High-Speed DNA Sequencing with Optically Active Nanopore

摘要

A nanoscale-sized pore positioned between two reservoirs may sequence biomolecules by detecting changes in the emitted light due to a change in charge of portions of the biomolecules as they pass through the pore such as affect an emission frequency of a quantum structure proximate to the pore opening. The nanopores may be fabricated using local droplet etching whose randomness is accommodated by lowering the droplet density to permit isolation of nanopores in tiles that may be adhered to an underlying supporting substrate having an aligned opening. The nanopore-tiles may be integrated with commonly applied glass chips and may be employed in microfluidic circuitry.

主权项

1. An apparatus for a measurement of biomolecules comprising:
a separator having a nanopore providing a passage through the separator, the nanopore incorporating a nanoscale semiconductor element proximate to the passage and adapted to emit light with a frequency dependent on a charge of a portion of a biomolecule passing through the nanopore; a reservoir system holding a fluid on opposite sides of the separator to provide a flow of biomolecules through the nanopore from one side of the separator to the other; a spectrometer receiving emitted light from the nanoscale semiconductor element to measure frequency of that light with flow of biomolecules through the nanopore; and an electronic computer communicating with the spectrometer and executing a program to relate light frequency measured by the spectrometer to the structure of the portion of the biomolecules thereby providing a sequencing of a biomolecule structure as it passes through the nanopore.