Ultra-Fast Bio-Molecule Detection based on Radio-Frequency Nano-Pore and Nano-Channel Circuits

基于纳米孔(NP)的分子检测是应用生物物理领域的新兴技术之一。然而，由于缺乏射频(RF)测量技术，单分子在高速下的表征仍然没有建立。在这里，我们将介绍一种新的高速测量技术，该技术以GHz带宽为基础，使用射频反射技术作为下一代读出机制。NPS已经成为生物大分子分子检测和表征的一个可行的、功能强大的平台。在我们提出的工作中，我们希望将NP片上器件的功能扩展到射频范围。然后，我们希望将我们在集成电子和微流控电路方面的专业知识与基于纳米通道(NC)的分子检测相结合。这种方法有几个优点，因为它允许在靠近移位DNA链的地方‘容易’集成纳米电子电路元件。这正是我们的基于射频的读出电子设备所需要的，即用于信号拾取的真正的纳米级电极(1-2 NM宽度)和围绕信号区的一些‘真实空间’，以便放置其他元件。正如提案中将描述的，我们目前能够跟踪亚微米大小的孔的RF信号，因此我们可以通过在NC设置中嵌入纳米电子RF振荡器电路来进一步推进我们的方法。此外，这种设置实现了完全光学访问和高度并行处理。

Nanopore (NP) based molecule detection is one of the emerging techniques in the field of applied bio-physics. However, due to the lack of radio-frequency (RF) measurement techniques single molecule characterization at high speed is still not established. Here, we will introduce a novel high-speed measurement technique to this field with GHz-bandwidth employing RF-reflectometry as the next generation readout mechanism. NPs already became a viable und highly functional platform for molecule detection and characterization for large bio-molecules. In our proposed work we want to expand the functionality of NP on-chip devices to the RF-range. We then want to combine our expertise in integrated electronic and micro-fluidic circuitry with nano-channel (NC) based molecule detection. This approach has several advantages in that it allows for ‘easy’ integration of nanoelectronic circuit elements in close proximity to the translocating DNA-strand. This is exactly what our RF-based readout electronics require, i.e. truly nanoscale electrodes (1 – 2nm width) for signal pick-up and some ‘real estate’ surrounding the signal zone in order to place other elements. As will be described in the proposal we are currently able to trace RF-signals for sub-micron sized pores, so that we can take our approach one step further by embedding a nanoelectronic RF-oscillator circuit in a NC setup. In addition this setup enables full optical access and a high degree of parallel processing.