Rapid and precise scanning helium ion microscope milling of solid-state nanopores for biomolecule detection

Yang, Jijin; Ferranti, David C.; Stern, Lewis; Sanford, Colin A.; Huang, Jian; Ren, Zheng; Qin, Lu‐Chang; Hall, Adam R.

doi:10.1088/0957-4484/22/28/285310

Cited by 181 publications

(172 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The achievable diameter can be as small as 4 nm, which is 60% smaller compared to other one step milling techniques. 126 Most importantly, the quality of these pores for biomolecule detection is comparable to state-ofthe-art pores fabricated using TEM 127 or FIB. 128 However, these techniques create smallest pores by closing the existing bigger pores in a controlled way.…”

Section: Direct Write Lithographymentioning

confidence: 90%

Helium ion microscopy

Hlawacek

Veligura

Gastel

et al. 2014

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics: Materials, Processing, Measurement, and Phen

203

154

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Helium ion microcopy based on gas field ion sources represents a new ultrahigh resolution microscopy and nanofabrication technique. It is an enabling technology that not only provides imagery of conducting as well as uncoated insulating nanostructures but also allows to create these features. The latter can be achieved using resists or material removal due to sputtering. The close to free-form sculpting of structures over several length scales has been made possible by the extension of the method to other gases such as neon. A brief introduction of the underlying physics as well as a broad review of the applicability of the method is presented in this review.

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Section: Direct Write Lithographymentioning

confidence: 90%

Helium ion microscopy

Hlawacek

Veligura

Gastel

et al. 2014

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics: Materials, Processing, Measurement, and Phen

203

154

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Not only is it capable of imaging uncoated biological samples at a very high resolution [31,151,152], but it has also been used to mill nanopores with diameters below 4 nm that are comparable to similar pores formed using TEM [158]. Further studies were performed, which related the milling depth to the ion dose for both direct and transmission milling and shed light into differences in milling parameters [159].…”

Section: Milling/patterningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of helium ion microscopy to nanostructured polymer materials

Bliznyuk

LaJeunesse

Boseman

2014

Nanotechnology Reviews

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Helium ion microscopy (HIM) is a relatively new high-resolution nanotechnology imaging and nanofabrication tool. HIM offers a near-molecular resolution (approaching that of TEM) combined with a simplicity of sample preparation and high depth of field similar to SEM. Simultaneously, the technique is not limited by the surface roughness as scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques or by the surface charging or radiation damage like SEM. In our review, we consider general principles, advantages, and prospects of HIM application in polymer science. Examples of high-resolution imaging of polymer-based nanocomposites, polymer nanoparticles, nanofibers, nanoporous materials, polymer nanocrystals, biopolymers, and polymer-based photovoltaic and sensor devices are presented. We compare the HIM's applicability with other modern imaging techniques: SPM and SEM.

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“…TEM below an electron energy of 120 keV which is known to be non-destructive on silicon nitride. 1 A patterning strategy that employs the filling of geometrical objects thus provides reasonable results for a range of pore sizes and aspect ratios. However, for very thin membranes the aspect ratio is determined by the thickness of the membrane.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanopore fabrication and characterization by helium ion microscopy

Emmrich

Beyer

Nadzeyka

et al. 2016

Applied Physics Letters

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Abstract:The Helium Ion Microscope (HIM) has the capability to image small features with a resolution down to 0.35 nm due to its highly focused gas field ionization source and its small beam-sample interaction volume. In this work, the focused helium ion beam of a HIM is utilized to create nanopores with diameters down to 1.3 nm. It will be demonstrated that nanopores can be milled into silicon nitride, carbon nanomembranes (CNMs) and graphene with well-defined aspect ratio. To image and characterize the produced nanopores, helium ion microscopy and high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy were used. The analysis of the nanopores' growth behavior, allows inferring on the profile of the helium ion beam.Nanopores in atomically thin membranes can be used for biomolecule analysis, 1 electrochemical storage, 2 as well as for the separation of gases and liquids. 3 All of these applications require a precise control of the size and shape of the nanopores. It was shown that the focused beam of a transmission electron microscope (TEM) is able to create nanopores in membranes of silicon nitride and graphene with diameters down to 2 nm. 4,5 Pores can be further shrunk in a TEM by areal electron impact. 6 However, the preparation of such nanopores in a TEM is time-consuming and is limited to small samples (~3 mm diameter) that fit into the microscope. Focused ion beam tools (FIB) offer more flexibility concerning the sample size and a higher milling speed. Among these FIB tools gallium liquid metal ion sources (LMIS) are widely used, allowing minimum sizes of 3 nm diameter for nanopores. 7 The development of a reliable gas field ionization source (GFIS) type allowed the construction of the helium ion microscope which surpasses the imaging and milling resolution of 9 First studies about milling with helium ions reported sample damage by amorphization and helium implantation during milling on bulk substrates. 10 The latter effect is absent on membranes, where nanopores with diameters of 2.6 nm were milled by HIM. 11 In all these reports, pores were created by single spot exposures. Here we present a different route to create small nanopores in membranes by milling circular patterns. Furthermore we are able to connect the growth of nanopores to the ion beam profile.

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Rapid and precise scanning helium ion microscope milling of solid-state nanopores for biomolecule detection

Cited by 181 publications

References 31 publications

Helium ion microscopy

Helium ion microscopy

Application of helium ion microscopy to nanostructured polymer materials

Nanopore fabrication and characterization by helium ion microscopy

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