Microfluidic handling of PCR solution and DNA amplification on a reaction chamber array biochip

Abstract

A microfluidic biochip for conducting an array of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) simultaneously was fabricated to understand the microfluidic loading process of PCR solution into microfabricated glass reaction chambers. The geometrical factors of the microfluidic structure, including the shape and depth of the microchamber, shape and size of the microchannels were investigated on the formation of air bubbles trapped within the microchamber during the PCR solution loading process. Furthermore, the effects of surface properties of the microfluidic structure, including hydrophilicity of the microchamber and inlet channel, and hydrophobicity of the outlet channel, on the loading of PCR solution, especially on the formation of air bubbles were studied. As a result, the surface wetting property of the microchamber was found to be the main reason for the formation of the air bubbles inside the microchamber during the loading of PCR solution in the biochips. A solution to avoid the air trapping has been proposed and investigated.