Hybridised functional micro- and nanostructure for studying the kinetics of a single biomolecule

In this Letter, the nanoporous anodic alumina membranes (nanoPAAM) were first fabricated by the two-step anodic oxidisation method, and then based on these nanoPAAM master molds, polymer polymethylmethacrylate nanopillars with controllable heights and diameters were achieved by the direct casting method. Subsequently, combined with the ultraviolet lithography or electron beam lithography, a kind of useful platform of microfluidic channel that was embedded with nanopillar arrays was achieved. Finally, the transferring processes of DNA molecules around the entrance of the hybrid channel were monitored with an epi-fluorescence microscopy and electron multiplying charge coupled device camera in real time. The hybrid structure of microchannel with nanopillar arrays provides critical advantages when using the fluorescent microscopy to detect the dynamics of single DNA molecules.