Microstructured glass chip for ion-channel electrophysiology - art. no. 040901

We present a technique by which it is possible to produce a planar sensor f or ion channel electrophysiology from glass substrates. Apertures with diam eters in the low micrometer to submicrometer range are achieved by irradiat ion of a glass chip with a single heavy ion and subsequent wet track etchin g. The function of the device is demonstrated by recordings of single chann el currents mediated by the model ion channel gramicidin A in lipid bilayer s, spanning the micromachined aperture.