Development of Technology for Silicon Test Device for Genetic Analyses

The development of miniaturised devices for genetic diagnosis is of great interest for medicine applications. In this paper, we focus on the design, the experimental technology and characterization of a new silicon micro-bio-chip for rapid testing of DNA material. This chip integrates two classical processes for DNA analysis: polymerase chain reaction - PCR technique for fragments amplification and electrophoresis for separation of DNA fragments respectively. The proposed device was realized on silicon substrate and it consists of two reservoirs connected by one channel and two electrodes inside of reservoirs; the backside electrical circuit allows the control of temperature variation. The structures were tested using human DNA and the corresponding analyses time was less than 45 min