NANOSENSORS AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES

摘要

The present invention generally relates to nanotechnology and sub-microelectronic circuitry, as well as associated methods and devices, for example, nanoscale wire devices and methods for use in determining nucleic acids or other analytes suspected to be present in a sample (for example, their presence and/or dynamical information), e.g., at the single molecule level. For example, a nanoscale wire device can be used in some cases to detect single base mismatches within a nucleic acid (e.g., by determining association and/or dissociation rates). In one aspect, dynamical information such as a binding constant, an association rate, and/or a dissociation rate, can be determined between a nucleic acid or other analyte, and a binding partner immobilized relative to a nanoscale wire. In some cases, the nanoscale wire includes a first portion comprising a metal-semiconductor compound, and a second portion that does not include a metal-semiconductor compound. The binding partner, in some embodiments, is immobilized relative to at least the second portion of the nanoscale wire, and the size of the second portion of the nanoscale wire may be minimized and/or controlled in some instances. Articles and devices of size greater than the nanoscale are also included in certain embodiments. Still other aspects of the invention include assays, sensors, kits, and/or other devices that include such nanoscale wires, methods of making and/or using such nanoscale wires, or the like.