Use of a columnar metal thin film as a nanosieve with sub-10 nm pores

Geometrically Structured Nanomaterials for Nanosensors, NEMS, and Nanosieves

Recently, geometrically structured nanomaterials have received great attention due to their unique physical and chemical properties, which originate from the geometric variation in such materials. Indeed, the use of various geometrically structured nanomaterials has been actively reported in enhanced-performance devices in a wide range of applications. Recent significant progress in the development of geometrically structured nanomaterials and associated devices is summarized. First, a brief introduction of advanced nanofabrication methods that enable the fabrication of various geometrically structured nanomaterials is given, and then the performance enhancements achieved in devices utilizing these nanomaterials, namely, i) physical and gas nanosensors, ii) nanoelectromechanical devices, and iii) nanosieves are described. For the device applications, a systematic summary of their structures, working mechanisms, fabrication methods, and output performance is provided. Particular focus is given to how device performance can be enhanced through the geometric structures of the nanomaterials. Finally, perspectives on the development of novel nanomaterial structures and associated devices are presented.

Selective protein transport through ultra-thin suspended reduced graphene oxide nanopores

The nanoporous free-standing graphene membrane is of great interest in high performance separation technology. In particular, the separation of biological molecules with similar sizes is one of the key challenges in the purification of biomaterials. Here, we report a reliable, cost-effective, and facile method for the fabrication of a graphene-based nanosieve and its application in the separation of similar-size proteins. A suspended reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosieve with ultra-thin, large-area, well-ordered, and dense 15 nm-sized pores was fabricated using block copolymer (BCP) lithography. The fabricated 5 nm-ultrathin nanosieve with an area of 200 μm × 200 μm (an ultra-high aspect ratio of ∼40 000) endured pressure up to 1 atm, and effectively separated hemoglobin (Hb) from a mixture of hemoglobin and immunoglobulin G (IgG), the common proteins in human blood, in a highly selective and rapid manner. The use of the suspended rGO nanosieve is expected to provide a simple and manufacturable platform for practical biomolecule separation offering high selectivity and a large throughput.

Multimaterial Nanoporous Membranes Shaped through High Aspect-Ratio Sacrificial Silicon Nanostructures

We present an innovative fabrication method for solid-state nanoporous membranes based on the casting of sacrificial silicon nanostructures. The process allows the individual definition of geometry and placement of each nanopore through e-beam lithography and is compatible with a wide range of materials without the need to adapt the process to the materials used. We demonstrate the fabrication of membranes integrating high aspect-ratio nanopores with critical dimensions as small as 30 nm, 1.2 μm in length, with round or elongated shapes, and made of silicon dioxide or amorphous carbon. The capability to engineer nanoporous membranes made of a variety of materials and with tailored designs will lead to new applications in the field of electrochemical sensing, flow modulation, or the chemical functionalization of nanopores.

Versatile Transfer of an Ultralong and Seamless Nanowire Array Crystallized at High Temperature for Use in High-Performance Flexible Devices

Nanowire (NW) transfer technology has provided promising strategies to realize future flexible materials and electronics. Using this technology, geometrically controlled, high-quality NW arrays can now be obtained easily on various flexible substrates with high throughput. However, it is still challenging to extend this technology to a wide range of high-performance device applications because its limited temperature tolerance precludes the use of high-temperature annealing, which is essential for NW crystallization and functionalization. A pulsed laser technique has been developed to anneal NWs in the presence of a flexible substrate; however, the induced temperature is not high enough to improve the properties of materials such as ceramics and semiconductors. Here, we present a versatile nanotransfer method that is applicable to NWs that require high-temperature annealing. To successfully anneal NWs during their transfer, the developed fabrication method involves sequential removal of a nanoscale sacrificial layer. Using this method, we first produce an ultralong, perfectly aligned polycrystalline barium titanate (BaTiO₃) NW array that is heat treated at 700 °C on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. This high-quality piezoelectric NW array on a flexible substrate is used as a flexible nanogenerator that generates current and voltage 37 and 10 times higher, respectively, than those of a nanogenerator made of noncrystallized BaTiO₃ NWs.

Asymmetric Multifunctional Heterogeneous Membranes for pH- and Temperature-Cooperative Smart Ion Transport Modulation

Asymmetric multifunctional heterogeneous membranes are demonstrated by combing a block copolymer polystyrene-block-poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate) membrane with a track-etched porous poly(ethylene terephthalate) membrane. This hybrid membrane is capable of integrating pH- and temperature-cooperative high-performance ionic rectification, highly efficient cation gating, and excellent stability and controllability, which allows broad application in biosensing, energy conversion, and filtration.

