Laminated DNA Chip with Silicon-Plastic Micro-Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current DNA analysis chips with micro-channels face challenges in achieving both high-performance DNA extraction and amplification, particularly from blood samples, due to limitations in material substrates, such as poor thermal conductivity and non-specific adsorption issues with plastic and silicon substrates, which hinder quick, convenient, and versatile operations.
Innovation Solution
A DNA chip with a laminated structure of silicon and plastic layers, incorporating multiple PCR reactors, a filter, and a sensor, where the plastic layer is configured to change based on the analyte and object, enabling high-speed temperature control and versatile applications like DNA extraction, amplification, and SNP detection from both genome and blood samples.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a plastic substrate is used for the chip with micro-channel, then material cost is low and affinity with biological material is high, but thermal conductivity is insufficient for high-speed PCR and fine structure formation is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a laminated substrate structure combining plastic and silicon layers. The plastic layer provides low cost and good affinity with biological materials, while the silicon layer provides high thermal conductivity for rapid temperature changes in PCR. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by integrating the advantages of both materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate is divided into functional regions: a plastic layer for sample handling and reagent storage, and a silicon layer for thermal processing during PCR. This segmentation allows each material to perform its optimal function without compromise.
2Temperature
If a silicon substrate is used for the chip with micro-channel, then thermal conductivity is high for PCR and fine structures are easily formed, but affinity with biological material is low causing non-specific adsorption
Solution Approach 1:
The laminated structure places the silicon layer in contact with the sample, providing high thermal conductivity for PCR, while the plastic layer provides good affinity with biological materials, preventing non-specific adsorption. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by assigning different functional roles to each material layer.
3Device complexity
If only one substrate material (silicon or plastic) is used, then device structure is simple, but it is difficult to meet all requirements for DNA analysis including extraction, amplification, and detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a laminated substrate combining plastic and silicon layers, where each layer contributes specific properties: plastic for sample handling and reagent storage, silicon for thermal processing. This composite structure enables multiple functionalities (extraction, amplification, detection) while maintaining reasonable device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The laminated substrate design creates a universal platform that can perform multiple DNA analysis operations including extraction, PCR amplification, and detection, accommodating various analyte types and genetic markers, thereby achieving high versatility.
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
This configuration allows for quick and convenient DNA analysis, accommodating multiple applications, including DNA extraction and amplification from blood, with enhanced versatility and stability in reagent and analyte handling, facilitating personalized medicine.
Implementation Method 1
the silicon substrate is suitable for formation of a fine filter structure and a PCR thermal reactor because fine structures are easily formed by a semiconductor lithography technique and the thermal conductivity is higher by 2 to 3 order of magnitude than that of plastic
Implementation Method 2
the pump supplies the reagent to the PCR reactors via the micro channel such that mixture of the reagent and the analyte is supplied to the PCR reactors
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a DNA chip with micro-channel for DNA analysis, which has a structure in which a silicon layer (chip A) and a plastic layer (chip B) are laminated, wherein the chip A includes at least two PCR reactors connected in series in a micro-channel, and a filter between the PCR reactors, the chip B includes a reagent, a liquid delivery mechanism and a sensor in a micro-channel, and the reagent, liquid delivery mechanism and sensor can be changed according to a kind of an analyte and an object to be detected.