World-to-chip interconnects for efficient loading of genomic DNA into microfluidic channels

Humphreys, Tim, Andersson, Johan, Sodervall, Ulf and Melvin, Tracy (2009) World-to-chip interconnects for efficient loading of genomic DNA into microfluidic channels. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 19 (10), 105024-105032. (doi:10.1088/0960-1317/19/10/105024).

Record type: Article

Abstract

A novel sloped interconnect for the efficient delivery of long genomic DNA fragments into a microfluidic channel is designed, fabricated and tested. Out-of-plane slopes are fabricated in silicon wafers using the deep reactive-ion etch lag phenomenon and a combination of anisotropic and isotropic etching. The final structure is capped with anodically bonded glass. Based upon a series of etch-lag calibration studies, the interconnect was designed using finite element analysis to provide a channel with flow acceleration properties appropriate to straighten DNA molecules. The efficiency of transit of the 48.5 kb DNA fragments (~16.5 µm long when fully extended) through the microfluidic device, established using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, is 95 ± 7.3% .

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