Methods for forming lipid bilayers on biochips

A method for forming a lipid bilayer for use in a nanopore sensing device, comprising:

• (a) providing a primed chip comprising a fluid flow path in fluid communication with a plurality of sensing electrodes;
• (b) flowing at least one bubble into the fluid flow path and adjacent to said plurality of sensing electrodes such that the bubble spans the plurality of sensing electrodes;
• and
• (c) contacting the periphery of the bubble with a lipid, wherein the lipid diffuses under the bubble and onto the fluid flow path, thereby forming a lipid bilayer adjacent to the sensing electrodes.

A nanopore sensing system, comprising:

• (a) a chip comprising a fluid flow path in fluid communication with a plurality of sensing electrodes, wherein each of said sensing electrodes is configured to detect an ionic current or change in resistance, conductance, charge, or voltage upon a nucleic acid incorporation or capture event;
• and
• (b) a control system coupled to said chip, said control system programmed to:
• i. flow an ionic solution across the chip followed by flowing a lipid solution into the fluid flow path;
• ii. flow at least one bubble into the fluid flow path and adjacent to the sensing electrodes for a time period of at least about 0.5 second, wherein the bubble spans the plurality of sensing electrodes, and wherein the flow of the bubble into the fluid flow path forms a lipid bilayer adjacent to the sensing electrodes.