Self-Organized Microdroplet Probing for Reusable Sensor Chips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microfluidic chips used for high-throughput parallelized analysis are prone to mechanical damage and contamination, making them single-use products, which is costly and time-consuming, and sample preparation is challenging due to their small size, leading to unreliable results.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a sensor chip with a sensing layer and a measurement volume where a carrier fluid with sample objects forms a self-organized structure, allowing measurements to be performed without individual sample wells or coatings, facilitating easy handling and re-use of the chip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If microfluidic chips with small sample wells (10-100 μm) are used for high-throughput parallelized analysis, then the throughput and ability to process large numbers of samples simultaneously is improved, but the chips become prone to mechanical damage and contamination, requiring single-use disposal which increases cost and time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the measurement function into two independent parts: a reusable macroscopic sensor chip with robust sensing elements, and disposable microscopic sample objects (microdroplets or microparticles) that contain the samples. This segmentation allows the expensive sensor chip to be reused while the inexpensive sample objects are discarded, resolving the contradiction between high throughput and chip durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention nests multiple samples within a single microdroplet or microparticle, which then serves as a container for parallelized measurement. Multiple sample objects can be arranged in the measurement volume simultaneously, enabling high-throughput analysis while protecting the sensor chip from direct contact with numerous individual samples, thus improving both throughput and chip reliability.
2Productivity
If microfluidic chips with small sample wells (10-100 μm) are used for high-throughput parallelized analysis, then the throughput is improved, but complete removal of samples from sample wells becomes impossible, leading to contamination and requiring chip replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sample containment function from the sensor chip by placing samples in separate microdroplets or microparticles that are introduced into the measurement volume. This extraction allows samples to be completely removed from the measurement volume after analysis by simply flushing the carrier fluid, preventing contamination of the sensor chip and enabling reuse, thus maintaining high throughput while eliminating contamination issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a carrier fluid as an intermediary medium that carries sample-containing microdroplets or microparticles through the measurement volume. This intermediary allows samples to be introduced and removed without direct contact with the sensor chip surfaces, preventing contamination while enabling high-throughput parallelized measurement of multiple samples.
3Productivity
If samples are prepared in small sample wells (10-100 μm), then high-throughput parallelized measurement is enabled, but sample preparation becomes difficult due to tiny volumes and samples may evaporate during preparation and measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates multiple identical copies of samples in the form of microdroplets or microparticles generated from a single carrier fluid stream. This copying approach allows parallelized measurement of multiple samples without the need for manual preparation of each individual sample in tiny wells, significantly simplifying sample preparation while maintaining high throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses fluid dynamics (hydraulics) to generate, transport, and position multiple sample-containing microdroplets or microparticles in the measurement volume through a carrier fluid. This hydraulic approach enables automated sample delivery and preparation, eliminating the need for manual handling of tiny sample volumes and simplifying the preparation process while maintaining high throughput.
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 approach simplifies sample preparation and handling, reduces contamination risks, and enables cost-effective, high-throughput parallelized probing of multiple samples without the need for frequent chip replacement, improving measurement reliability.
Implementation Method 1
A number of sample objects in the measurement volume is controlled such that the sample objects form a self-organized structure in the measurement volume
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a method for parallelized probing of a plurality of samples, a sensor chip for parallelized probing of a plurality of samples, a sensing device for parallelized probing of a plurality of samples, and a measurement system for parallelized probing of a plurality of samples. The method comprises providing a sensor chip, the sensor chip comprising a sensing layer arranged in or on a substrate and a measurement volume adjacent to the sensing layer. The sensing layer comprises a plurality of sensing elements, each of which is configured to generate a sensor signal characterizing a physical observable in the vicinity of the respective sensing element. A carrier fluid comprising a plurality of sample objects is provided to the measurement volume, wherein each of the sample objects comprises or forms a respective sample. A number of sample objects in the measurement volume is controlled such that the sample objects form a self-organized structure in the measurement volume. The self-organized structure is a structure in which the arrangement of the sample objects is at least in part defined by interactions between the sample objects themselves. A measurement is performed on one or more of the samples while the sample objects are arranged in the self-organized structure, wherein a measurement on a sample is performed using one or more sensing elements arranged adjacent to the respective sample object in the self-organized structure.