Nanopore device wetting

• US 9,244,038 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Balagurusamy, Venkat K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dieterle, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US13/950,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20130334048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/447 using electrophoresis
• 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 method for wetting a nanopore device includes filling a first cavity of the nanopore device with a first buffer solution having a first potential hydrogen (pH) value, filling a second cavity of the nanopore device with a second buffer solution having a second pH value, applying a voltage in the nanopore device, and measuring a current in the nanopore device, the current having a current path partially defined by the first cavity, the second cavity, and an orifice communicative with the first cavity and the second cavity.

Claims

1. A method for wetting a nanopore device, the method comprising:

filling a first cavity of the nanopore device with a first buffer solution having a first potential hydrogen (pH) value;

filling a second cavity of the nanopore device with the first buffer solution having the first pH value;

measuring a first current in the nanopore device in response to applying a first voltage in the nanopore device, the first current having a current path partially defined by the first cavity, the second cavity, and an orifice communicative with the first cavity and the second cavity;

flushing the first buffer solution having the first pH value from the second cavity and filling the second cavity with a second buffer solution having a second pH value of 1.9 to 2.1, wherein the second pH value is different from the first pH value; and

measuring a second current in the nanopore device in response to applying a second voltage in the nanopore device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pH value is greater than the second pH value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pH value is greater than the first pH value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first buffer solution is a KCl solution.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second buffer solution is a KCl solution.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to filling the first cavity of the nanopore device with the first buffer solution, the method includes performing an initial wetting method.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the initial wetting method includes:

filling the first cavity with isopropyl alcohol (IPA); and

filling the second cavity with IPA.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the initial wetting method includes:

filling the first cavity with deionized water;

filling the second cavity with deionized water;

applying a voltage in the nanopore device; and

measuring the current in the nanopore device.

9. A method for wetting a nanopore device, the method comprising:

filling a first cavity of the nanopore device with a first buffer solution having a first potential hydrogen (pH) value;

filling a second cavity of the nanopore device with the first buffer solution having the first pH value;

measuring a first current in the nanopore device in response to applying a first voltage in the nanopore device, the first current having a current path partially defined by the first cavity, the second cavity, and an orifice communicative with the first cavity and the second cavity;

determining whether the first current is above a first threshold value;

responsive to determining that the first current is above the first threshold value, flushing the first buffer solution having the first pH value from the second cavity and filling the second cavity with a second buffer solution having a second pH value of 1.9 to 2.1, wherein the second pH value is different from the first pH value; and

measuring a second current in the nanopore device in response to applying a second voltage in the nanopore device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first pH value is greater than the second pH value.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second pH value is greater than the first pH value.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first buffer solution is a KCl solution and the second buffer solution is a KCl solution.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein prior to filling the first cavity of the nanopore device with the first buffer solution, the method includes performing an initial wetting method.

14. A method for wetting a nanopore device, the method comprising:

filling a first cavity of the nanopore device with a first KCL buffer solution having a first potential hydrogen (pH) value of 7.5 to 8;

filling a second cavity of the nanopore device with a second KCL buffer solution having a second pH value of 1.9 to 2.1;

applying a voltage in the nanopore device; and

measuring a current in the nanopore device, the current having a current path partially defined by the first cavity, the second cavity, and an orifice communicative with the first cavity and the second cavity;

wherein the orifice is a single pore through which the first cavity fluidly communicates with the second cavity.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein prior to filling the first cavity of the nanopore device with the first KCL buffer solution, the method includes performing an initial wetting method.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the initial wetting method includes:

filling the first cavity with isopropyl alcohol (IPA); and

filling the second cavity with IPA.