Abstract: In a method for forming nanopores, two opposing surfaces of a membrane are exposed to an electrically conducting liquid environment. A nanopore nucleation voltage pulse, having a first nucleation pulse amplitude and duration, is applied between the two membrane surfaces, through the liquid environment. After applying the nanopore nucleation voltage pulse, the electrical conductance of the membrane is measured and compared to a first prespecified electrical conductance. Then at least one additional nanopore nucleation voltage pulse is applied between the two membrane surfaces, through the liquid environment, if the measured electrical conductance is no greater than the first prespecified electrical conductance.

Abstract: There is provided a nanometric structure that includes a self-supporting nanometric material having a thickness of no more than about 5 nm. A plurality of nanopores is provided in the nanometric material, and the nanopore plurality has a density of at least about 1000 nanopores/cm2. Each nanopore in the plurality of nanopores has a diameter that is no greater than about 10 nm. The plurality of nanopores is monodisperse in diameter with a variation of about ±30%. In a further nanometric structure provided herein there is included a self-supporting nanometric material having a thickness of no more than about 5 nm. A plurality of nanopores in the nanometric material includes at least about 50 nanopores. Each nanopore in the plurality of nanopores has a diameter that is no greater than about 10 nm. The plurality of nanopores is monodisperse in diameter with a variation of about ±30%.

Abstract: In a method for forming nanopores, two opposing surfaces of a membrane are exposed to an electrically conducting liquid environment. A nanopore nucleation voltage pulse, having a first nucleation pulse amplitude and duration, is applied between the two membrane surfaces, through the liquid environment. After applying the nanopore nucleation voltage pulse, the electrical conductance of the membrane is measured and compared to a first prespecified electrical conductance. Then at least one additional nanopore nucleation voltage pulse is applied between the two membrane surfaces, through the liquid environment, if the measured electrical conductance is no greater than the first prespecified electrical conductance.

Abstract: In a method of forming a nanopore in a nanometric material, a nanopore nucleation site is formed at a location that is interior to lateral edges of the nanometric material by directing a first energetic beam, selected from the group of ion beam and neutral atom beam, at the interior location for a first time duration that imposes a first beam dose which causes removal of no more than five interior atoms from the interior location to produce at the interior location a nanopore nucleation site having a plurality of edge atoms. A nanopore is then formed at the nanopore nucleation site by directing a second energetic beam, selected from the group consisting of electron beam, ion beam, and neutral atom beam, at the nanopore nucleation site with a beam energy that removes edge atoms at the nanopore nucleation site but does not remove bulk atoms from the nanometric material.

Abstract: Provided is a solid state support structure including an aperture having a molecular entrance and a molecular exit. A first reservoir is in fluidic communication with the molecular entrance of the aperture and contains a molecule-bearing liquid solution. A second reservoir is in fluidic communication with the molecular exit of the aperture for containing a molecule-bearing liquid solution. A first liquid channel is connected to the first reservoir within less than about 300 microns of the aperture in the support structure and includes molecule-bearing liquid solution for delivery to the first reservoir. A second liquid channel is connected to the second reservoir for accepting molecule-bearing liquid solution from the second reservoir. An electrical connection between the first reservoir and the second reservoir imposes an electrical bias between the first reservoir and the second reservoir for driving the molecule-bearing liquid solution through the aperture in the solid state support structure.

Abstract: Provided is a first reservoir for containing a liquid solution including a molecule to be characterized and a second reservoir for containing a liquid solution. A solid state support includes a nanopore having a molecular inlet providing a fluidic connection to the first reservoir and a molecular outlet providing a fluidic connection to the second reservoir. An electrical connection is disposed between the first and second reservoirs to apply a molecular translocation voltage across the nanopore between the molecular inlet entrance and outlet exit. At least one electrical probe is disposed at the nanopore to apply a first voltage bias with respect to translocation voltage to slow progression of a molecule through the nanopore between the molecular inlet and outlet and to apply a second voltage bias with respect to translocation voltage to cause the molecule to proceed through the nanopore between the molecular inlet and outlet.

