Systems and Methods for Controlling the Position of a Charged Polymer Inside a Nanopore

Abstract

Techniques for controlling the position of a charged polymer inside a nanopore are provided. For example, one technique includes using electrostatic control to position a linear charged polymer inside a nanopore, and creating an electrostatic potential well inside the nanopore, wherein the electrostatic potential well controls a position of the linear charged polymer inside the nanopore.

1 . An apparatus for controlling a position of a linear charged polymer inside a nanopore, comprising:
 a reservoir separated by a membrane into two parts, wherein the membrane is formed as a stack of one or more locking electrodes;   a nanopore in the membrane, wherein the nanopore connects the two parts of the reservoir;   a drag electrode in each of the two parts of the reservoir; and   a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the output of a time-dependent voltage to each locking electrode and each drag electrode to control a position of a linear charged polymer inside the nanopore, wherein controlling a position of the linear charged polymer inside the nanopore comprises locking the position of one monomer of the linear charged polymer inside the nanopore.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more locking electrodes comprise a first locking electrode and a second locking electrode, and wherein the stack of one or more locking electrodes comprises the first locking electrode and the second locking electrode separated by one or more insulators. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit implements the steps of:
 applying a time-dependent voltage to each drag electrode to attract a linear charged polymer from a first part of a reservoir to a second part of the reservoir; and   applying a time-dependent voltage to each locking electrode to create an electrostatic potential well, wherein the electrostatic potential well controls the position of the linear charged polymer.   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the control unit further implements the steps of:
 detecting entry of the linear charged polymer inside the nanopore; and   reducing the time-dependent voltage from the each drag electrode.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the control unit further implements the steps of:
 performing one or more characterization activities on a monomer of the linear charged polymer;   reducing the time-dependent voltage from each locking electrode and the electrostatic potential well; and   increasing the time-dependent voltage to each drag electrode to translocate the linear charged polymer by one or more monomers.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the linear charged polymer comprises DNA, and wherein performing one or more characterization activities comprises DNA sequencing. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the control unit further implements repetition of the following steps:
 reducing the time-dependent voltage from each drag electrode;   increasing the time-dependent voltage to each locking electrode to create an electrostatic potential well, wherein the electrostatic potential well controls a position of the linear charged polymer;   performing one or more characterization activities on a monomer of the linear charged polymer;   reducing the time-dependent voltage from each locking electrode and the electrostatic potential well; and   increasing the time-dependent voltage to each drag electrode to translocate the linear charged polymer by one or more monomers.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the control unit implements repetition of the steps for the entire linear charged polymer. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each locking electrode and each drag electrode are controlled independently. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrostatic potential well comprises one or more spatially dependent profiles. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more locking electrodes comprise one or more geometries. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more geometries comprise a half plain geometry. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more geometries comprise a cylindrical geometry.