Identification of DNA Bases Using Nanopores Created in Finite-Size Nanoribbons from Graphene, Phosphorene, and Silicene

TL;DR

This study explores the potential of phosphorene and silicene nanoribbons with nanopores for DNA base detection, showing they have promising properties compared to graphene for sequencing applications.

Contribution

It introduces the use of phosphorene and silicene nanoribbons with nanopores for DNA sequencing, expanding beyond graphene-based methods.

Findings

Phosphorene and silicene have smaller DNA base binding energies than graphene.

Interaction with DNA bases significantly alters the band gaps of phosphorene and silicene.

Phosphorene and silicene are promising for advanced DNA detection techniques.

Abstract

The success of graphene for nanopore DNA sequencing has shown that it is possible to explore other potential single-atom and few-atom thick layers of elemental 2D materials beyond graphene (e.g., phosphorene and silicene). Using density functional theory, we studied the interaction of DNA bases with nanopores created in finite-size nanoribbons from graphene, phosphorene, and silicene. We observe that binding energies of DNA bases using nanopores from phosphorene and silicene are generally smaller compared to graphene. The band gaps of phosphorene and silicene are significantly altered due to interaction with DNA bases compared to graphene. Our findings show that phosphorene and silicene are promising alternatives to graphene for DNA base detection using advanced detection principles such as transverse tunneling current measurement.