ELECTRON BEAM SCULPTING OF TUNNELING JUNCTION FOR NANOPORE DNA SEQUENCING

• Main Authors: ROYYURU AJAY K, PENG HONGBO, STOLOVITKY GUSTAVO A, WANG DEQIANG, ROSSNAGEL STEPHEN M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 02.08.2012
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUSMETALS OR ALLOYS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE BY DECARBURISATION, TEMPERING OR OTHERTREATMENTS; MEASURING; METALLURGY; METALLURGY OF IRON; MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; PHYSICS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TESTING

A nanodevice is provided that includes a reservoir filled with a conductive fluid and a membrane separating the reservoir. The membrane includes an electrode layer having a tunneling junction formed therein. A nanopore is formed through the membrane, and the nanopore is formed through other layers of the membrane such that the nanopore is aligned with the tunneling junction of the electrode layer. When a voltage is applied to the electrode layer, a tunneling current is generated by a base in the tunneling junction to be measured as a signature for distinguishing the base. When an organic coating is formed on an inside surface of the tunneling junction, transient bonds are formed between the electrode layer and the base.