Abstract: Planar resonant tunneling sensor devices and methods for using the same are provided. The subject devices include first and second electrodes present on a surface of a planar substrate and separated from each other by a nanodimensioned gap. The devices also include a first member for holding a sample, and a second member for moving the first member and planar resonant tunneling electrode relative to each other. Also provided are methods of fabricating such a device and methods of using such a device for improved detection and characterization of a sample.

Abstract: An adjustable nanopore is fabricated by placing the surfaces of two planar substrates in contact, wherein each substrate contains a hole having sharp corners and edges. A corner is brought into proximity with an edge to define a triangular aperture of variable area. Ionic current in a liquid solution and through the aperture is monitored as the area of the aperture is adjusted by moving one planar substrate with respect to the other along two directional axes and a rotational axis. Piezoelectric positioners can provide subnanometer repeatability in the adjustment process. The invention is useful for characterizing, cleaving, and capturing molecules, molecular complexes, and supramolecular complexes which pass through the nanopore, and provides an improvement over previous devices in which the hole size of nanopores fabricated by etching and/or redeposition is fixed after fabrication.

Abstract: An adjustable nanopore is fabricated by placing the surfaces of two planar substrates in contact, wherein each substrate contains a hole having sharp corners and edges. A corner is brought into proximity with an edge to define a triangular aperture of variable area. Ionic current in a liquid solution and through the aperture is monitored as the area of the aperture is adjusted by moving one planar substrate with respect to the other along two directional axes and a rotational axis. Piezoelectric positioners can provide subnanometer repeatability in the adjustment process. The invention is useful for characterizing, cleaving, and capturing molecules, molecular complexes, and supramolecular complexes which pass through the nanopore, and provides an improvement over previous devices in which the hole size of nanopores fabricated by etching and/or redeposition is fixed after fabrication.