Research progress on rapid temperature control technology for nucleic acid amplification in microfluidic chips

Purpose Nucleic acid amplification forms the core of molecular diagnostics, with its efficiency dependent upon rapid and precise temperature control. Sensor-based closed-loop control serves as a key approach, whilst microfluidic chips provide an ideal platform for efficient thermal regulation. This paper aims to review recent advances in microfluidic chip temperature control technologies and explores their application prospects and challenges in point-of-care testing. Design/methodology/approach Through systematic analysis of thermal heating, optical heating, semiconductor thermoelectric cooling (TEC) and fluid-driven fixed-temperature-zone strategies, this study compares their performance in heating rates, temperature uniformity, and system integration. Application discussions are supplemented with recent research examples. Findings Different temperature control methods possess distinct advantages: electrical heating offers simplicity but higher power consumption; optical heating provides rapid temperature rise yet is constrained by light source coupling; TEC enables bidirectional temperature regulation but requires complex heat dissipation design; while fixed-temperature-zone fluid-driven systems demonstrate outstanding performance in continuous-flow PCR. Originality/value This review paper assesses the efficacy, advantages, disadvantages and clinical feasibility of various temperature control solutions incorporating temperature sensors, based on the requirements of microfluidic nucleic acid amplification. It aims to provide design references for future high-efficiency molecular diagnostic systems.