Development of aL-fL/sec Flow Monitor in Nanospace

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K15417
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 28050:Nano/micro-systems-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Morikawa Kyojiro 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 特任講師 (20796437)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ナノ流体工学 / 流動電流 / 流動電位 / ナノ電極

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For fabrication of the size-regulated nanochannels, we successfully fabricated the size-regulated nanochannels from 50 nm (minimum) to several 1000 nm (maximum). For nano-electrode fabrication, we tried a new fabrication process with nanofluidic and nano-electrochemical experiments and finally succeeded in nano-electrode fabrication. For the relationship between streaming current and flow rate, experimental results corresponded well to calculations using unique properties such as higher viscosity, lower dielectric constant, and lower disassociation constant which we previously found in namespaces. From these parameters, the streaming current value was calibrated to the flow rate value, and the flow rate in a 50 nm channel was approximately 30aL/sec. Therefore, we successfully measured the flow rate in aL/sec region for the first time.

Free Research Field

マイクロ・ナノ流体工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で開発した制御された流路の加工法や、ナノ電極の作製法、流路の修飾法、閉空間の修飾評価法などは本研究に必須なだけでなくナノ流体工学において重要な基盤技術として多いに貢献できる。さらに、本研究において流動電流値を流量値に校正するために行ったナノ物性計測結果については、50nmの空間で得られた初めての溶液物性に関する知見であり、ナノ流体工学やナノ溶液化学における基礎科学的な知見として大いに重要な知見が得られたと考えられる。