US-12616943-B2 - Ultrathin membranes for nanoscale pores and channels

Abstract

A nanopore sensing system includes a cis well, a trans well, and a metal based membrane positioned between the cis and trans wells so that a channel defined in the metal based membrane fluidically connects the cis and trans wells. The metal based membrane has a thickness ranging from about 1 nm to about 3 nm and is selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide, a metal sulfide, a metal nitride, a metal phosphide, a metal arsenide, a metal antimonide, a metal selenide, and a metal telluride.

Inventors

• Rajesh Kumar Sharma
• Gerald Kreindl
• Anthony Flannery

Assignees

• ILLUMINA, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230609

Claims (5)

1. 1 . A method, comprising: forming a liquid metal droplet on a temporary substrate; in a controlled environment, exposing the liquid metal droplet to oxygen gas or hydrogen sulfide or ammonia, thereby at least partially oxidizing or sulfurizing or nitriding the liquid metal droplet; and transferring at least a portion of the oxidized liquid metal droplet or the sulfurized liquid metal droplet or the nitridized liquid metal droplet to an other substrate to form a metal oxide or metal sulfide or metal nitride membrane having a thickness ranging from about 1 nm to about 3 nm on the other substrate.
2. 2 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the other substrate has an aperture defined therein, and wherein the metal oxide or metal sulfide or metal nitride membrane is supported by the other substrate and extends over the aperture.
3. 3 . The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising: forming a channel in the metal oxide or metal sulfide or metal nitride membrane; and forming an aperture in the other substrate.
4. 4 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein: the other substrate has a continuous surface; the method further comprising transferring the metal oxide or metal sulfide or metal nitride membrane from the other substrate to a permanent substrate having an aperture defined therein; and the metal oxide or metal sulfide or metal nitride membrane is supported by the permanent substrate and extends over the aperture.
5. 5 . The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising exposing the metal oxide or metal sulfide or metal nitride membrane to vapor phase anion exchange or solution-based anion exchange to form a metal phosphide membrane, a metal arsenide membrane, a metal antimonide membrane, a metal selenide membrane, or a metal telluride membrane.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/351,308, filed Jun. 10, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. BACKGROUND Various polynucleotide sequencing techniques involve performing a large number of controlled reactions on local support surfaces or within predefined reaction chambers. The designated reactions may then be observed or detected, and subsequent analysis may help identify or reveal properties of the polynucleotide involved in the reaction. Another polynucleotide sequencing technique has been developed that utilizes a nanopore, which can provide a channel for an ionic electrical current. A polynucleotide or label/tag of an incorporated nucleotide is driven into the nanopore, changing the resistivity of the nanopore. Each nucleotide (or series of nucleotides) or each label/tag (or series of labels/tags) yields a characteristic electrical signal, and the record of the signal levels corresponds to the sequence of the polynucleotide. SUMMARY The nanopore sensing systems disclosed herein include an ultrathin (i.e., thickness ranging from about 1 nm to about 3 nm) metal based membrane. A channel formed through the membrane can function as a nanopore for polynucleotide sequencing or can hold a biological pore for polynucleotide or protein sequencing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Features of examples of the present disclosure will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawings, in which like reference numerals correspond to similar, though perhaps not identical, components. For the sake of brevity, reference numerals or features having a previously described function may or may not be described in connection with other drawings in which they appear. FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of one example of a nanopore sensing system; FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of another example of a nanopore sensing system; FIG. 3 is a schematic and partially cross-sectional view of a nanopore sensing system including a sensor array; FIG. 4 is a schematic, perspective flow diagram illustrating one example of a method for generating an ultrathin metal based membrane; FIG. 5A is a schematic, perspective flow diagram illustrating another example of a method for generating an ultrathin metal based membrane; and FIG. 5B is a perspective view illustrating a liquid metal droplet on a temporary substrate and an exploded view of a portion of the liquid metal droplet illustrating the formation of an oxide layer at a surface of the liquid metal droplet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The technique of nanopore sensing uses variations in electrical signal to distinguish nucleotide bases. Nanopore sensor devices often include a cis well fluidly connected to a plurality of trans wells and respective nanopores fluidically connecting the cis well to each of the trans wells. Electrodes are utilized to translocate a polynucleotide through the nanopores, which changes the resistivity of the nanopores. Each nucleotide (or series of nucleotides) yields a characteristic electrical signal, and the record of the signal levels corresponds to the sequence of the polynucleotide. In the examples disclosed herein, an ultrathin (i.e., thickness ranging from about 1 nm to about 3 nm) metal based membrane is positioned between the cis well and each of the trans wells, and this membrane defines or holds the nanopores that fluidically connect the cis well to each of the trans wells. FIG. 1 schematically depicts a portion of one example nanopore sensing system 10 that includes the cis well 8, the trans well 7, and a metal based membrane 2 positioned between the cis and trans wells 8, 7 so that a channel 2a defined in the metal based membrane 2 fluidically connects the cis and trans wells 8, 7, the metal based membrane 2 having a thickness ranging from about 1 nm to about 3 nm and being selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide, a metal sulfide, a metal nitride, a metal phosphide, a metal arsenide, a metal antimonide, a metal selenide, and a metal telluride. Particular examples of the metal oxide membrane include tin oxide, gallium oxide, antimonous oxide (which can be synthesized in air), titanium oxide, indium tin oxide, tantalum oxide, hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, ruthenium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium aluminum oxide, aluminum oxynitride, hafnium aluminum oxide, and combinations thereof. Particular examples of the metal sulfide membrane include tin sulfide, gallium sulfide, and indium sulfide. Depending upon the material that defines the metal based membrane 2, the metal based membrane 2 may be electrically conductive or insulating. The thickness T1 of the membrane 2 ranges from about 1 nm to about 3 nm. Examples for making the membrane 2 are described in further detail below. The membrane 2 has a channel 2a that extends through the entire thickness of the membrane 2. Thus, this channel 2a