

Shankar Dutt
Hi!! I am a researcher currently with the Research School of Physics of the Australian National University, investigating novel composite nanopore membranes. Using track etch technology and controlled breakdown technique, I work on an industrially compatible technology for the fabrication of extremely small nanopores of controllable shape and size in a variety of materials. Combining this technology with 2D materials such as Graphene or ultra-thin film deposition enables the fabrication of nanopore membranes with desired functionalities that can be used in medical and biological sensors, ultrafiltration, and lab-on-the-chip applications.
New Publication
Publication: Ultrathin, High-Lifetime Silicon Nitride Membranes for Nanopore Sensing
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Published in Analytical Chemistry, we present a scalable and controllable method to fabricate silicon nitride (SixNy) membranes with effective thickness down to ∼1.5 nm. Nanopores were fabricated using the controlled breakdown method with estimated pore diameters down to ∼1.8 nm yielding events >500,000 and >1,800,000 from dsDNA and bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein, respectively, demonstrating the high-performance and extended lifetime of the pores fabricated through our membranes.
PhD
(Physics)
Australian National University, Australia
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Sept 2018 - present
M.Sc.
(Physics Hons. )
Guru Nanak Dev University, India
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July 2016 - June 2018
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University Rank - 1 (Gold Medalist).
CGPA - 9.85/10
B.Sc.
(Physics Hons. )
Guru Nanak Dev University, India
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July 2013 - June 2016
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University Rank - 1 (Gold Medalist)
CGPA - 9.92/10
Education
Media Highlight
Title: How a coffee machine helped to make perfect nanopores
....“We’re the first to quantify the shape of the nanopores, using small-angle X-ray scattering at the Australian Synchrotron in Melbourne. This will have a big impact: if you know the nanopore shape and how the pores form, you can design better experiments for advanced applications such as ultra-filtration, bio-sensors and so on accordingly.” said Mr Dutt, a PhD student in the Department of Materials Physics. .....