Plasmonic materials and manufacturing methods for rapid and sustainable thermal cycler for PCR

Multiple outbreaks of fatal infectious diseases throughout history have intensified the need for early diagnostic methods to efficiently control their spread. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnosis is a sensitive, accurate, and effective method for detecting infections. However, conventional PCR-based diagnosis is slow and consumes large amounts of energy, primarily because of bulky, power-consuming thermal cyclers. Herein, we review recently published PCR-based diagnostic methods, in which plasmonic light-to-heat conversion-based thermal cyclers replace conventional ones. First, we explain the structures of recently developed rapid plasmonic-based thermal cyclers and review the various materials used. Next, we review the fabrication methods used in recent developments in rapid plasmonic thermal cyclers. Then, we discuss sustainable methods that have been and can be implemented to develop a rapid plasmonic thermal cycler. With this review, the requirements for developing a plasmonic-based sustainable PCR with high speed, accuracy, and sensitivity can be understood to contain future pandemics.