Solid-state Nanopores for Nanoparticle Sensing

In recent years, single particle detection techniques based on driving nanoparticles through nanoscopic pores with a voltage or pressure had been the subject of numerous studies. Since particles with high charge, such as DNA and proteins, have been widely used for research, there was little information about the translocation behavior of nano-sized particles which with low charge. However, nanoparticles include virus and colloids are important samples for nanopore sensing technology. In this study, we employed the solid-state nanopore to sense nanoparticles as fundamental study. Nanopore with diameter of 185 nm has been used to detect the nanoparticles with compared low zeta potential of -16 mv in different voltages. And simulations of electric field strength was made by using COMSOL Multiphysics to assist analyze the translocation behavior. The result suggests that the nanoparticles could transport the nanopore under the large electric field. By rising up the bias voltage could favor the detection of the nanoparticles.