The Nanopore Field Effect Transistor (FET) for Protein Analysis

Abstract

Nanopore technology has revolutionized DNA sequencing, and nascent nanopore-based technology breakthroughs may be anticipated to lead to revolutions in protein analysis.

A major weakness of present-day nanopore technologies is the reliance on the recording of very small (∼picoampere) ionic currents. Such low currents limit recording bandwidth and impose a translocation speed limit.

The Nanopore Field Effect Transistor (NPFET), is a nanopore wrapped by a nanoscale field-effect transistor. The field-effect transistor senses single molecules translocating through the pore relying on much larger microampere currents. The NPFET potentially offers higher bandwidths and the breaking of the nanopore translocation speed limit.

Moreover, such NPFETs are much more easily integrated into large arrays on a silicon chip than is the case for conventional nanopore technology.

We will introduce and elaborate on imec's nanopore FET technology research for protein analysis.