Fig. 4: Electrostatic simulation result for the GIE trap.

a 2D electrostatic potential distribution along the yz-plane at x = 0 for channel height = 160 nm, pocket depth = 100 nm, pocket diameter = 500 nm, salt concentration = 0.03 mM, and particle diameter = 80 nm. 3D COMSOL simulations were performed for different particle locations inside and outside of the pocket ranging from r = 0 nm (bright circle) to r = 600 nm (black circle). A potential distribution was used for the calculation of the system free energy as a function of the particle position relative to the center of the nanotrap (i.e., r = 0). b Helmholtz free energy distribution with respect to the radial position (r) of the trapped nanoparticles inside nanopockets with 200 nm (blue curve) and 500 nm (red curve) diameters. The difference in the free energy of the system was calculated with respect to the Helmholtz energy of the system with the particle at r = 600 nm