Fludic channel system and method for fabricating fine structure

Abstract

A fluidic channel system is provided. The fluidic channel system includes a light projection apparatus, a fluidic channel, and a rail. The light projection apparatus provides light. A photocurable fluid, which is selectively cured by the light, flows inside the fluidic channel. A fine structure which is to be formed by curing the photocurable fluid moves along the rail.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for fabricating a fine structure, comprising:
 providing a photocurable fluid to a fluidic channel having a rail along which a fine structure can move;   producing the fine structure by radiating light on the photocurable fluid such that the photocurable fluid is selectively cured; and   moving the fine structure along the rail.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in moving the fine structure, as the fine structure moves along the rail, the fine structure moves in a different direction from the flow direction of the photocurable fluid flowing in the fluidic channel. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in producing the fine structure, a guide which prevents the fine structure from coming off of the rail is produced. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the rail has a groove shape and the guide has a protrusion shape. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the width of the rail in a region where the fine structure is produced is smaller than that in a region where the fine structure moves. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein one end of the guide has a wedge shape, and a tip of the wedge-shaped end is not positioned at the center of the guide but rather leans in any one direction of both side surfaces of the guide. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the rail diverges into two branches, and in moving the fine structure, the leaning direction of the tip of the wedge-shaped end determines to which of the two branches the fine structure is to be moved. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the rail has a protrusion shape and the guide has a groove shape. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the width of the rail in a region where the fine structure is produced is larger than that in a region where the fine structure moves. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein in producing the fine structure, the fine structure and the guide are simultaneously formed by radiating the light on a region of the fluidic channel where the rail is disposed. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein in producing the fine structure, the fine structure and the guide are simultaneously formed by radiating the light having a transparent region and a semi-transparent region. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the fluidic channel comprises first to third regions, the first and second regions have no rail disposed therein, the third region has a rail disposed therein, and the internal height of the second region is larger than that of the first region, the light comprises first and second lights which are provided at different times, and the producing of the fine structure comprises: forming a body of the fine structure by radiating the first light onto the first region; and forming the guide by radiating the second light onto the body of the fine structure moved to the second region. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the guide has a discontinuous shape. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving of the fine structure comprises:
 moving the fine structure inside the photocurable fluid along the rail;   moving the fine structure along the rail such that the fine structure passes through an interface between the photocurable fluid and an additional fluid; and   moving the fine structure inside the additional fluid along the rail.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving of the fine structure comprises:
 moving the fine structure inside the photocurable fluid along the rail;   moving the fine structure along the rail such that the fine structure passes through an interface between the photocurable fluid and an additional fluid;   moving the fine structure inside the additional fluid along the rail; and   selectively curing the additional fluid such that a portion formed by curing the additional fluid is added to the fine structure.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fine structure comprises a magnetic material, a magnetic field is applied to the fluidic channel, the rail diverges into two branches, and in moving the fine structure, a magnetic force applied to the fine structure determines to which of the two branches the fine structure is to be moved. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fine structure comprises a magnetic material, a magnetic field is applied to the fluidic channel, and in moving the fine structure, the fine structure is moved along the rail by a magnetic force applied to the fine structure, even though the photocurable fluid does not flow. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fine structure comprises a magnetic material, a magnetic field is applied to the fluidic channel, and in moving the fine structure, the fine structure is moved against the flow of the photocurable fluid by a magnetic force applied to the fine structure. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 moving an additional fine structure produced in an additional rail to the rail.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 stopping the fine structure at an end of the rail.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 stopping one or more additional fine structures behind the fine structure stopped at the end of the rail to form a one-dimensional array.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 integrating the one-dimensional array by providing additional light onto the one-dimensional array.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the one-dimensional array is integrated by latches provided in the fine structure and the additional fine structures, the latches coupling each of the fine structures to at least one adjacent fine structure. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 moving the one-dimensional array along additional rails which are connected to the rail and are arranged in a different direction from the rail, and stopping the one-dimensional array at ends of the additional rails;   forming an additional one-dimensional array at the end of the rail; and   moving the additional one-dimensional array along the additional rails, and stopping the additional one-dimensional array behind the one-dimensional array to form a two-dimensional array.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising:
 integrating the two-dimensional array by providing additional light to the two-dimensional array.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the two-dimensional array is integrated by latches provided in the respective fine structures of the two-dimensional array, the latches coupling each of the fine structures to at least one adjacent fine structure. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 forming a two-dimensional array by forming one or more additional one-dimensional arrays in one or more additional rails provided in the fluidic channel, at the same time as or a different time from the forming of the one-dimensional array.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 integrating the two-dimensional array by providing additional light onto the two-dimensional array.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the photocurable fluid contains a chip, and the producing of the fine structure comprises producing a package covering at least a region of the chip by selectively curing the photocurable fluid. 
     
