Domenico Giannone, Fabian Dortu, Damien Bernier, Nigel Johnson, Graham Sharp, Lianping Hou, Ali Khokhar, Péter Fürjes, Sándor Kurunczi, Peter Petrik, Robert Horvath, Timo Aalto, Kai Kolari, Sami Ylinen, Tomi Haatainen, Holger Egger
We present the most recent results of EU funded project P3SENS
(FP7-ICT-2009.3.8) aimed at the development of a
low-cost and medium sensitivity polymer based photonic biosensor for point of care applications in proteomics. The
fabrication of the polymer photonic chip (biosensor) using thermal nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is described. This
technique offers the potential for very large production at reduced cost. However several technical challenges arise due
to the properties of the used materials. We believe that, once the NIL technique has been optimised to the specific
materials, it could be even transferred to a kind of roll-to-roll production for manufacturing a very large number of
photonic devices at reduced cost.
F. Dortu, H. Egger, K. Kolari, T. Haatainen, P. Furjes, Z. Fekete, D. Bernier, G. Sharp, B. Lahiri, S. Kurunczi, J.-C. Sanchez, N. Turck, P. Petrik, D. Patko, R. Horvath, S. Eiden, T. Aalto, S. Watts, N. Johnson, R. De La Rue, D. Giannone
In this work, we report advances in the fabrication and anticipated performance of a polymer biosensor photonic chip
developed in the European Union project P3SENS (FP7-ICT4-248304). Due to the low cost requirements of point-ofcare
applications, the photonic chip is fabricated from nanocomposite polymeric materials, using highly scalable nanoimprint-
lithography (NIL). A suitable microfluidic structure transporting the analyte solutions to the sensor area is also
fabricated in polymer and adequately bonded to the photonic chip.
We first discuss the design and the simulated performance of a high-Q resonant cavity photonic crystal sensor made of a
high refractive index polyimide core waveguide on a low index polymer cladding. We then report the advances in doped
and undoped polymer thin film processing and characterization for fabricating the photonic sensor chip. Finally the
development of the microfluidic chip is presented in details, including the characterisation of the fluidic behaviour, the
technological and material aspects of the 3D polymer structuring and the stable adhesion strategies for bonding the
fluidic and the photonic chips, with regards to the constraints imposed by the bioreceptors supposedly already present on
the sensors.
Diffraction gratings were designed and fabricated on a SiN/SiO2 planar waveguide to couple light from a low power 488 nm
laser beam into the planar waveguide. The light propagating in the waveguide was then used to detect fluoresceine from
volume on the planar waveguide surface. The results demonstrate the capability for very simple and fast analytical
throughput for quantification of fluorescent samples, essentially without cross-talk. The transmission measurements show
about 10% diffraction efficiency with 0.06° FWHM. The diffraction efficiency and the incidence angle for the maximum
diffraction efficiency were observed to be highly dependent on the process parameters used to fabricate the gratings. The
fluorescence signal was observed to be linear for fluoresceine concentrations between 10-9 and 10-3 M.
Several microfluidic platforms incorporating cavities and channels have been designed and fabricated in silicon and fused silica. C4F8 and SF6 plasmas are used to etch reproducibly 400 μm features in silicon and 150 μm in fused silica. Hydrophilic surface characteristics allow capillary action without external pumping or electro-osmosis. Filling of poled cavities can be triggered by increasing temperature i.e. by tuning hydrophobicity of a channel. The pole structure can also be used for sieving particles of different size or elasticity. In this work, agarose beads trapped by poles were used for solid phase extraction. By covering the microfluidic features, filling is also achieved by cooling the substrate. Filling velocities of aqueous solutions have been observed to depend strongly on liquid composition, but also final treatment and roughness of silicon or silica surface. Mixing of two aqueous solutions can also be triggered by increasing temperature. Cavities with pre-immobilised substance can be filled simultaneously or, if necessary, sequentially. Various non-leaking 3D channel networks can be constructed by gluing, fusion or anodic bonding of many silicon or glass wafers including via holes. Integrating of electrical circuits for both silicon and silica is possible by standard IC technology.
Heated liquid cavities have been studied. Microlitre scale liquid cavities were etched to the surface of a silicon wafer. Liquid cavities were sealed with a glass cover. Integration of active components to the silicon support is also possible. A heater and a thermistor element are integrated into the silicon support. A pole structure was used within the wells for thermal optimization and self-feeding. The pole structure increases the surface area between silicon and liquid, which enhances thermal transport between silicon and liquid. The temperature of the water is also more uniform. The pole structure also makes the liquid cavity semiporous, enabling the self-feeding of samples due to capillary force. Active silicon support could be used in diagnostics and in biotechnology. Silicon supports were tested in PCR (Polymerace Chain Reaction). The construction of the temperature controlling setup for the silicon support is described. Temperature controlling setup is an independent measuring setup. Interface to the silicon support is made with a printed board to a microscope glass slide format. It is possible to use the printed board interface in a microarray reader. The contruction of a fluorescence measurement setup based on a microarray reader is described.
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