Photothermal temperature control of a chemical reaction on a microchip using an infrared diode laser

We have demonstrated that a miniaturized device with IR laser heating of the solvent, based on a photothermal effect, is capable of fast and localized control of an enzymatic reaction on a microchip under flow conditions. Using noncontact spectroscopic temperature-sensing techniques, we measured temperature dynamics and spatial distribution and compared the measurements with results of numerical simulation analysis. The device was operated at ultrafast heating and cooling rates of 67 and 53 degrees C/s, respectively, which is 30 times faster than conventional systems and 3-6 times faster than electrothermal miniaturized thermocyclers. The IR laser-mediated heater is characterized by a significantly reduced heated volume of only 5 nL, compared to existing chip-based systems with electrothermal heating. Direct heating of a sample with extremely small heat capacity led us to a fast heating rate, and efficient heat removal through heat transfer to the glass substrate resulted in a fast cooling rate. Reproducible temperature levels with dwell times shorter than 0.5 s were achieved. The enzyme reaction on a chip was successfully controlled with 0.6-s time resolution, using periodic photothermal heating by IR laser. The IR diode laser is compact and thus suits well the miniaturized system design. Our work gives the basis for integration in a chip format of a variety of chemical processes that require fast temperature control.