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Fabrication of nanopores in multi-layered silicon-based membranes using focused electron beam induced etching with XeF2 gas

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Abstract

The emergent technology of using nanopores for stochastic sensing of biomolecules introduces a demand for the development of simple fabrication methodologies of nanopores in solid state membranes. This process becomes particularly challenging when membranes of composite layer architecture are involved. To overcome this challenge we have employed a focused electron beam induced chemical etching process. We present here the fabrication of nanopores in silicon-on-insulator based membranes in a single step process. In this process, chemical etching of the membrane materials by XeF2 gas is locally accelerated by an electron beam, resulting in local etching, with a top membrane oxide layer preventing delocalized etching of the silicon underneath. Nanopores with a funnel or conical, 3-dimensional (3D) shape can be fabricated, depending on the duration of exposure to XeF2, and their diameter is dominated by the time of exposure to the electron beam. The demonstrated ability to form high-aspect ratio nanopores in comparably thick, multi-layered silicon based membranes allows for an easy integration into current silicon process technology and hence is attractive for implementation in biosensing lab-on-chip fabrication technologies.

Nanopore drilling in silicon-on-insulator membranes is accomplished by focused electron beam induced chemical etching.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially financially supported by the BMBF under grant 0312031E, by the NTH School for Contacts in Nanosystems, and by a German-Israeli Project Cooperation (DIP) under grants AS 424/1-1 and TO 266/8-1. The authors thank Drs. V. Ezersky and E. Roth for assistance in TEM imaging and fruitful discussions, B. Hadad for technical assistance in e-beam writer operation, and Mr. M. Karsten and Mr. W. Weiß for technical help. YLP is a recipient of a Negev doctoral scholarship and the Shimona Geresh prize.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Yael Liebes-Peer & Nurit Ashkenasy

  2. Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Yael Liebes-Peer

  3. The Ilze Kaz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Yael Liebes-Peer & Nurit Ashkenasy

  4. Institut für Halbleitertechnik, TU Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Str. 66, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany

    Vedran Bandalo, Ünsal Sökmen & Marc Tornow

  5. Institut für Strahlenschutz, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany

    Vedran Bandalo

  6. Department of Molecular Electronics, Technische Universität München, Arcisstr. 21, 80333, München, Germany

    Marc Tornow

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  1. Yael Liebes-Peer
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  2. Vedran Bandalo
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Correspondence to Nurit Ashkenasy.

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Liebes-Peer, Y., Bandalo, V., Sökmen, Ü. et al. Fabrication of nanopores in multi-layered silicon-based membranes using focused electron beam induced etching with XeF2 gas. Microchim Acta 183, 987–994 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1557-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1557-x

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