Patents by Inventor Itaru Yanagi

Itaru Yanagi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240052507
    Abstract: Realized is a formation of a nanopore having a desired size with high yields using the dielectric breakdown phenomenon. The present disclosure proposes, as an aspect, a pore forming method including disposing a membrane between a first electrolyte solution and a second electrolyte solution held in a chamber configuration, bringing a first electrode into contact with the first electrolyte solution and a second electrode into contact with the second electrolyte solution, outputting a first voltage from a voltage source to a circuit configured by disposing the voltage source and a resistor in a wiring connecting the first electrode and the second electrode, measuring a second voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, detecting a significant change in the second voltage, and stopping output of the first voltage in response to detecting the significant change in the second voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru Yanagi, Yoshimitsu Yanagawa
  • Publication number: 20230220450
    Abstract: A biomolecule is more easily and reliably reciprocated in a nanopore. An adapter molecule that directly or indirectly binds to a biomolecule to be analyzed comprises a three-dimensional structure formation domain consisting of a single-stranded nucleotide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Rena AKAHORI, Yusuke GOTO, Michiru FUJIOKA, Itaru YANAGI
  • Patent number: 11656218
    Abstract: A method includes a step of introducing a solution between a substrate with a membrane in which the membrane is provided so as to close an opening and a substrate provided with an independent electrode in which the independent electrode is provided, a step of pressure bonding the substrate with the membrane and the substrate with the independent electrode through a partition wall, and a step of forming a sealed liquid tank surrounded by at least the membrane and the partition wall by the pressure bonding, and arraying of a solid-state type nanopore sequencer is simply performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Mayu Aoki, Itaru Yanagi, Kunio Harada, Kenichi Takeda
  • Publication number: 20230144260
    Abstract: The method includes preparing a liquid supply pipe in which the solution to be inspected, air, and oil are disposed in this order, and installing the liquid supply pipe above the substrate at an angle such that the solution to be inspected is positioned on a lowermost side and the solution to be inspected, the air, and the oil flow onto a front surface of the substrate by gravity. A cross-sectional area of the liquid supply pipe is designed such that the air continues to be present between the solution to be inspected and the oil while the solution to be inspected, the air, and the oil are flowing through the liquid supply pipe, and after the solution to be inspected is supplied to the spot, the solution to be inspected present on the front surface of the substrate is replaced with the air, and then the liquid supply progresses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Itaru YANAGI, Takeshi ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20220381762
    Abstract: A nanopore forming method of the present disclosure includes: disposing a membrane between a first electrolyte solution and a second electrolyte solution; bringing a first electrode into contact with the first electrolyte solution and a second electrode into contact with the second electrolyte solution; and applying a first voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode to form a nanopore in the membrane. At least one of the first electrolyte solution or the second electrolyte solution contains a first substance that is an organic substance physically adsorbed or chemically adsorbed to the membrane to form a molecular layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Sayaka TEZUKA, Itaru YANAGI
  • Patent number: 11499959
    Abstract: A first modulation voltage is applied to a thin film. An amount of a change in the phase of a current carried through the thin film with respect to the phase of the first modulation voltage is compared with a threshold. Upon detecting that the amount of the change in the phase exceeds the threshold is detected, the application of the first modulation voltage is stopped. Thus, a nanopore is formed on the thin film at high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Yanagawa, Kenichi Takeda, Itaru Yanagi, Yusuke Goto, Kazuma Matsui
  • Patent number: 11333623
    Abstract: Provided are a hole forming method and a hole forming apparatus capable of stably forming a single nanopore on a membrane. This hole forming method is a hole forming method for forming a hole in a film and includes: a first step of applying a first voltage between a first electrode and a second electrode, installed so as to sandwich the film provided in an electrolyte, and stopping the application of the first voltage when a current flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode reaches a first threshold current so as to form a thin film portion in a part of the film; and a second step of applying a second voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode after the first step so as to form a nanopore in the thin film portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Itaru Yanagi