     
         30 . A method for conveying a fine structure, comprising:
 providing a fluid to a fluidic channel having a rail along which a fine structure can move; and   moving the fine structure having a guide along the rail, the guide preventing the fine structure from coming off of the rail.   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein in moving the fine structure, as the fine structure moves along the rail, the fine structure moves in a different direction from the flow direction of the fluid flowing in the fluidic channel. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the rail has a groove shape and the guide has a protrusion shape. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the guide has a wedge-shaped end, and a tip of the wedge-shaped end is not positioned at the center of the guide but rather leans in any one direction of both surfaces of the guide. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the rail diverges into two branches, and in moving the fine structure, the leaning direction of the tip determines to which of the two branches the fine structure is to be moved. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the width of the rail and the width of the guide increase toward the outside of the fluidic channel. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the rail is recessed in a T shape and the guide protrudes in a T shape. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the rail has a protrusion shape and the guide has a groove shape. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the width of the rail and the width of the guide decrease toward the outside of the fluidic channel. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the rail protrudes in a T shape and the guide is recessed in a T shape. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the moving of the fine structure comprises:
 moving the fine structure inside the fluid along the rail;   moving the fine structure along the rail such that the fine structure passes through an interface between the fluid and an additional fluid; and   moving the fine structure inside the additional fluid along the rail.   
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the fine structure comprises a magnetic material, a magnetic field is applied to the fluidic channel, the rail diverges into two branches, and in moving the fine structure, a magnetic force applied to the fine structure determines to which of the two branches the fine structure is to be moved. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the fine structure comprises a magnetic material, a magnetic field is applied to the fluidic channel, and in moving the fine structure, the fine structure is moved along the rail by a magnetic force applied to the fine structure, even though the fluid does not flow. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein the fluid comprises a gas. 
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the fine structure comprises a magnetic material, a magnetic field is applied to the fluidic channel, and in moving the fine structure, the fine structure is moved against the flow of the fluid by a magnetic force applied to the fine structure. 
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 30 , further comprising:
 moving an additional fine structure provided to an additional rail to the rail.   
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 30 , further comprising:
 stopping the fine structure at an end of the rail.   
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 46 , further comprising:
 stopping one or more additional fine structures behind the fine structure stopped at the end of the rail to form a one-dimensional array.   
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 47 , further comprising:
 integrating the one-dimensional array by providing additional light onto the one-dimensional array.   
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 47 , further comprising:
 moving the one-dimensional array along additional rails which are connected to the rail and are arranged in a different direction from the rail, and stopping the one-dimensional array at ends of the additional rails;   forming an additional one-dimensional array at the end of the rail; and   moving the additional one-dimensional array along the additional rails, and stopping the additional one-dimensional array behind the one-dimensional array to form a two-dimensional array.   
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 47 , further comprising:
 forming a two-dimensional array by forming one or more additional one-dimensional arrays in one or more additional rails provided in the fluidic channel, at the same time as or a different time from the forming of the one-dimensional array.   
     
     
         51 . The method according to  claim 46 , further comprising:
 aligning the guide with the rail by expanding the guide.