Nanopore Sensors for Ultra-Fast DNA Analysis
We have developed novel approaches for ultra-fast DNA analysis by measuring of an ionic current blockage and parallel optical readout of DNA translocation through single nanopores and nanopore arrays. Parallelism is achieved by the fabrication of high density solid-state arrays of single nanometer resolution pores and simultaneous optical readout of DNA translocation. Optical readout in arrays circumvents the direct electrical addressing of each pore. We will present new nanofabrication techniques to create nanoscale pores in 50 nm thick silicon nitride membrane using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and discuss our progress towards ultra-fast DNA sequencing.