Ultrathin Silica Membranes with Highly Ordered and Perpendicular Nanochannels for Precise and Fast Molecular Separation

Membranes with the ability of molecular/ionic separation offer potential in many processes ranging from molecular purification/sensing, to nanofluidics and to mimicking biological membranes. In this work, we report the preparation of a perforative free-standing ultrathin silica membrane consisting of straight and parallel nanochannels with a uniform size (∼2.3 nm) for precise and fast molecular separation. Due to its small and uniform channel size, the membrane exhibits a precise selectivity toward molecules based on size and charge, which can be tuned by ionic strength, pH or surface modification. Furthermore, the ultrasmall thickness (10-120 nm), vertically aligned channels, and high porosity (4.0 × 10(12) pores cm(-2)) give rise to a significantly high molecular transport rate. In addition, the membrane also displays excellent stability and can be consecutively reused for a month after washing or calcination. More importantly, the membrane fabrication is convenient, inexpensive, and does not rely on sophisticated facilities or conditions, providing potential applications in both separation science and micro/nanofluidic chip technologies.

Wafer-scale, three-dimensional helical porous thin films deposited at a glancing angle

Minimization of helices opens a door to impose novel functions derived from the dimensional shrinkage of optical, mechanical and electronic devices. Glancing angle deposition (GLAD) enables one to deposit three-dimensional helical porous thin films (HPTFs) composed of separated spiral micro/nano-columns. GLAD integrates a series of advantageous features, including one-step deposition, wafer-scale production with mono-handedness of spirals, flexible engineering of spiral materials and dimensions, and the adaption to various kinds of substrates. Herein, we briefly review the fabrication of HPTFs by GLAD, specific growth mechanisms, physical properties in structures, mechanics and chiral optics, and the emerging applications in green energy. A prospective outlook is presented to illuminate some promising developments in enantioselection, bio-dynamic analyses, wirelessly-controlled drug delivery and mass production.

Pore-size reduction protocol for SiN membrane nanopore using the thermal reflow in nanoimprinting for nanobio-based sensing

Micro- and nano-fabrication methods facilitate the use of nanostructures for the separation of collections of particles and nanobio-based optical and electrochemical sensing. We have presented an easy and simple nanopore size reduction method of a low-stressed silicon nitride (SiN) membrane nanosieve (100×100  μm2) using a nanoimprinting method based on a natural thermal reflow of the contact imprinting polymer, possibly maintaining compatibility with complementary metal-oxide semiconductor integrated circuit processes. The nanopore pattern size of this nanosieve membrane was precisely patterned by a nanoimprinting process using an electron beam patterned silicon master, to about 30-nm diameter. By employing mainly an electron beam resist reflow phenomena after a nanoimprinting process and anisotropic reactive ion etch, the etch holes' size was fabricated to be the same with nanopatterns on the polymer. The contact imprinting master can be used continually for the generation of nanopore patterns simply and easily. It can endure harsh conditions like high temperature up to 800°C, and it is inert to many aggressive and strong chemicals. Also, this would be a low-cost, simple, and easy fabrication method for the precise and reliable size-reduction control of nanopores for mass production of nanobio sensors or chips.

Synthesis of a covalent monolayer sheet by photochemical anthracene dimerization at the air/water interface and its mechanical characterization by AFM indentation

Covalent monolayer sheets in 2 hours: spreading of threefold anthracene-equipped shape-persistent and amphiphilic monomers at the air/water interface followed by a short photochemical treatment provides access to infinitely sized, strictly monolayered, covalent sheets with in-plane elastic modulus in the range of 19 N/m.

Room Temperature Synthesis of a Covalent Monolayer Sheet at Air/Water Interface Using a Shape-Persistent Photoreactive Amphiphilic Monomer

The shape-persistent monomer 3 with its three 1,8-diazaanthracene (DAA) units is spread and compressed at the air/water interface and the layer then converted into a 1.5 nm thick covalent monolayer sheet by photoirradiation under ambient conditions. The sheet obtained under these extremely mild conditions is mechanically stable to carry its own weight when spanned over TEM grids. While its molecular structure cannot be given yet with certainty, it is likely to be the result of [4 + 4]-cycloaddition dimerizations between the DAA units of neighboring monomers. Evidence is based on the wavelength of the monomer fluorescence emission, the kinetics of this emission's intensity decay with irradiation time, and the mechanical sheet stability that suggests a surpassing of percolation threshold. Finally, the thermal stability of the sheet is investigated.

Nanoporous morphology control of polyethylene membranes by block copolymer blends

A desirable combination of size-selective molecular permeation and robustness development for nanoporous membranes could be achieved via pore geometry control by a blending technique.

Review article: Fabrication of nanofluidic devices

Thanks to its unique features at the nanoscale, nanofluidics, the study and application of fluid flow in nanochannels/nanopores with at least one characteristic size smaller than 100 nm, has enabled the occurrence of many interesting transport phenomena and has shown great potential in both bio- and energy-related fields. The unprecedented growth of this research field is apparently attributed to the rapid development of micro/nanofabrication techniques. In this review, we summarize recent activities and achievements of nanofabrication for nanofluidic devices, especially those reported in the past four years. Three major nanofabrication strategies, including nanolithography, microelectromechanical system based techniques, and methods using various nanomaterials, are introduced with specific fabrication approaches. Other unconventional fabrication attempts which utilize special polymer properties, various microfabrication failure mechanisms, and macro/microscale machining techniques are also presented. Based on these fabrication techniques, an inclusive guideline for materials and processes selection in the preparation of nanofluidic devices is provided. Finally, technical challenges along with possible opportunities in the present nanofabrication for nanofluidic study are discussed.