Computational investigation of DNA detection using graphene nanopores

Nanopore-based single-molecule detection and analysis have been pursued intensively over the past decade. One of the most promising applications in this regard is DNA sequencing achieved through DNA translocation-induced blockades in ionic current. Recently, nanopores fabricated in graphene sheets were used to detect double-stranded DNA. Due to its subnanometer thickness, graphene nanopores show great potential to realize DNA sequencing at single-base resolution. Resolving at the atomic level electric field-driven DNA translocation through graphene nanopores is crucial to guide the design of graphene-based sequencing devices. Molecular dynamics simulations, in principle, can achieve such resolution and are employed here to investigate the effects of applied voltage, DNA conformation, and sequence as well as pore charge on the translocation characteristics of DNA. We demonstrate that such simulations yield current characteristics consistent with recent measurements and suggest that under suitable bias conditions A-T and G-C base pairs can be discriminated using graphene nanopores.