  • Patent number: 11255022
    Abstract: A pore forming method in which a pore is formed in such a way that a first voltage is applied between electrodes that are disposed with a film in an electrolytic solution therebetween; a second voltage, which is lower than the first voltage, is applied between the electrodes; a current that flows between the electrodes owing to the application of the second voltage is measured; it is judged whether a value of a current is equal to or larger than a predefined threshold; and if the value of the current is smaller than the threshold, the above sequence is repeated until a pore is formed. In this case, the second voltage is a voltage that makes the value (IPF) of the current flowing through the film practically 0. With the use of the above method, a nanopore is formed in the film simply, easily, and accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru Yanagi, Rena Akahori, Kenichi Takeda
  • Publication number: 20220023822
    Abstract: Provided is a technique for stably forming a single nanopore by dielectric breakdown for a membrane having a high dielectric breakdown withstand voltage. In the nanopore forming method of the present disclosure, a SiNx film is placed between the first aqueous solution and the second aqueous solution, the first electrode is brought into contact with the first aqueous solution, and the second electrode is brought into contact with the second aqueous solution, and a voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode. The SiNx film has a composition ratio of 1<x<4/3. At least any one of the first aqueous solution and the second aqueous solution has the pH of 10 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventor: Itaru Yanagi
  • Patent number: 11181502
    Abstract: While an insulating film having a near-field light generating element placed thereon is being irradiated with light in an electrolytic solution, or after the film that has been irradiated with light is disposed in the electrolytic solution, a first voltage is applied between the two electrodes installed in the electrolytic solution across the film, a second voltage is then applied between the two electrodes, and a value of a current that flows between the two electrodes due to the application of the second voltage is detected. This procedure is stopped when the current value reaches or exceeds a pre-set threshold value, whereby a hole is formed at a desired location in the thin-film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Naoshi Itabashi, Sonoko Migitaka, Itaru Yanagi, Rena Akahori, Kenichi Takeda
  • Patent number: 11169139
    Abstract: To introduce a biomolecule into a nanopore without the need to check the position of the nanopore in a thin film. In addition, displacement stability is ensured and stable acquisition of blocking signals is realized. An immobilization member 107 having a larger size than a thin film 113 with a nanopore 112 is used, and biomolecules are immobilized on the biomolecule immobilization member 107 at a density that allows at least one biomolecule 108 to enter an electric field region around the nanopore when the biomolecule immobilization member 107 has moved close to a nanopore device 101.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rena Akahori, Itaru Yanagi, Kenichi Takeda
  • Publication number: 20210293750
    Abstract: A biomolecule analysis device includes a thin film having a nanopore, a liquid tank that is disposed in contact with the thin film and contains an electrolyte solution, an electrode in contact with the liquid tank, a measurement device connected to the electrode, and a controller that controls a voltage to be applied to the electrode, in accordance with a measurement result of the measurement device. A biomolecule is introduced into the electrolyte solution. A control strand and a molecular motor are connected to a first end portion of the biomolecule, and the control strand is bound to a primer on an upstream of the control strand and has a spacer on a downstream of the control strand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rena AKAHORI, Yusuke GOTO, Itaru YANAGI, Mayu AOKI
  • Publication number: 20210223194
    Abstract: Provided are a hole forming method and a hole forming apparatus capable of stably forming a single nanopore on a membrane. This hole forming method is a hole forming method for forming a hole in a film and includes: a first step of applying a first voltage between a first electrode and a second electrode, installed so as to sandwich the film provided in an electrolyte, and stopping the application of the first voltage when a current flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode reaches a first threshold current so as to form a thin film portion in a part of the film; and a second step of applying a second voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode after the first step so as to form a nanopore in the thin film portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Itaru YANAGI
  • Publication number: 20210189467
