【The Next Industrial Paradigm】Ahmad Bahai：Solid State Nanopores

Solid State Nanopores Abstract: The convergence of innovations across health sciences, semiconductor technology, and artificial intelligence is poised to fundamentally reshape personalized healthcare. Advances in biochemistry, microelectronics, and AI have already transformed nearly every aspect of modern life; their intersection now presents a particularly compelling opportunity in health and life sciences. Real-time monitoring of biomarkers with clinical-grade accuracy enables deeper insight into disease progression and supports more precise and timelier diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. At the same time, the growing availability of large, high-quality datasets—coupled with increasingly sophisticated AI algorithms—creates new pathways for understanding disease mechanisms at the molecular level. In this talk, Prof. Bahai will highlight several applications of advanced semiconductor technologies for real-time biomarker monitoring to enable clinical diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. A notable example of this convergence is the use of solid-state nanopores for single-molecule detection. Nanopore technologies are driving a new generation of biosensing and sequencing platforms. Unlike biological nanopores, solid-state nanopores are fabricated in materials such as silicon nitride membranes using advanced lithographic techniques, offering superior robustness and design flexibility. Their higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), along with compatibility with CMOS integration, is critical for scalable, high-throughput implementations. Key technical challenges remain, including improving the consistency of pores and the controlled slowdown of molecular translocation to improve detection resolution. Addressing these challenges, along with seamless integration with CMOS, will enable increasingly complex systems that combine microfluidic, electronic, and photonic components. Emerging architecture which incorporates photonic waveguides to enhance sensitivity illustrates the potential of these hybrid platforms to significantly advance next-generation biosensing technologies.