In-situ label-free temperature-compensated DNA hybridization detection with a fiber-optic interferometer and a fiber Bragg grating for microfluidic chip

Abstract

We demonstrated a temperature-compensated optofluidic DNA biosensor available for microfluidic chip. The optofluidic sensor was composed of an interferometer and a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) by femtosecond laser direct writing micro/nano processing technology. The sensing arm of the interferometer was suspended on the inner wall of the microchannel and could directly interact with the microfluid. With the immobilization of the single stranded probe DNA (pDNA), this optofluidic biosensor could achieve specific detection of single stranded complementary DNA (scDNA). The experimental results indicated that a linear response within 50 nM and the detection limit of 1.87 nM were achieved. In addition, the optofluidic biosensor could simultaneously monitor temperature to avoid temperature fluctuations interfering with the DNA hybridization detection process. And, the optofluidic detection channel could achieve fast sample replacement within 10 s at a flow rate of 2 μL/min and sample consumption only required nanoliters. This optofluidic DNA biosensor had the advantages of label-free, good specificity, dual parameter detection, low sample consumption, fast response, and easy repeatable preparation, which was of great significance for the field of DNA hybridization research and solving the temperature sensitivity problem of biosensors and had good prospects in biological analysis.