A Concept for a Sensitive Micro Total Analysis System for High Throughput Fluorescence Imaging

Abstract: This paper discusses possible methods for on-chip fluorescent imaging forintegrated bio-sensors. The integration of optical and electro-optical accessories, accordingto suggested methods, can improve the performance of fluorescence imaging. It can boostthe signal to background ratio by a few orders of magnitudes in comparison to conventionaldiscrete setups. The methods that are present in this paper are oriented towards buildingreproducible arrays for high-throughput micro total analysis systems (μTAS). The firstmethod relates to side illumination of the fluorescent material placed into micro-compartments of the lab-on-chip. Its significance is in high utilization of excitation energyfor low concentration of fluorescent material. The utilization of a transparent μLED chip,for the second method, allows the placement of the excitation light sources on the sameoptical axis with emission detector, such that the excitation and emission rays are directedcontroversly. The third method presents a spatial filtering of the excitation background.