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Monitoring Protein Adsorption with Solid-state Nanopores
Published on: December 2, 2011
Probing access resistance of solid-state nanopores with a scanning-probe microscope tip
Changbae Hyun1, Ryan Rollings, Jiali Li
1Physics Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|January 31, 2012
Summary
Researchers developed a new apparatus combining scanning-probe microscopy and nanopore measurements. This system maps ionic current blockage to precisely locate nanopores and study their electrical properties, enabling future biomolecule detection.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Physical Chemistry
- Surface Science
Background:
- Solid-state nanopores are crucial for sensing applications.
- Precisely locating and characterizing nanopores is challenging.
- Ionic current measurements are sensitive to pore geometry and environment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an apparatus integrating scanning-probe microscopy with nanopore ionic current measurement.
- To experimentally probe nanopore access resistance.
- To establish a method for locating nanopores in solution.
Main Methods:
- Integration of a scanning-probe microscope with a voltage-biased solid-state nanopore.
- Measurement of ionic current blockage as a function of probe tip position in 3D.
- Mapping relative pore resistance increase (ΔR/R0) in salt solutions.
Main Results:
- Simultaneous recording of current blockage and probe tip location.
- ΔR/R0 dependence on tip location, nanopore geometry, and salt concentration.
- Experimental validation of Poisson and Nernst–Planck equations at close tip proximity (≈10 nm).
Conclusions:
- The developed apparatus enables experimental probing of nanopore access resistance.
- A reliable method for locating nanopores in salt solution is demonstrated.
- This technique paves the way for single biomolecule detection using nanopores.
