PIEZOELECTRIC-BASED NANOPORE DEVICE FOR THE ACTIVE CONTROL OF THE MOTION OF POLYMERS THROUGH THE SAME

• Main Authors: MARTYNA GLENN JOHN, PENG HONGBO, POLONSKY STANISLAV, LUAN BINQUAN, ROSSNAGEL STEPHEN M, STOLOVITZKY GUSTAVO ALEJANDRO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Korean
• Published: 21.09.2011
• Subjects: BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL ORENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES; ENZYMOLOGY; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT THEREOF; MEASURING; MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEICACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; NANOSTRUCTURES FORMED BY MANIPULATION OF INDIVIDUAL ATOMS,MOLECULES, OR LIMITED COLLECTIONS OF ATOMS OR MOLECULES ASDISCRETE UNITS; NANOTECHNOLOGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; SPIRITS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING; VINEGAR; WINE

Apparatus, system, and methods are provided for utilizing piezoelectric material for controlling a polymer through a nanopore. A reservoir is formed filled with conductive fluid. A membrane is formed that separates the reservoir. A nanopore is formed through the membrane. The membrane comprises electrical conductive layers, piezoelectric layers, and insulating layers. The piezoelectric layers are operative to control a size of the nanopore for clamping/releasing a polymer as well as to control the thickness of part of the membrane when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric layers. Combinations of clamping/releasing the polymer and changing the thickness of part of the membrane can move a polymer through the nanopore at any electrically controlled speed and also stretch or break a polymer in the nanopore.