Silicon microsystem passivation for high-voltage applications in DNA chips
Abstract DNA chips conform to a field of primary interest, where many different knowledge areas converge into a multidisciplinary effort to develop new devices and methodologies for DNA analysis. In DNA electrophoresis techniques, silicon chips present many advantages (such as the possibility of integrating electronic and optical circuitry, an established know-how on processing, etc.), but they also pose the problem of effective isolation for the application of the required electric fields. In this article, we describe a novel methodology, compatible with device sealing techniques, for electrically isolating a DNA chip.