Surround Electrode for Nucleic Acid Speed Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for controlling the moving speed of nucleic acids in sequencing technologies face challenges in precisely adjusting speed, as they can only decelerate but not accelerate, and often result in substance adhesion to electrodes, hindering motion.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an electric field with a surround electrode charged to either positive or negative, creating an electro-osmotic flow that either accelerates or decelerates the substance by attracting ions, allowing for precise control of speed through gate voltage application and electrode design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If Coulomb force is used to control substance moving speed, then the substance can be decelerated, but the substance cannot be accelerated and adheres to electrodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance (polymer or particle) that interacts with the target substance through electrostatic forces. This intermediary acts as a mediator to control the moving speed of the target substance without direct electrode contact, enabling both acceleration and deceleration while preventing adhesion to electrodes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the intermediary substance by controlling its charge state through gate voltage application. By adjusting the voltage applied to the surround electrode, the charge density of the intermediary substance can be modified, thereby controlling the interaction strength and achieving precise speed control in both directions
2Measurement precision
If Coulomb force is used to adjust moving speed, then deceleration is achieved, but measurement time becomes extremely long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic control by time-varying the gate voltage applied to the surround electrode. The voltage can be adjusted in real-time during the measurement process, allowing the system to adapt the moving speed of the substance dynamically - slowing it down for precise measurement and speeding it up for rapid throughput, thereby reducing overall measurement time
3Speed
If electrodes are used to cause Coulomb force, then substance moving speed can be controlled, but substance adheres around electrodes hindering motion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance (polymer or particle) that interacts with the target substance through electrostatic forces. This intermediary acts as a mediator to control the moving speed of the target substance without direct electrode contact, enabling both acceleration and deceleration while preventing adhesion to electrodes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the electrode system into a pair of electrodes with a gap between them, and introduces a surround electrode that encloses part of the flow path. This segmentation allows the electric field to be confined to specific regions, preventing widespread substance adhesion while maintaining control capability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate and rapid control of nucleic acid movement speed, preventing signal overlap during decoding and allowing for precise determination of base sequences, while also reducing measurement time.
Implementation Method 1
The negative ions or the positive ions that have become attracted to the surface of the surround electrode move to the side of the positive electrode or the negative electrode forming the electrode pair. That is, the negative ions that have become attracted to the surface of the surround electrode generate an electro-osmotic flow that moves to the side of the positive electrode of the electrode pair along the electric field formed by the electrode pair.
Implementation Method 2
causing a substance to move along an electric field formed by an electrode pair
Implementation Method 3
the surround electrode is charged only to either one of positive or negative, so that either negative ions or positive ions derived from the electrolyte become attracted to the surface of the surround electrode at the side of the internal space
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the moving speed of a substance, both of which can adjust the moving speed of a substance to a desired speed. The control method and control apparatus cause a substance to pass through an internal space, in which an electro-osmotic flow is generated, of a surround electrode formed so as to surround part of the moving path of the substance, whereby the control method and control apparatus change the moving speed of the substance.