Trapping and detection of single molecules in water.

Abstract

An innovative nanoprobe-based device that can measure and adjust the pH, can mimic biochemistry, can create microscale vortices in water, and can be used to trap single molecules is presented. Because the analytes in question to trap and detect are small in dimensions, we start by presenting scaling issues and challenging limitations for miniaturized chemical nanosensors. Advantages of using nanoprobes e.g., isolated nanowires, as the components in chemical sensing are discussed. How the observation of the physical property can beneficially change with isomorphic scaling is highlighted. Some of the technology-related constrains are presented for specific sensors. Solutions to overcome such problems are also given. Different aspects, e.g., sample size and sensitivity, for chemical sensing at the nanoscale are highlighted.