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Observations of the Effect of Confined Space on Fluorescence and Diffusion Properties of Molecules in Single Conical Nanopore Channels

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Abstract

In this work, we investigated the fluorescence emission spectra and diffusion properties of dye molecules confined in different positions of conical nanopore channels using a laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscope. The results showed that a red shift of the emission spectra is observed from the tip section to the bottom section and the diffusion rate is slower in the channel than that in bulk solution, indicating a single conical nanopore channel can be used as a convenient tool for investigating the effect of confined space on the behaviors of molecules.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (20975084, 20575055), the National Basic Research Program of China (973Program, 2007CB935600) and the Science and technology program of Fujian Province (2009Y0046). We thank Professor Richard N. Zare for the illumination in applications of nanopores, and Professor Henry S. White and his coworkers for sharing the experience of glass nanopore fabrication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China

    Li-Xiang Zhang, Xiao-Hong Cao, Wei-Peng Cai & Yao-Qun Li

  2. Department of Applied Chemistry, East China Institute of Technology, Fuzhou, 344000, China

    Xiao-Hong Cao

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  1. Li-Xiang Zhang
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  2. Xiao-Hong Cao
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Correspondence to Yao-Qun Li.

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Zhang, LX., Cao, XH., Cai, WP. et al. Observations of the Effect of Confined Space on Fluorescence and Diffusion Properties of Molecules in Single Conical Nanopore Channels. J Fluoresc 21, 1865–1870 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-011-0881-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-011-0881-8

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