Biochemical Detection Module with 3D Sensor Chip Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing biochemical detection systems face limitations in throughput and cost optimization due to constraints in chip array architecture and reagent usage, particularly in two-dimensional planes, leading to challenges in expanding detection channels without increasing reagent amounts.
Innovation Solution
A detection module with a fluid tank and chip carriers arranged three-dimensionally, allowing sensor chips to face the same fluid channel, enabling increased detection density and throughput without significantly increasing reagent use, utilizing photoelectric or electrical sensors for data generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the detection array architecture is expanded by increasing chip area in the two-dimensional plane, then the detection throughput is improved, but the amount of reagents used increases by at least the same proportion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional planar chip architecture to a three-dimensional stacked architecture. Multiple sensor chips are stacked vertically with each chip facing a fluid channel, enabling the system to increase detection throughput by utilizing the vertical dimension rather than expanding horizontally. This dimensional change allows multiple detection channels to share the same reagent supply path, thereby increasing throughput without proportionally increasing reagent consumption.
2Productivity
If the in-plane channel density of a single chip is increased, then the detection throughput is improved, but significant technical challenges and physical limitations are encountered
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing in-plane channel density which encounters physical limitations and technical challenges, the patent stacks multiple sensor chips vertically. Each chip in the stack can have moderate channel density, but the overall system achieves high throughput through the vertical arrangement. This approach avoids the diminishing returns and technical difficulties associated with extreme in-plane densification.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection system is segmented into multiple independent sensor chips stacked vertically. Each chip contains a subset of the total detection channels and can be manufactured and assembled separately. This segmentation distributes the technical complexity across multiple manageable units rather than concentrating all channels in a single highly complex chip.
3Productivity
If the scale of detection channels is increased to improve throughput, then the detection capability is enhanced, but the unit cost of detection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stacked sensor chip architecture creates a multi-functional system where a single reagent supply path serves multiple detection channels across different chips. The fluid tank and channel structure act as a shared resource that supports parallel detection operations, thereby reducing the per-channel cost compared to having separate reagent paths for each channel.
Solution Approach 2:
By stacking chips vertically rather than expanding horizontally, the system achieves scale economies. The vertical arrangement allows multiple channels to share common reagent supply infrastructure (fluid tank, inlet, outlet), reducing the incremental cost of adding detection capacity compared to horizontal expansion where each additional channel would require dedicated reagent paths.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances detection throughput and optimizes costs by allowing for higher channel density and parallel processing capabilities in biochemical analysis, applicable to gene sequencing and other molecular detection tasks.
Implementation Method 1
a photoelectric sensor configured to sense a fluorescent signal to generate corresponding characteristic data, where the fluorescent signal is generated in response to a loading and/or biochemical reaction of the target sample on the corresponding sensor chip
Implementation Method 2
an electrical sensor configured to sense an electrical signal to generate corresponding characteristic data, where the electrical signal is generated in response to a loading and/or biochemical reaction of the target sample on the corresponding sensor chip
Data Source
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AI summary
A detection module for performing a biochemical analysis on a target sample and a method of using the same are provided. The detection module includes: a fluid tank (100) defining a fluid channel (101), where the fluid channel allows a carrier reagent carrying the target sample to be detected to flow through; and at least two chip carriers (210, 220) arranged on different sides of the fluid tank (100), where each chip carrier (210, 220) carries a sensor chip (310, 320), the sensor chips (310, 320) carried on the at least two chip carriers (210, 220) face the same fluid channel (101) of the fluid tank (100) so that the target sample in the carrier reagent in the fluid channel (101) is loaded onto the sensor chips (310, 320), and each sensor chip (310, 320) is configured to measure a characteristic related to the target sample loaded onto the sensor chip so as to generate characteristic data.