Solid-state nanopores are nanometer-scale pores in an insulating solid membrane or chip that can be used for rapid electrical detection and characterization of biomolecules. The solid-state nanopore technology has the potential of becoming the future platform for rapid bio-analysis and DNA sequencing. The standard nanofabrication techniques such as e-beam lithography and focused ion-beam lithography are incapable of producing sub-10 nanometer pores. Here, a low-cost method using electrochemical feedback etching is developed which has resulted in nanopores in the range of 1-3 nm. A DNA translocation event through a silicon-oxide nanopore

devicefabricated using a table-top feedback etching technique. Insets: two TEM photos showing two nanopore devices, each containing two nanometer-scale pores in a silicon chip (after oxidation).

A low-cost nanofabrication method for fabricating silicon nanopores for rapid detection of biomolecules

X. S. Ling, Brown University, NIRT-0403891

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Dwell T= 1.8 ms, I = 60 pA

Education:One undergraduate student (Adam Politzer) contributed to this program. Adam is currently a graduate student at UC Berkeley. Two graduate students Hongbo Peng and Shanshan Wu are carrying out their Ph.D. thesis studies under this program. Postdoc Sang Ryul Park is a key participant of the project.

A low-cost nanofabrication method for fabricating silicon nanopores for rapid detection of

biomolecules

X. S. Ling, Brown University, NIRT-0403891Societal Impact:

Silicon nanopore technology, developed with NIRT support, has the potential of revolutionizing molecular biology and medicine. This technology is being commercialized and is being further developed for a number of important genomic applications .

1. X.S. Ling, S.R. Park, H. Peng,USPTO (2005).2. S.R. Park, H. Peng, X.S. Ling,Manuscript in preparation.