Challenges of the practical applications of solid-state nanopore platforms for sensing biomolecules

Nanopores are cost-effective digital platforms, which can rapidly detect and identify biomolecules at the single-molecule level with high accuracy via the changes in ionic currents. Furthermore, nanoscale deoxyribonucleic acid and proteins, as well as viruses and bacteria that are as small as several hundred nanometers and several microns, respectively, can be detected and identified by optimizing the diameters of a nanopore according to the sample molecule. Thus, this review presents an overview of the methods for fabricating nanopores, as well as their electrical properties, followed by an overview of the transport properties of ions and analyte molecules and the methods for electrical signal analysis. Thus, this review addresses the challenges of the practical application of nanopores and the countermeasures for mitigating them, thereby accelerating the construction of digital networks to secure the safety, security, and health of people globally.