Diffusion and Trapping of Single Particles in Pores with Combined Pressure and Dynamic Voltage

Abstract

In this article we report resistive-pulse experiments with polystyrene particles whose transport through pores is controlled by modulating the driving voltage during the process of translocation. Balancing electric and hydrostatic forces acting on the particles allowed us to observe a random walk of single particles in a pore for tens of seconds and to quantify their diffusion coefficient using two methods. The first approach is based on the mean square displacement and requires passage of multiple particles for a range of diffusion times. The diffusion coefficient of individual particles was determined based on the variance of their local diffusion velocities. The developed methods for measuring the diffusion coefficient in pores are applicable to particles of different sizes, do not require fluorescence labeling, and are entirely based on ion current recordings. In addition, application of a modulating voltage signal together with rising edge triggers enabled transporting the same particle back and forth in the pore without letting the particle leave the pore.