Joseph Larkin - Combining Nanopores and Nanoantennas

When: October 5, 2011 (Wed), 03:00PM to 04:00PM (add to my calendar)
Location: PRB 365

This event is part of the Preliminary Oral Exam.

Title: Combining Nanopores and Nanoantennas

Examining Committee:  Amit Meller, Shyam Erramilli, Robert Carey, and AndersSandvik

Abstract: Metal nanoantennas have been shown to enhance fluorescence of
molecules in their vicinity.  However, no techniques have been able to
bring molecules to the precise locations of highest enhancement.
Nanopores have the ability to isolate DNA molecules from bulk solution to
one particular point in space.  We propose an experiment to use nanopores
to bring fluorescently labeled DNA to the "hot spot" of a nanoantenna for
highest enhancement.  This allows single-molecule measurement of
fluorescence enhancement for different molecular locations and antenna
structures. Moreover, the antenna-enhanced signal serves to improve
detection for a variety of single-molecule biophysics experiments.