Patterned Conductive Layer for Microfluidic Chip Heating Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) technology using multi-well plates is cumbersome and inefficient, consuming large amounts of samples and reagents, and lacks sensitivity and accuracy compared to microfluidic technology.
Innovation Solution
A microfluidic substrate with a patterned conductive layer that improves heating uniformity and reduces the low-temperature edge area, allowing for a smaller chip size and increased reaction chambers per unit area, featuring conductive patterns with maximum local resistance at ends and a parallel circuit structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a traditional uniform conductive layer is used for heating, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the temperature uniformity across the chip is poor with significant low-temperature edge areas
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive layer is divided into multiple conductive patterns with different local resistance characteristics. Edge regions have higher local resistance to generate more heat at the edges, while center regions have lower local resistance. This non-uniform local resistance distribution compensates for the edge effect and achieves uniform temperature across the entire chip surface.
2Productivity
If the chip size is reduced to increase reaction chambers per unit area, then the productivity increases, but the heating uniformity becomes more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing local quality variation in the conductive patterns, the chip can maintain uniform heating even at reduced sizes. The edge conductive patterns with higher resistance compensate for edge heat loss, ensuring that all reaction chambers including those at the edge receive adequate and uniform heating, thus enabling higher chamber density without sacrificing thermal performance.
3Area of stationary object
If the conductive layer covers the entire chip area, then the heating coverage is complete, but the chip size increases reducing the number of reaction chambers
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive layer is transformed from a uniform continuous structure into discrete conductive patterns with varying resistance parameters. This parameter change allows the heating function to be distributed across multiple localized patterns rather than requiring a single large continuous layer, thus maintaining complete heating coverage while reducing the overall chip footprint and increasing reaction chamber density.
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
The solution enhances temperature uniformity, reduces chip size, and increases the number of reaction chambers per unit area, improving the efficiency and accuracy of dPCR processes.
Implementation Method 1
the patterned design of the conductive layer improves the uniformity of heating and reduces the low-temperature edge area of the conductive layer
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a microfluidic substrate, a microfluidic chip and a manufacturing method thereof. The microfluidic substrate includes: a first substrate; a conductive layer on the first substrate; and a defining layer on a side of the conductive layer facing away from the first substrate, the defining layer defining a concave portion; wherein the conductive layer comprises a plurality of conductive patterns corresponding to the concave portion, the plurality of conductive patterns are arranged along a first direction, each conductive pattern extends along a second direction and comprises a first end and a second end, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, and each conductive pattern has a maximum local resistance value at the first end and the second end of the conductive pattern.