One-step protein analysis using slanted nanofilter array

A biomolecular sorter comprising:

• a) a first substrate;
• b) a second substrate affixed to a surface of the first substrate;
• c) at least one sample inlet on the surface of the first substrate upstream from a first preconcentration region;
• d) at least one sample outlet on the surface of the first substrate downstream from a first separation region;
• e) the first preconcentration region comprising a plurality of first nanochannels having a shallow depth and a plurality of second nanochannels having a deep depth, and said plurality of first and plurality of second nanochannels are in fluid communication with each other and the at least one sample inlet;
• f) the first separation region comprising a plurality of first nanochannels having a shallow depth and a plurality of second nanochannels having a deep depth, and said plurality of first and plurality of second nanochannels are in serial fluid communication with each other, downstream from the first preconcentration region and upstream from the at least one sample outlet;
• g) a first conduit for applying an electrostatic force field or hydrodynamic force field to the nanochannels of the first preconcentration region and the nanochannels of the first separation region;
• h) a second conduit for applying the electrostatic force field or hydrodynamic force field to the nanochannels of the first separation region and the nanochannels of the first preconcentration region;
• wherein the depths of said nanochannels of the first preconcentration region and the nanochannels of the first separation region are between about 2 nm and 10 μm, and said nanochannels of the first preconcentration region are linear and are angled at between about 115 degrees and 155 degrees relative to the electrostatic or hydrodynamic force field so as to cause concentration of specific molecule species within the first preconcentration region, and said nanochannels of the first separation region are linear and are angled at between about 15 degrees and 75 degrees, relative to the electrostatic or hydrodynamic force field so as to cause separation of specific molecule species within the first separation region, and an unbroken plane exists between the surface of the first substrate and a surface of the second substrate such that the unbroken plane is in fluid communication with the nanochannels of the first preconcentration region and the nanochannels of the first separation region.