Patent ID: 8003316
Filing Date: 2011-08-23
Classification: B22F,B82Y,C12Q,G01P,G02B

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting motion in nanoscale structures, comprising: providing a molecular motor having a rotating arm; attaching a rod-shaped nanoparticle to the rotating arm of the molecular motor so that the nanoparticle rotates with the rotating arm of the molecular motor, wherein the nanoparticle is attached to the rotating arm of the molecular motor by a bridge formed in the presence of a DNA detection strand when hybridized to a target DNA strand, wherein the nanoparticle has a first surface and a second surface, and wherein the first surface has greater area than the second surface; exposing a light to the rod-shaped nanoparticle, wherein the nanoparticle scatters a first polarized wavelength of the light when the nanoparticle is in a first position and the nanoparticle scatters a second polarized wavelength of the light when the nanoparticle is in a second position; filtering the first and second polarized wavelengths of the light through a polarizing filter to detect rotational motion by observing alternating first and second wavelengths of the light.