Vapor etching of ion tracks in fused silica

Musket, R. G.; Yoshiyama, J. M.; Contolini, R. J.; Porter, Jeanne

doi:10.1063/1.1467402

Cited by 39 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The ITE technique allows for fabrication of thin membranes not only in SiN but also in other inorganic materials, for example, SiO 2 (43). Tuning the etching conditions is expected to result in other pore geometries (e.g., cylindrical, cigar-shaped, etc.).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Versatile ultrathin nanoporous silicon nitride membranes

Vlassiouk

Apel

Dmitriev

et al. 2009

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

156

144

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Single-and multiple-nanopore membranes are both highly interesting for biosensing and separation processes, as well as their ability to mimic biological membranes. The density of pores, their shape, and their surface chemistry are the key factors that determine membrane transport and separation capabilities. Here, we report silicon nitride (SiN) membranes with fully controlled porosity, pore geometry, and pore surface chemistry. An ultrathin freestanding SiN platform is described with conical or doubleconical nanopores of diameters as small as several nanometers, prepared by the track-etching technique. This technique allows the membrane porosity to be tuned from one to billions of pores per square centimeter. We demonstrate the separation capabilities of these membranes by discrimination of dye and protein molecules based on their charge and size. This separation process is based on an electrostatic mechanism and operates in physiological electrolyte conditions. As we have also shown, the separation capabilities can be tuned by chemically modifying the pore walls. Compared with typical membranes with cylindrical pores, the conical and double-conical pores reported here allow for higher fluxes, a critical advantage in separation applications. In addition, the conical pore shape results in a shorter effective length, which gives advantages for single biomolecule detection applications such as nanopore-based DNA analysis.ion track-etching ͉ nanofluidics ͉ filtration ͉ SiN

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Versatile ultrathin nanoporous silicon nitride membranes

Vlassiouk

Apel

Dmitriev

et al. 2009

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

156

144

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…For higher energy losses, the half cone angle stabilizes around 18°-20°, typical for tracks of high-energy heavy ions in SiO 2 . 18 The constancy of the cone angles and the low level of size dispersion of the pores ͑Fig. 4͒ suggest that a continuous trail of critical damage along the ion track is only reached for S e Ͼ 4 keV/ nm.…”

Section: B Cone Opening Anglementioning

confidence: 99%

“…17 Ion track etching is most commonly investigated using beams of heavy ions at high velocities ͑ϳ1 MeV/ u or larger͒, 1-3 available only at a few large irradiation facilities around the world. Recently, the prospects of ion track etching with low energy beams ͑0.1 MeV/u or lower͒, available at standard medium-energy ion implanters, 5,6,[17][18][19] have also been investigated. This energy regime is suitable for the application of ion tracks in the nanostructuring of thin films and particularly in systems like SiO 2 / Si and other thin layers useful for microelectronic devices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanoporous SiO2/Si thin layers produced by ion track etching: Dependence on the ion energy and criterion for etchability

Dallanora

Marcondes

Bermúdez

et al. 2008

Journal of Applied Physics

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Vitreous SiO2 thin films thermally grown onto Si wafers were bombarded by Au ions with energies from 0.005 to 11.1 MeV/u and by ions at constant velocity (0.1 MeV/u A197u, T130e, A75s, S32, and F19). Subsequent chemical etching produced conical holes in the films with apertures from a few tens to ∼150 nm. The diameter and the cone angle of the holes were determined as a function of energy loss of the ions. Preferential track etching requires a critical electronic stopping power Seth∼2 keV/nm, independent of the value of the nuclear stopping. However, homogeneous etching, characterized by small cone opening angles and narrow distributions of pore sizes and associated with a continuous trail of critical damage, is only reached for Se>4 keV/nm. The evolution of the etched-track dimensions as a function of specific energy (or electronic stopping force) can be described by the inelastic thermal spike model, assuming that the etchable track results from the quenching of a zone which contains sufficient energy for melting. The model correctly predicts the threshold for the appearance of track etching Seth if the radius of the molten region has at least 1.6 nm. Homogeneous etching comes out only for latent track radii larger than 3 nm.

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“…22 Also, the noncontinuity requires a need for high fluencies to produce a continuous volume of overlapping defects. 6 The wet etching result of an etching selectivity of 1.9 between the irradiated volume and the unirradiated bulk in the TEM samples is very similar to those of wet etched continuous ion tracks, 16,23,24 implying a continuous volume of overlapping defects. Also, the columnar sidewall of Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

“…14,15 In addition, it has been used to selectively etch individual latent tracks in fused silica. 16 In contrast to that work, we use the technique to thermally oxidized thin film amorphous SiO 2 and, moreover, etched irradiated volumes of overlapping noncontinuous latent tracks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%