Abstract: In a method for forming nanopores, two opposing surfaces of a membrane are exposed to an electrically conducting liquid environment. A nanopore nucleation voltage pulse, having a first nucleation pulse amplitude and duration, is applied between the two membrane surfaces, through the liquid environment. After applying the nanopore nucleation voltage pulse, the electrical conductance of the membrane is measured and compared to a first prespecified electrical conductance. Then at least one additional nanopore nucleation voltage pulse is applied between the two membrane surfaces, through the liquid environment, if the measured electrical conductance is no greater than the first prespecified electrical conductance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for characterizing a target polynucleic acid by providing a surface containing a channel of a dimension sufficient to allow sequential monomer-by-monomer passage of a single-stranded polynucleic acid, but not of a double-stranded polynucleic acid; providing a source of hybridized target polynucleic acid at the surface; inducing passage of the target polynucleic acid through the channel, whereby the target polynucleic acid undergoes base pair separation (melts) prior to its passage; and making one or more measurements over time as the target polynucleic acid moves relative to the channel yielding data suitable to determine a monomer-dependent characteristic of the target polynucleic acid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for characterizing a target polynucleic acid by providing a surface containing a channel of a dimension sufficient to allow sequential monomer-by-monomer passage of a single-stranded polynucleic acid, but not of a double-stranded polynucleic acid; providing a source of hybridized target polynucleic acid at the surface; inducing passage of the target polynucleic acid through the channel, whereby the target polynucleic acid undergoes base pair separation (melts) prior to its passage; and making one or more measurements over time as the target polynucleic acid moves relative to the channel yielding data suitable to determine a monomer-dependent characteristic of the target polynucleic acid.

Abstract: There is provided a nanopore system including a nanopore in a solid state membrane. A first reservoir is in fluidic connection with the nanopore, the first reservoir being configured to provide, to the nanopore, nucleic acid molecules in an electrolytic solution. A second reservoir is in fluidic connection with the nanopore, with the nanopore membrane separating the first and second reservoirs. A pressure source is connected to the first reservoir to apply an external pressure to the first reservoir to cause nanopore translocation of nucleic acid molecules in the solution in the first reservoir. A voltage source is connected between the second and first reservoirs, across the nanopore, with a voltage bias polarity that applies an electric field counter to the externally applied pressure. Force of the externally applied pressure is greater than force of the electric field during nanopore translocation by the nucleic acid molecules.

Abstract: There is provided a nanopore system including a nanopore in a support structure. A first reservoir is in fluidic connection with the nanopore and a second reservoir is in fluidic connection with the nanopore. The support structure separates the first and second reservoirs. A pressure source is connected to one of the first and second reservoirs to apply an external pressure to one of the first and second reservoirs. A voltage source is connected between the first and second reservoirs to apply a voltage bias between the first and second reservoirs, across the nanopore. This system enables a method for analysis of species in solution, wherein there is provided to the nanopore a fluidic solution that includes a species for translocation through the nanopore, with an external pressure applied to the species in fluidic solution and a voltage bias applied across the nanopore.

Abstract: The invention features methods for evaluating the conformation of a polymer, for example, for determining the conformational distribution of a plurality of polymers and to detect binding or denaturation events. The methods employ a nanopore which the polymer, e.g., a nucleic acid, traverses. As the polymer traverses the nanopore, measurements of transport properties of the nanopore yield data on the conformation of the polymer.

Abstract: In a method for forming nanopores, two opposing surfaces of a membrane are exposed to an electrically conducting liquid environment. A nanopore nucleation voltage pulse, having a first nucleation pulse amplitude and duration, is applied between the two membrane surfaces, through the liquid environment. After applying the nanopore nucleation voltage pulse, the electrical conductance of the membrane is measured and compared to a first prespecified electrical conductance. Then at least one additional nanopore nucleation voltage pulse is applied between the two membrane surfaces, through the liquid environment, if the measured electrical conductance is no greater than the first prespecified electrical conductance.

