Highly sensitive fluorescence detection on a biochip

Ruckstuhl, T. and Blue, R. and Spillman, S. and Kent, N. and McEvoy, H. and Laib, S. and McDonagh, C and MacCraith, B. D. (2006) Highly sensitive fluorescence detection on a biochip. In: Pushing the technology envelope III: The next generations of diagnostic testing, Oak Ridge Conference, San Jose, April 2006., 2006-04-20.

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Abstract

A novel, generic lab-on-a-chip platform and associated readout instrumentation is presented. This high-sensitivity system has been developed for the efficient detection of surface-generated fluorescence in biomedical diagnostic applications. The proofof-principle polymer chip contains a 3×3 array of paraboloid elements designed to capture supercritical angle fluorescence (SAF) emitted from biorecognition zones on the top of each paraboloid. Each such element exhibits a fluorescence collection efficiency of 32%, comparable only to sophisticated microscope objectives of high numerical aperture. Furthermore, the chip optical design results in strict confinement of the fluorescence excitation to the surface. Consequently, this inexpensive chip combines the collecting power of modern microscopy optics with strong discrimination between surface and bulk fluorescence. The chip allows for simultaneous detection of 9 different targets (e.g. biomarkers) with very high sensitivity and also facilitates monitoring of receptor-ligand binding in real time. The chip is fabricated in the low fluorescence polymer Zeonor and is compatible with mass production via micro-injection moulding. The performance of the platform is demonstrated by application to a standard bioassay.

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