ADJUSTING NANOPORE DIAMETER IN SITU FOR MOLECULE CHARACTERIZATION

• US 20200132624A1
• Filed: 10/30/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rogers, Priscilla Racquel, Kozloski, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 11,175,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48721 Investigating individual macromolecules, e.g. by translocation through nanopores Coulter counters in general G01N15/12; fabrication methods for nanoscale apertures B81B1/00; sequencing of nucleic acids C12Q1/68

Abstract

A nanopore device for molecular characterization that includes a supporting substrate. The supporting substrate has at least one nanopore where the nanopore is a carbon nanotube of a first diameter. The nanodevice is configured to provide a stimulus to the carbon nanotube causing the first diameter to change to a second diameter. The nanopore device also includes a device configured to apply the stimulus to the nanopore. The nanopore device further includes an electrical circuit configured to measure an electrical property across the nanopore, where there is a change in the electrical property when a molecule traverses the nanopore.

Claims

1. A nanopore device comprising:

a supporting substrate;

at least one nanopore connected to the supporting substrate, wherein the at least one nanopore comprises at least one carbon nanotube having a first diameter, and the at least one nanopore configured to receive a stimulus that causes a change in the first diameter of the at least one carbon nanotube to a second diameter;

a device configured to provide the stimulus to the at least one nanopore; and

an electrical circuit configured to measure an electrical property across the at least one nanopore and to detect a change in the electrical property when a first molecule traverses the at least one nanopore.

2. The nanopore device of claim 1, wherein the stimulus is an electrical stimulus, wherein the device configured to provide the stimulus is an electrical device, and wherein the supporting substrate is conductive.

3. The nanopore device of claim 1, wherein the stimulus is an optical stimulus, and wherein the device configured to provide the stimulus is an optical device.

4. The nanopore device of claim 1, wherein the first diameter is configured to correspond to the first molecule.

5. The nanopore device of claim 1, wherein the supporting substrate comprises a silver loaded polymer.

6. The nanopore device of claim 1, wherein the second diameter is larger than the first diameter.

7. The nanopore device of claim 6, wherein the second diameter of the at least one nanopore is configured to correspond to a second molecule, wherein the second molecule is chemically unique from the first molecule.

8. A nanopore device comprising:

a supporting substrate,

at least one nanopore having a first diameter, wherein the at least one nanopore comprises at least one layer of graphene connected to the supporting substrate, and wherein the at least one layer of graphene is configured to receive a stimulus that causes a change in the first diameter of the at least one nanopore to a second diameter;

a device configured to provide the stimulus to the at least one nanopore; and

an electrical circuit configured to measure an electrical property across the at least one nanopore and to detect a change in the electrical property when a first molecule traverses the at least one nanopore.

9. The nanopore device of claim 8, wherein the stimulus is an electrical stimulus, wherein the device configured to provide the stimulus is an electrical device, and wherein the supporting substrate is conductive.

10. The nanopore device of claim 8, wherein the stimulus is an optical stimulus, and wherein the device configured to provide the stimulus is an optical device.

11. The nanopore device in claim 8, wherein the first diameter is configured to correspond to the first molecule.

12. The nanopore device of claim 8, wherein the second diameter is larger than the first diameter.

13. The nanopore device of claim 12, wherein the second diameter of the at least one nanopore is configured to detect a second molecule, wherein the second molecule is chemically unique from the first molecule.

14. A method comprising:

submerging a nanopore device comprising a nanopore in a polydisperse solution, wherein the polydisperse solution comprises a first molecule and a conducting fluid;

setting a first geometry of the nanopore, wherein the first geometry is sufficiently small such that the first molecule cannot traverse through the nanopore;

applying a stimulus to the nanopore, wherein the stimulus causes the first geometry to transform to a second geometry, and wherein the first molecule can traverse the nanopore having the second geometry;

detecting the first molecule in the nanopore based on a change in an electrical property across the nanopore; and

characterizing the first molecule based on the change in the electrical property and the second geometry.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the nanopore device comprises at least one carbon nanotube.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the nanopore device comprises at least one layer of graphene.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the change in the electrical property comprises an increase in the electrical property across the nanopore.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising

applying a second stimulus to the nanopore in response to characterizing the first molecule, wherein the second stimulus causes the second geometry to transform to a third geometry of the nanopore;

detecting a second molecule in the nanopore, wherein the second molecule is chemically distinct from the first molecule, and wherein the second molecule is larger than the second geometry; and

characterizing the second molecule.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second stimulus causing the third geometry is selected using a directed search algorithm based on the first molecule and the second geometry.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first geometry comprises a first diameter of the first nanopore, wherein the second geometry comprises a second diameter of the first nanopore, and wherein the third geometry comprises a third diameter of the first nanopore.