Solid-state nanopores for detection of rod-like viruses and trapping of single DNA molecules

Solid-state nanopores are a promising class of electronic sensor for biosensing applications and single-molecule studies. A nanopore is a nanometer-sized (3-50 nm) hole in a thin, insulating membrane, which bridges two salt solution. An applied voltage bias across the membrane causes reservoirs of ionic current to flow through the pore. The voltage also drives DNA through the pore, where it blocks a measurable fraction of the ionic current. This current decrease is the basis of detection, and it gives information on the physical characteristics (length, width, charge) of the translocating molecule (Fig. 1). Here we report the development of solid-state nanopores for the detection and study of single rod-like viruses, and a nanopore combined with a micron-scale chamber for trapping and analyzing a single DNA molecule.