Thermally controlled electrochemical CMOS microsystem for protein array biosensors.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Protein activity in biosensors is often temperature-dependent, necessitating precise thermal control.
• Existing microhotplate technologies for biosensors can be complex and lack integration.
• Thermoregulation is crucial for optimizing protein function and biosensor reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a CMOS microhotplate array for integrated thermal control in protein biosensor microsystems.
• To achieve precise, site-specific temperature regulation within a liquid sample environment.
• To enhance biosensor interrogation throughput via compact, low-power thermal control.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a CMOS microhotplate array designed for protein interfaces.
• Integration with a CMOS analog thermal controller for on-chip thermoregulation.
• Testing of thermal control accuracy (±1°C) and thermal isolation between array elements.

Main Results:

• The developed microhotplates offer suitable thermal control for biosensor applications with reduced process complexity.
• The integrated system achieved precise temperature setting and holding for each protein site.
• Effective thermal isolation (>0.4 mm) was demonstrated between adjacent microhotplate elements.
• The compact and low-power controller design facilitates per-element integration.

Conclusions:

• The integrated CMOS microhotplate array provides effective and efficient thermal control for protein biosensors.
• This technology enables enhanced biosensor performance and increased interrogation throughput.
• The system's design offers a practical solution for thermoregulation in advanced biosensor microsystems.