A microfabricated, electrochemiluminescence cell for the detection of amplified DNA

Abstract An electrochemical cell for the generation and detection of electrochemiluminescence of tris (2,2′-bipyridyl) ruthenium(II) has been microfabricated in silicon. The cell has been designed for use in the detection and quantification of DNA which has been amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. The cell is a vertical assembly of micromachined silicon and glass substrates, containing a gold, thin film cathode and an indium tin oxide, thin film anode. The anode is transparent, enabling the detection of the luminescence by an external photodetector. Preliminary tests have yielded the detection of free TBR concentrations from 10 −9 M to 10 −3 M with a cell volume of 85 μl.