Nanopore device wetting

• US 9,244,039 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:
  US13/951,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20130334046A1
• 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, wherein the nanopore device includes a transistor portion having a first surface, an opposing second surface, and an orifice communicative with the first surface and the second surface, the first surface partially defining the first cavity, the second surface partially defining the second cavity, 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 the orifice.

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, wherein the nanopore device includes a transistor portion having a first surface, an opposing second surface, and an orifice communicative with the first surface and the second surface, the first surface partially defining the first cavity, the second surface partially defining the second cavity;

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 the orifice;

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. The method of claim 1, wherein the nanopore device includes a first port communicative with the first cavity and a second port communicative with the first cavity, wherein the filling the first cavity of the nanopore device is performed by introducing the first buffer solution into the first cavity through the first port.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the nanopore device includes a third port communicative with the second cavity and a fourth port communicative with the second cavity, wherein the filling the second cavity of the nanopore device is performed by introducing the second buffer solution into the second cavity through the third port.