What is a Nanopore ?
Nanopores measure the passage of individual molecules by detecting changes in ionic current as molecules translocate through nanometer-scale apertures, providing information on size, conformation, and composition. The two main categories of nanopores are biological nanopores, which are protein-based and embedded in lipid membranes, and solid-state nanopores, which are fabricated in materials such as silicon nitride or glass.
Biological nanopores, used for DNA sequencing and more recently for protein analysis, offer Angstrom-level precision in pore geometry and highly accurate molecular characterization but limited to specific biochemistries. In contrast, solid-state nanopores are more stable and pore size span a few to tens of nanometers in size, making them suitable for probing larger structures such as DNA nanostructures or folded proteins. It is technically very challenging to make solid-state nanopores with sub-nanometer percision, required for single-molecule sequencing!
What is an Interfacial Nanopore ?
An interfacial nanopore is a tiny, adjustable hole that forms at the contact point between a glass pipette and a soft surface, rather than being permanently built into a material. This design allows to precisely control the pore size in real time - even down to a few nanometers - and tune it during measurements. Because the pore is created on demand at the interface, .... .... , enabling finer discrimination between molecules (like different forms of DNA) and improving single-molecule detection.
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