DNA Detection Using a Single-Layer Phosphorene Nanopore

JA Boyd and ZL Cao and P Yadav and AB Farimani, ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS, 6, 7814-7820 (2023).

DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.3c00937

Over the past decade, two-dimensional (2D) materials have been emerging as promising candidates for detecting and characterizing DNA using nanopore technology. With an artificially created nanopore, their ability to distinguish between different nucleotides holds promise for single-read, high-through-put, and label-free DNA sequencing. Different 2D membranes have demonstrated potential for distinguishing between different nucleotides contingent on fluctuations in ionic current as the nucleotides pass through the nanopore. Among the 2D materials, phosphorene bears outstanding properties such as high carrier mobility, low deformation potential, and tunable band gaps. Here, we investigated the potential of nanoporous phosphorene for DNA detection. By conducting hundreds of molecular dynamics simulations, we evaluate the phosphorene nanopore's sensitivity to distinguish between different nucleotides through the generation of characteristic features such as fluctuations in ionic current, residence time, and the dehydration state of the nanopore. We are able to demonstrate that phosphorene is a promising candidate for distinguishing between certain bases.

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