An electronic chip for large-scale DNA writing

Overview

High-density electrochemical DNA writing on CMOS chips for large-scale molecular data storage.

Guilhem LARRIEU, CR CNRS

The SCALE project develops a high-density DNA writing platform based on a CMOS chip integrating microelectrode arrays with several hundred thousand simultaneous writing sites, combined with automated ultra-low-volume microfluidics (< 1 µL).

Using a fast electrochemical approach, the platform enables localized pH control to trigger enzyme-driven DNA synthesis in a massively parallel fashion.

Keywords : CMOS chip, DNA writing, Electrochemical pH control, lab-on-chip, co-integration, big data, microfluidics

Missions

Our researches

Understanding on-chip electrochemical properties

Study the kinetics and stability of local pH control on sub-micrometer electrodes to optimize enzyme-driven DNA synthesis. Experimental results will be correlated with multiphysics simulations to identify optimal geometries and operating conditions.

Design of the large-scale CMOS addressing chip

Design a CMOS chip delivering sub-nanoampere currents to a large number of independent sites with high uniformity and reliability

Monolithic integration of CMOS, microelectrodes, and microfluidics

Develop low-temperature BEOL processes to deposit and connect the electrodes to the CMOS top metal layer. An aligned microfluidic module will ensure rapid reagent switching and stable chemical flow.

Demonstration of fast and massively parallel DNA writing

Combine the CMOS-microfluidic platform with PEPR enzymatic DNA-writing chemistries to demonstrate the first DNA synthesis on several hundred thousand simultaneous sites, achieving sub-second cycles and enabling highly scalable DNA writing.