Nanopore fabrication and characterization by helium ion microscopy

Journal Article · Mon Apr 18 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4947277· OSTI ID:22591609

Emmrich, D.; Beyer, A.; Gölzhäuser, A. ^[1]; Nadzeyka, A.; Bauerdick, S. ^[2]; Meyer, J. C.; Kotakoski, J. ^[3]

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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, Vol. 108, Issue 16; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ASPECT RATIO
FABRICATION
GRAPHENE
HELIUM IONS
IMAGES
ION BEAMS
ION MICROSCOPES
ION MICROSCOPY
IONIZATION
NATURAL GAS FIELDS
RESOLUTION
SILICON NITRIDES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY