title: Distinguishing Individual DNA Bases in a Network by Non-Resonant Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering.
abstract: The importance of identifying DNA bases at the single-molecule level is well recognized for many biological applications. Although such identification can be achieved by electrical measurements using special setups, it is still not possible to identify single bases in real space by optical means owing to the diffraction limit. Herein, we demonstrate the outstanding ability of scanning tunneling microscope (STM)-controlled non-resonant tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) to unambiguously distinguish two individual complementary DNA bases (adenine and thymine) with a spatial resolution down to 0.9 nm. The distinct Raman fingerprints identified for the two molecules allow to differentiate in real space individual DNA bases in coupled base pairs. The demonstrated ability of non-resonant Raman scattering with super-high spatial resolution will significantly extend the applicability of TERS, opening up new routes for single-molecule DNA sequencing.
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.|Department of Theoretical Chemistry and Biology, School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Xianbiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Huifang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Chunrui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.|Department of Theoretical Chemistry and Biology, School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
authors.forename: Zhenchao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000737:chemistry*; D020029:Base Pairing; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013941:Thymine / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D000225:Adenine; D013941:Thymine
keywords: DNA bases; molecular recognition; non-resonant Raman spectroscopy; scanning tunneling microscopy; tip-enhanced Raman scattering