Electronic Transport through DNA Nucleotides in a BC${}_3$ Nanogap for Rapid DNA Sequencing

Abstract

Recently solid state nanopores nanogaps have generated a lot of interest in ultrafast DNA sequencing. However, there are challenges to slow down the DNA translocation process to achieve a single nucleobase resolution. A series of computational tools have been used in an attempt to study the DNA translocations in several model systems. The prospect of finding an efficient nanoelectrode for such human genome sequencing might offer an entirely innovative way of preventive health care. Here, we have studied the performance of a boron carbide BC${}_3$ based nanogap setup for DNA sequencing using the density functional theory and non equilibrium Greens function-based methods. The electric current variations under different applied bias voltages are found to be significant due to changes in the nucleotides orientation and lateral position and can even outperform graphene. Computed relatively lower interaction energy for BC${}_3$ electrodes compared to graphene electrodes indicates that BC${}_3$ is a better nanoelectrode for DNA sequencing. From our results, we have found that the unique identification of all four nucleotides possible in the 0.3 to 0.4 V bias region. Furthermore, each of the four nucleotides exhibits around one order of current difference, which makes it possible to identify all four nucleotides uniquely. Thus, we believe that BC${}_3$ based nanoelectrodes may be utilized toward the development of a practical nanodevice for DNA sequencing.

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