Autogenic analyte translocation in nanopores

Nanopores have been widely studied for power generation and single-molecule detection. Although the power level generated by a single nanopore based on electrolyte concentration gradient is too low to be practically useful, such a power level is found sufficient to drive analyte translocation in nanopores. Here, we explore the simultaneous action of a solid-state nanopore as a nanopower generator and a nanoscale biosensor by exploiting the extremely small power generated to drive the analyte translocation in the same nanopore device. This autogenic analyte translocation is demonstrated using protein and DNA for their distinct shape, size and charge. The simple device structure allows for easy implementation of either electrical or optical readout. The obtained nanopore translocation is characterized by typical behaviors expected for an ordinary nanopore sensor powered by an external source. Extensive numerical simulation confirms the power generation and power level generated. It also reveals the fundamentals of autogenic translocation. As it requires no external power source, the sensing can be conducted with simple readout electronics and may allow for integration of high-density nanopores. Our approach demonstrated in this work may pave the way to practical high-throughput single-molecule nanopore sensing powered by the distributed energy harvested by the nanopores themselves.