Thermocycling system, composition, and microfabrication method

Abstract

A system and method of manufacture for the system, comprising a set of heater-sensor dies, each heater-sensor die comprising an assembly including a first insulating layer, a heating region comprising an adhesion material layer coupled to the first insulating layer and a noble material layer, and a second insulating layer coupled to the heating region and to the first insulating layer through a pattern of voids in the heating region, wherein the pattern of voids in heating region defines a coarse pattern associated with a heating element of the heating region and a fine pattern, integrated into the coarse pattern and associated with a sensing element of the heating region; an electronics substrate configured to couple heating elements and sensing elements of the set of heater-sensor dies to a controller; and a set of elastic elements configured to bias each of the set of heater-sensor dies against a detection chamber.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a substrate;   a first insulating layer coupled to exposed surfaces of the substrate;   a heating region having
 an adhesion material layer in contact with the first insulating layer; 
 a noble material layer on the adhesion material layer; 
 a heating element having a coarse pattern defined by a pattern of voids; and 
 a sensing element having a fine pattern, integrated into the coarse pattern, wherein wide segments of the coarse pattern, together with segments of the fine pattern surrounded by and narrower than the wide segments, form a boustrophedonic pattern across the adhesion material layer and the noble material layer; and 
   a second insulating layer coupled to the heating region and to the first insulating layer.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate buffer layer that provides a diffusion barrier between the adhesion material layer and the noble material layer. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the intermediate buffer layer comprises one or more of platinum and titanium. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal oxide between the substrate and the first insulating layer. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising, proximal to the heating region, a reflection mitigating coating, that mitigates reflection of light from the heating region toward photodetectors of an optical subsystem. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesion material layer comprises one or more of chromium, titanium, niobium, and vanadium. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesion material layer thickness is less than about 100 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the noble material layer includes one or more of gold, platinum, and tungsten, palladium. 
     
     
         9 . A system, comprising:
 a substrate;   a first insulating layer on the substrate, suitable for coupling to a detection chamber;   a heating region comprising a heating element, a sensing element, an adhesion material layer in contact with the first insulating layer, and a noble metal layer in contact with the adhesion material layer;   a second insulating layer coupled to the first insulating layer through a pattern of voids in the heating region, the pattern of voids defining
 a first pattern comprising a global morphology at a first size scale, the first pattern associated with the heating element of the heating region; and 
 a second pattern comprising a local morphology at a second size scale smaller than the first size scale, the second pattern integrated into the first pattern and associated with the sensing element of the heating region; and 
   an intermediate buffer layer that provides a diffusion barrier between the adhesion material layer and the noble metal layer.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the intermediate buffer layer comprises one or more of platinum and titanium. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the global morphology has one or more of a circular footprint, an ellipsoidal footprint, and a polygonal footprint. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the global morphology provides conformation in shape between the heating region and the detection chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a controller coupled to the heating element and the sensing element. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising an anti-reflective coating covering the heating region. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the sensing element is centrally located within the global morphology of the heating element. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising an oxide material on the first insulating layer. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a heat-sink support coupled to the substrate to dissipate heat generated by the heating element. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing a system, the method comprising:
 forming a first insulating layer on exposed surfaces of a substrate;   depositing an adhesion material layer onto the first insulating layer;   depositing a noble metal layer onto the adhesion material layer;   forming, in a heating region of the substrate, a heating element having a pattern of voids that def 111 es a coarse pattern;   forming, in the heating region of the substrate, a sensing element having a pattern of voids that defines a f 111 e pattern integrated into the coarse pattern;   forming a second insulating layer coupled to the first insulating layer by the pattern of voids; and   annealing the first and second insulating layers.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein forming the pattern of voids comprises lithographically etching boustrophedonic segments across the adhesion material layer and the noble material layer, including wide segments of the coarse pattern associated with the heating element, and narrow segments of the fine pattern associated with the sensing element. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the narrow segments of the fine pattern are surrounded by the wide segments of the coarse pattern.