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Nanopore fabrication and characterization by helium ion microscopy

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4947277· OSTI ID:22591609
; ;  [1]; ;  [2]; ;  [3]
  1. Physics of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld (Germany)
  2. Raith GmbH, Konrad-Adenauer-Allee 8, 44263 Dortmund (Germany)
  3. Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna (Austria)
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, 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.
OSTI ID:
22591609
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 16 Vol. 108; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English