Love wave devices combined with new PDMS microfluidic chips for biodetection

We present the development of new Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) 3D-chip, which are coupled with Love acoustic wave sensors (SAW sensor) to realize a detection cell of bio-organisms in liquid media. Three generations of biocompatible PDMS chips have been developed. Built-in thermistors allow a thermal control (±0.05°C). Unlike the usual assemblies, the chip is maintained by pressure on the sensor instead of being welded on its surface. This technique makes it entirely removable and cleanable. Typically, the acoustic microsensor is functionalized with a monomolecular film of (3-glycidoxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GPTS) to covalently graft bio-receptive antibodies onto the sensor surface. The realization of these chips is quick and inexpensive. As an example, the immobilization of goat anti-mouse antibodies (GAM) is real-time monitored.