Scanning ion conductance microscopy mapping of tunable nanopore membranes

We report on the use of scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) for in-situ topographical mapping of single tunable nanopores, which are used for tunable resistive pulse sensing. A customised SICM system was used to map the elastomeric pore membranes repeatedly, using pipettes with tip opening diameters of approximately 50 nm and 1000 nm. The effect of variations on current threshold, scanning step size, and stretching has been studied. Lowering the current threshold increased the sensitivity of the pipette while scanning, up to the point where the tip contacted the surface. An increase in the pore area was observed as the step size was decreased, and with increased stretching. SICM reveals details of the electric field near the pore entrance, which is important for understanding measurements of submicron particles using resistive pulse sensing.