Ionic current rectification in a conical nanofluidic field effect transistor

A conical nanofluidic field effect transistor (FET) refers to a conical nanopore embedded with an electrically controllable gate electrode. The surface potential of the nanopore can be effectively regulated by manipulating the gate potential applied to the gate electrode, which in turn controls the ionic current through the nanopore. The field effect on the ionic current rectification (ICR) in the conical nanofluidic FET is comprehensively investigated using a continuum model, composed of Nernst-Planck equations for the ionic concentrations, Poisson equation for the electric potential, and Navier-Stokes equations for the flow field. Under the conditions of a low ionic concentration, a low surface charge density of the nanopore, and a high permittivity of the dielectric nanopore, regulation of ICR by FET is significant. The field effect on the ICR with the gate electrode located in the middle region is opposite to that with the gate electrode located near the tip of the nanopore. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.