Radio-Frequency Nanopore Sensor

摘要

An electrically conductive nanoscale pore may be employed as an antenna to provide precise localized measurements of the impedance-altering characteristics of a molecule such as DNA or RNA or the like passing through the pore. The use of radiofrequency measurements promises high-speed analysis of long molecules (polymers).

主权项

1. A method of sensing molecules using a nanochannel sensor having:
a first antenna structure providing an electrically conductive material defining a nanoscale pore; a membrane having a first side and a second side and supporting the first antenna structure so that the nanoscale pore provides a passage through the membrane between the first side and second side; and a second antenna structure electrically proximate to the first antenna structure to electrically couple radiofrequency signals between the first antenna structure and the conductive material of the second antenna structure and from the conductive material of the second antenna structure to a molecule passing through the second antenna structure; a measurement circuit communicating with the first antenna structure to producing a radiofrequency signal and measuring a change in the radiofrequency signal with the passage of a molecule through the nanoscale pore of the first antenna structure caused by a change in electrical impedance of the electrically conductive material of the first antenna structure as coupled to the second antenna structure and the molecule; wherein the nanoscale pore has an internal diameter of less than three nanometers, the method comprising the steps of: (a) applying the radiofrequency signal to the second antenna structure; (b) sampling an impedance of the second antenna structure at multiple points in time; and (c) identifying molecules passing through the nanoscale pore based on changes in the electrical impedance of the second antenna structure with the passage of the molecule through the first antenna structure.