Abstract
The development of nanotechnology relies heavily on the ability to observe and probe at molecular scales. Thus, breakthroughs in instrumentation and techniques play a significant role in the advancement in nanoscience. In this article, we survey recent developments in observing, trapping, and probing single molecules in solution. We give particular attention to patents that cover enabling instrumentation in each of these related areas including, respectively, fluorescence imaging, optical tweezers, and anti-Brownian traps. We conclude by highlighting a broad trend in the literature and patent base from observation toward active interrogation of single molecules in solution.
Keywords: Optical trap, fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET), optical tweezers, anti-brownian electrokinetic trap, single-molecule spectroscopy, single-molecule trapping, fluorescent tags
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Advances in Vanadium and Titanium Resources for High-performance Materials via Nanostructuring and Nanoengineering (updated BMS-NANOTEC-2023-HT-31)
Vanadium and titanium-based materials are ideal candidates for structural and functional materials in aerospace, biomedical engineering, optics, catalysis, energy storage and conversion etc. Vanadium/titanium-based alloys, compounds and materials have a large family with different chemical compositions, dimensions, structures/morphologies, and chemical/physical/mechanical properties, which provides huge opportunities for the development of emerging ...read more
Green Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials for a Sustainable Environment
Green nanotechnology (GN) might wind up being the most efficient platform for achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda. The goal of GN is to create goods and procedures that are secure, energy-efficient, waste-free, and emit fewer greenhouse gases. Such goods and procedures use renewable resources, and/or their environmental impact ...read more
NANOSTRUCTURED NEUROMORPHIC DEVICES: TOWARDS IN MATERIA COMPUTING
The efforts pursued in the last decade to build up brain-inspired systems with electronic hardware solutions to solve complex data processing tasks, have leaded to the development of a new generation of devices, as memristor crossbar arrays, and their different applications became more and more reliable. One of the basic ...read more
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