The DNA SET: a novel device for single-molecule DNA sequencing

We present the principle of the dnaSET, a novel device for single-molecule sequence analysis of DNA strands. The central idea is to measure the variations in current through a single electron transistor (SET) as a target DNA molecule slithers through a nanoeye integrated between the SET's floating island and gate. We present a basic but illustrative simulation of the operation, and the results therefrom lead us to conclude that the DNA SET has a single-nucleotide resolution that enables it to read off the individual bases in a DNA strand. The versatility of this idea makes it suitable for incorporation in other bio-assay tools, and thus the DNA/protein SET promises to be a powerful direct sensing device for a wide range of applications.