Development of Single Particle Manipulation and Detection using Quadrupole-Electrode Integtrated Nanopore Devices by Dielectrophoresis

Nanopore sensing methods have been attracted for biological research fields because various bio-sample particles, i.e., liposome, exosome, mitochondria, can be detected at single-particle level. In principle, when a particle passes through a sensing nanopore, an ionic current drops is observed and its current-time profile represents its characteristic physical properties, i.e., volume and shape. In order to realize high-throughput analysis with nanopore device, it is important not only to detect and but also to manipulate particles around sensing nanopore because particle-clogging events are frequently occurred and its pore-sensing is interrupted under random sample-particle behaviors. In this study, we newly fabricated pore-devices integrated with quadruple-electrode, which is used for dielectrophoretic manipulation/separation of sample particles. By applying AC electric voltage between the quadruple-electrodes around a sensing-pore, it is found that sample-particles moved toward the pore and particle-sensing frequency is increased. This repulsion behavior around the pore is due to negative-dielectrophoresis by its AC electrical field. This dielectrophoretic manipulation by this type of pore devices can be a promising method for high-throughput nanopore sensing.