title: Sorting by diffusion: an asymmetric obstacle course for continuous molecular separation.
abstract: A separation technique employing a microfabricated sieve has been demonstrated by observing the motion of DNA molecules of different size. The sieve consists of a two-dimensional lattice of obstacles whose asymmetric disposition rectifies the Brownian motion of molecules driven through the device, causing them to follow paths that depend on their diffusion coefficient. A nominal 6% resolution by length of DNA molecules in the size range 15-30 kbp may be achieved in a 4-inch (10-cm) silicon wafer. The advantage of this method is that samples can be loaded and sorted continuously, in contrast to the batch mode commonly used in gel electrophoresis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bakajin
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Duke
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Craighead
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Austin
mesh_terms: D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004058:Diffusion
chemical_list: D004247:DNA