Translocation of Single-Stranded DNA Through Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Science

OSTI ID:970932

Liu, Haitao ^[1]; He, Jin ^[2]; Tang, Jinyao ^[1]; Liu, Hao ^[2]; Pang, Pei ^[2]; Cao, Di ^[2]; Krstic, Predrag S ^[3]; Joseph, Sony nmn ^[3]; Lindsay, Stuart ^[2]; Nuckolls, Colin ^[1]

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1. Columbia University
2. Arizona State University
3. ORNL

We report the fabrication of devices in which one single-walled carbon nanotube spans a barrier between two fluid reservoirs, enabling direct electrical measurement of ion transport through the tube. A fraction of the tubes pass anomalously high ionic currents. Electrophoretic transport of small single-stranded DNA oligomers through these tubes is marked by large transient increases in ion current and was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis. Each current pulse contains about 10{sup 7} charges, an enormous amplification of the translocated charge. Carbon nanotubes simplify the construction of nanopores, permit new types of electrical measurements, and may open avenues for control of DNA translocation.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Work for Others (WFO)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 970932
• Journal Information: Science, Vol. 327, Issue 5961; ISSN 0193-4511
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AMPLIFICATION
CARBON
CONSTRUCTION
DNA
FABRICATION
NANOTUBES
POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION
TRANSIENTS
TRANSLOCATION
TRANSPORT