Micro Patterned Quantum Dots Excitation for Cellular Microarray Imaging

摘要

We present a compact light source designed for arrayed lab-on-chip cell imaging with the motivation of creating a microchip based system for detection of tumor cells. We aim at creating a multicolor light source that can be integrated for on-chip imaging. Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) were used as the emission layer due to their unique capabilities like multicolor emission, multiple available methods of electrical and photo excitation and compatibility with silicon fabrication were achieved. Micropatterning of QDs was used to create both electrically and photo excited light sources. We study the photo activated source as a robust, high intensity light source which can be easily integrated with lab-on-chip systems while requiring additional filters and excitation systems and compare it with an electrically excited source with the capability of individually addressable, multicolor sources on a single substrate eliminating the need for additional optical components. To demonstrate the efficacy of our design, we performed ex vivo transmission mode microscopy to evaluate the nucleus-cytoplasm ratios of cancer cells. We showed the capability of imaging of inner cell structures using multiple wavelengths to perform high contrast imaging and observation. We performed immunofluorescence excitation of MDA-MB 231 cancer cells, cultured in a microwell array. Our method provides patterned multicolor light sources and low cost which are suitable for high-throughput microarray cellular imaging.