatus comprising;
 a flow cell, comprising;   a supporting surface;   a sensor having an active surface and positioned on the supporting surface;   sides extending from the supporting surface;   a layer on the sides and covering the active surface, the channels positioned between the layer and the active surface; and   a secondary layer over the sensor and comprising a plurality of channels, each channel having an inlet and an outlet;   wherein the active surface is positioned beneath the channels and wherein the sides are outwardly spaced from the active surface.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the supporting structure comprises one or more dielectric layers each comprising one or more conductive pathways therein. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the sides comprise columns. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the sides comprise epoxy or molding compound and the layer comprises glass. 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 fabricating a sensor having an active surface,   positioning a secondary layer over the sensor, the secondary layer comprising a plurality of channels, each channel having an inlet and an outlet;   placing the sensor on a supporting surface;   joining the sensor and the supporting surface using a panelization process, the panelization process comprising fixing the sensor to the supporting surface using a filler material;   forming an opening and sides extending from the supporting surface using a fan-out process, the sides being outwardly spaced from the active surface; and   placing a layer on the sides and covering the active surface to form a flow cell, the channels positioned between the layer and the active surface.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising attaching the layer to the sides. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein attaching the layer to the sides comprises using epoxy. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising placing a film on the sensor when forming the opening and the sides. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein forming the sensor comprises forming a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD), or an N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (NMOS) sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein placing the sensor on the supporting surface comprises preparing the sensor using lithographic and plating processes and placing the sensor on the supporting surface comprises using a pick-and-place machine. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the filler material comprises adhesive, epoxy, or a molding compound. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising coupling the flow cell and a cartridge for at least one of biological analysis and chemical analysis.