AVS 52nd International Symposium
    DNA Topical Conference Monday Sessions
       Session DN-MoP

Paper DN-MoP10
DNA Mobility through 2-D Entropic Well Lattices with Nanoscale Constrictions

Monday, October 31, 2005, 5:00 pm, Room Exhibit Hall C&D

Session: DNA Poster Session
Presenter: E.A. Strychalski, Cornell University
Authors: E.A. Strychalski, Cornell University
H.G. Craighead, Cornell University
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We are examining the interactions of double stranded DNA with novel micro- and nanofluidic geometries in order to gain an understanding of DNA mobilities through these fluidic structures. In particular, we are constructing various two dimensional arrays of wells through which double stranded DNA are electrophoretically driven. Each well serves as an entropic trap, affecting DNA mobility in a way that inhibits the migration of smaller strands relative to longer strands. While this behavior was first described by Han and Craighead in one dimensional entropic arrays,@footnote 1@ our work seeks to establish the effects of extending the entropic array to two dimensions. Our well lattices typically extend 500 microns down the length of a 500 micron wide channel. These channels are at most 50 nanometers deep between micron deep circular wells with well spacings from 5 to 20 microns. The two dimensional structure of our entropic arrays allow the investigation of varied well diameter, lattice structure, lattice constant, and lattice offset angle relative to the direction of the applied electric field. We report on the effectiveness of various entropic well lattices, embedded in nanoscale fluidic channels, to yield DNA separation. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ J. Han, H.G. Craighead, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A. 17, 2142 (1999).