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Label-Free Single-Molecule Thermoscopy Using a Laser-Heated Nanopore
Hirohito Yamazaki1, Rui Hu1,2, Robert Y Henley1
1Department of Physics, Northeastern University , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.
Nano Letters
|October 5, 2017
Summary
Focused laser light on silicon nitride nanopores generates heat, lowering viscosity and boosting ion flow. This localized heating allows precise nanoscale temperature measurements for studying biomolecule melting transitions.
Area of Science:
- Nanoscale science
- Biophysics
- Materials science
Background:
- Nonradiative relaxation of photoexcited materials generates heat.
- Localized heating can alter material properties like viscosity and ionic conductance.
- Understanding thermal effects at the nanoscale is crucial for advanced applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate localized photothermal heating in silicon nitride nanopores.
- To demonstrate the use of nanopore heating for thermophysical measurements.
- To probe thermal melting transitions in single biomolecules.
Main Methods:
- Photoexcitation of silicon nitride nanopores with a focused visible laser.
- Finite-element simulations to model thermal gradients.
- Measurement of ionic conductance and thermophoresis.
- Force thermoscopy for biomolecule analysis.
Main Results:
- Efficient localized photothermal heating was achieved in silicon nitride nanopores.
- A strong localized thermal gradient was generated, confirmed by ion and DNA thermophoresis.
- Nanopore current, corrected for thermophoresis, served as a nanoscale thermometer.
- Thermal melting transitions of single biomolecules were successfully probed.
Conclusions:
- Localized photothermal heating in nanopores offers precise temperature control.
- This technique enables rapid force thermoscopy for single-molecule biophysics.
- The method is validated by bulk measurements and opens avenues for advanced biophysical studies.