Abstract: In a method for imaging a solid state substrate, a vapor is condensed to an amorphous solid water condensate layer on a surface of a solid state substrate. Then an image of at least a portion of the substrate surface is produced by scanning an electron beam along the substrate surface through the water condensate layer. The water condensate layer integrity is maintained during electron beam scanning to prevent electron-beam contamination from reaching the substrate during electron beam scanning. Then one or more regions of the layer can be locally removed by directing an electron beam at the regions. A material layer can be deposited on top of the water condensate layer and any substrate surface exposed at the one or more regions, and the water condensate layer and regions of the material layer on top of the layer can be removed, leaving a patterned material layer on the substrate.

Abstract: Suspended nanotubes are used to capture and ionize neutral chemical units, such as individual atoms, molecules, and condensates, with excellent efficiency and sensitivity. Applying a voltage to the nanotube(s) (with respect to a grounding surface) creates an attractive potential between a polarizable neutral chemical unit and the nanotube that varies as 1/r2, where r is the unit's distance from the nanotube. An atom approaching the nanotube with a sub-threshold angular momentum is captured by the potential and eventually spirals towards the nanotube. The atom ionizes as in comes into close proximity with a sidewall of the nanotube, creating an ion whose polarity matches the polarity of the electric potential of the nanotube. Repulsive forces eject the ion, which can be detected more easily than a neutral chemical unit. Suspended nanotubes can be used to detect small numbers of neutral chemical units (e.g., single atoms) for applications in sensing and interferometry.

Abstract: In a method of forming a nanopore in a nanometric material, a nanopore nucleation site is formed at a location that is interior to lateral edges of the nanometric material by directing a first energetic beam, selected from the group of ion beam and neutral atom beam, at the interior location for a first time duration that imposes a first beam dose which causes removal of no more than five interior atoms from the interior location to produce at the interior location a nanopore nucleation site having a plurality of edge atoms. A nanopore is then formed at the nanopore nucleation site by directing a second energetic beam, selected from the group consisting of electron beam, ion beam, and neutral atom beam, at the nanopore nucleation site with a beam energy that removes edge atoms at the nanopore nucleation site but does not remove bulk atoms from the nanometric material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for characterizing a target polynucleic acid by providing a surface containing a channel of a dimension sufficient to allow sequential monomer-by-monomer passage of a single-stranded polynucleic acid, but not of a double-stranded polynucleic acid; providing a source of hybridized target polynucleic acid at the surface; inducing passage of the target polynucleic acid through the channel, whereby the target polynucleic acid undergoes base pair separation (melts) prior to its passage; and making one or more measurements over time as the target polynucleic acid moves relative to the channel yielding data suitable to determine a monomer-dependent characteristic of the target polynucleic acid.

Abstract: In a method for imaging a solid state substrate, a vapor is condensed to an amorphous solid water condensate layer on a surface of a solid state substrate. Then an image of at least a portion of the substrate surface is produced by scanning an electron beam along the substrate surface through the water condensate layer. The water condensate layer integrity is maintained during electron beam scanning to prevent electron-beam contamination from reaching the substrate during electron beam scanning. Then one or more regions of the layer can be locally removed by directing an electron beam at the regions. A material layer can be deposited on top of the water condensate layer and any substrate surface exposed at the one or more regions, and the water condensate layer and regions of the material layer on top of the layer can be removed, leaving a patterned material layer on the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for characterizing a target polynucleic acid by providing a surface containing a channel of a dimension sufficient to allow sequential monomer-by-monomer passage of a single-stranded polynucleic acid, but not of a double-stranded polynucleic acid; providing a source of hybridized target polynucleic acid at the surface; inducing passage of the target polynucleic acid through the channel, whereby the target polynucleic acid undergoes base pair separation (melts) prior to its passage; and making one or more measurements over time as the target polynucleic acid moves relative to the channel yielding data suitable to determine a monomer-dependent characteristic of the target polynucleic acid.

Abstract: In a process for fabricating a nanopore device, at least one carbon nanotube catalyst region is formed on a structure. A plurality of nanopores is formed in the structure at a distance from the catalyst region that is no greater than about an expected length for a carbon nanotube synthesized from the catalyst region. Then at least one carbon nanotube is synthesized from the catalyst region. This fabrication sequence enables the in situ synthesis of carbon nanotubes at the site of nanopores, whereby one or more nanotubes articulate one or more nanopores without requiring manual positioning of the nanotubes.