A glass nanopore electrode for single molecule detection

We have developed a simple method for fabricating robust and low noise glass nanopore electrodes with pore size 10 ± 5 nm to detect single molecules. β-Cyclodextrin was used as model compound for characterization. In 1.0 mol/L NaCl solution, the molecules generated current pulses of 2–5 pA with noise level less than 0.8 pA. A slide mode and a plug mode were suggested for the way of β-cyclodextrin single molecule moving into the glass nanopores.