    Abstract: The present disclosure proposes a probe including a sequence recognition portion that is capable of specifically binding to a desired DNA sequence, and a first probe portion that includes a plurality of 3-dimensional structures arranged downstream from an end of the sequence recognition portion, in which the plurality of 3-dimensional structures are arranged in an order so that the order corresponds one-to-one with the DNA sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Itaru YANAGI, Takahide YOKOI
  • Patent number: 10969377
    Abstract: An apparatus for a thin film device is used for analyzing a biopolymer. The apparatus has a thin film, a first solution in contact with a first surface of the thin film, a second solution in contact with a second surface of the thin film, a flow path or a conductive wire for adjusting the potential difference between the first solution and the second solution to a small value, a control unit for controlling the flow path or the conductive wire, an inlet from which a biopolymer is introduced to at least one of the first and second solution, a first electrode provided in the first solution, a second electrode provided in the second solution and an ammeter for measuring the current which flows between the first and second electrode when the biopolymer passes through a hole in the thin film between the first and second solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuma Matsui, Itaru Yanagi, Kenichi Takeda
  • Patent number: 10908121
    Abstract: The present invention provides a membrane device having a configuration capable of reducing the frequency of clogging of a sample in a nanopore when the sample passes through the nanopore. In the membrane device according to the present invention, a membrane and a semiconductor layer are stacked on a Si substrate, and an insulating film is formed on a side wall of a through hole included in the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Itaru Yanagi
  • Publication number: 20200332434
    Abstract: A pore forming method in which a pore is formed in such a way that a first voltage is applied between electrodes that are disposed with a film in an electrolytic solution therebetween; a second voltage, which is lower than the first voltage, is applied between the electrodes; a current that flows between the electrodes owing to the application of the second voltage is measured; it is judged whether a value of a current is equal to or larger than a predefined threshold; and if the value of the current is smaller than the threshold, the above sequence is repeated until a pore is formed. In this case, the second voltage is a voltage that makes the value (IPF) of the current flowing through the film practically 0. With the use of the above method, a nanopore is formed in the film simply, easily, and accurately.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Itaru YANAGI, Rena AKAHORI, Kenichi TAKEDA
  • Patent number: 10761057
    Abstract: A method for producing a membrane device includes: forming an insulating film as a first film on a Si substrate; forming a Si film as a second film on the entire surface or a part of the first film; forming an insulating film as a third film on the second film; forming an aperture so as to pass through a part of the third film positioned on the second film and not to pass through the second film; etching a part of the substrate on one side of the first film with a solution that does not etch the first film; and etching a part or all of the second film on the other side of the first film with a gas or a solution that does not etch the first film and has an etching rate for the third film lower than an etching rate for the second film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru Yanagi, Kenichi Takeda
  • Patent number: 10753922
    Abstract: A biomolecule measuring device includes a first liquid tank and a second liquid tank which are filled with an electrolytic solution, a nanopore device that supports a thin film having a nanopore and is provided between the first liquid tank and the second liquid tank so as to communicate between the first liquid, tank and the second liquid tank through the nanopores, and an immobilizing member that is disposed in the first liquid tank, has a size larger than that of the thin film, and to which the biomolecules are immobilized, in which at least, one of the nanopore device and the immobilizing member has a groove structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rena Akahori, Kenichi Takeda, Itaru Yanagi
  • Patent number: 10724147
    Abstract: A pore forming method in which a pore is formed in such a way that a first voltage is applied between electrodes that are disposed with a film in an electrolytic solution therebetween; a second voltage, which is lower than the first voltage, is applied between the electrodes; a current that flows between the electrodes owing to the application of the second voltage is measured; it is judged whether a value of a current is equal to or larger than a predefined threshold; and if the value of the current is smaller than the threshold, the above sequence is repeated until a pore is formed. In this case, the second voltage is a voltage that makes the value (IPF) of the current flowing through the film practically 0. With the use of the above method, a nanopore is formed in the film simply, easily, and accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru Yanagi, Rena Akahori, Kenichi Takeda