Reducing the thickness of silicon nitride nanopores

Solid state nanopores have been shown to detect the passage of single biomolecule translocations by monitoring the changes in current passing through the nanopore under an applied voltage. One of the key issues in nanopore sensing is the resolution limitations due to the thickness of the nanopore. This research is centered on the modification of the thickness and diameter of the nanopore itself for increased resolution in information from detecting biomolecules through the use of wet etching. Using HRTEM and STEM EELS techniques, it has been shown that wet etching has successfully changed both the diameter and thickness of solid state nanopores and may allow for increased resolution of future single biomolecule nanopore experiments.