Single-molecule sensor based on a glass nanopipette

• Project/Area Number: 18K19018
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 29:Applied condensed matter physics and related fields
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Shinji 金沢大学, ナノ生命科学研究所, 助教 (70455864)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥6,370,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,470,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥2,860,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥660,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥3,510,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥810,000)
• Keywords: ナノピペット / ナノポア / 増強ラマン散乱 / 単分子センサー / ラベルフリー / ラマン散乱

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Single molecule sensing techniques exploited by enhanced Raman scattering are promising methods for ultra-sensitive molecular analysis. However, obtained enhanced Raman signal is very unstable in existing sensing platforms. In this study, we attempted to overcome this problem by using a glass nanopipette. Our idea is to form metal nanogap structures around the nanopipette tip that enhances Raman signal. As a result, we succeeded in the fabrication of the nanopipette with the metal gap structure on its end using atomic-layer-deposition technique. In addition, the size of the metal gap was found to be easily controlled by tuning the pipette fabrication.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

単分子センシングをナノピペットで実現するための基礎となる金属ナノギャップ構造を作製できることが実証できた。ナノギャップ構造を直接観察する技術も開発し、また、金属ナノギャップの間隙の制御もナノメートルスケールで実現し、研究計画において狙った構造が概ね作製できた。本研究の成果は、単分子センシング技術の発展に貢献するものである。