Nanometric Material Having A Nanopore Enabling High-Sensitivity Molecular Detection and Analysis

Abstract

Provided herein is a nanopore sensor, including a self-supported solid state material selected from hexagonal-BN, a mono-atomic glass, MoS2, WS2, MoSe2, MoTe2, TaSe2, NbSe2, NiTe2, Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox, and Bi2Te3, having a thickness less than about 5 nm. A nanopore extends through the material thickness. A connection from the first material surface to a first reservoir provides, at the first material surface, a species in an ionic solution from the first reservoir to the nanopore, and a connection from the second material surface to a second reservoir collects in the second reservoir the species and ionic solution after translocation of the species and ionic solution through the nanopore. An electrical circuit is connected with the nanopore, through the material thickness, from the first reservoir to the second reservoir, to monitor translocation of species in the ionic solution through the nanopore in the solid state material.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A nanopore sensor comprising:
 a self-supported solid state material selected from hexagonal-BN, a mono-atomic glass, MoS 2 , WS 2 , MoSe 2 , MoTe 2 , TaSe 2 , NbSe 2 , NiTe 2 , Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O x , and Bi 2 Te 3 , the solid state material having a thickness, between a first solid state material surface and a second solid state material surface opposite the first solid state material surface, that is less than about 5 nm;   a nanopore having a nanopore diameter extending through the solid state material thickness between the first and second solid state material surfaces;   a connection from the first solid state material surface to a first reservoir to provide, at the first solid state material surface, a species in an ionic solution from the first reservoir to the nanopore;   a connection from the second solid state material surface to a second reservoir to collect in the second reservoir the species and ionic solution after translocation of the species and ionic solution through the nanopore from the first solid state material surface to the second solid state material surface; and   an electrical circuit connected with the nanopore, through the solid state material thickness, from the first reservoir to the second reservoir, to monitor translocation of the species in the ionic solution through the nanopore in the solid state material.   
     
     
         2 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the nanopore diameter is less than about 3 nm. 
     
     
         3 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the nanopore diameter is greater than the solid state material thickness. 
     
     
         4 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the nanopore diameter is less than about 2.5 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the nanopore diameter is no more than about 5% larger than a diameter characteristic of the species in the ionic solution translocating through the nanopore. 
     
     
         6 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the electrical circuit is connected between the first and second reservoirs to measure flow of ionic current through the nanopore in the solid state material. 
     
     
         7 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the electrical circuit includes an electrical current monitor connected for measuring time-dependent ionic current flow through the nanopore. 
     
     
         8 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 7  wherein the electrical current monitor is connected for measuring time-dependent blockages of ionic current flow through the nanopore, indicative of species translocation through the nanopore. 
     
     
         9 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  further comprising an electrode disposed in each of the first and second ionic solutions for applying a voltage across the nanopore to electrophoretically cause species translocation through the nanopore. 
     
     
         10 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the ionic solution is characterized by a salt content that is greater than about 2 M. 
     
     
         11 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the ionic solution is characterized by a pH that is greater than about 8. 
     
     
         12 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the ionic solution is KCl. 
     
     
         13 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the nanopore diameter is between about 1 nm and about 5 nm. 
     
     
         14 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the solid state material thickness is less than about 1 nm. 
     
     
         15 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the solid state material thickness is less than about 0.7 nm. 
     
     
         16 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the solid state material is mechanically supported at edges of the solid state material by a frame structure. 
     
     
         17 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the species in the ionic solution to translocate through the nanopore comprises at least one of biomolecules, DNA molecules, and RNA molecules. 
     
     
         18 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the species in the ionic solution to translocate through the nanopore comprises at least one of nucleotides and oligonucleotides. 
     
     
         19 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the species in the ionic solution to translocate through the nanopore comprises a protein. 
     
     
         20 . The nanopore sensor of  claim 1  wherein the species in the ionic solution to translocate though the nanopore comprises a polymer.