Low-noise wide-bandwidth DNA readout instrument for nanopore applications

Abstract

A low-noise, wide-bandwidth DNA readout instrument for nanopore applications is presented. Owing to hardware simplicity and reliability, a resistive-feedback transimpedance amplifier (rf-TIA) is adopted as the headstage for the readout instrument. However, to achieve a high gain and low input noise, its high feedback resistance induces a high parasitic capacitance, thus significantly limiting the 3 dB bandwidth. To drastically reduce the parasitic capacitance and widen the bandwidth, a novel rf-TIA architecture is fabricated that utilises a split-resistor technique for the high feedback resistor. This is demonstrated in a benchtop test employing an a-haemolysin nanopore.