A first-principles study on DNA sequencing using graphene quantum dot

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a new device based on graphene quantum dot (GQD) to interrogate nucleotide in a DNA molecule. We have conducted non-equilibrium Green’s function together with the density functional theory simulations to show zero transmission curves for a system which includes nucleobases. The simulation results indicates several characteristic peaks in the electron transmission curve for any single base on the quantum dot which can be utilized to distinguish between bases. Number and positions of the peaks, as well as their amplitude, depend on the type of the bases and their relative position to the dot. Thus, this structure shows remarkable distinction characteristic in zero bias transmission curve and can yield minimal ambiguity in the adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine nucleotide detection. Due to stacking of nucleobases on the graphene and consequent attenuation in directional fluctuations, stable measurement is also expected.