Fabrication and characterization of nanopore-based electrodes with radii down to 2 nm

Diego Krapf; Meng-Yue Wu; Ralph M M Smeets; Henny W Zandbergen; Cees Dekker; Serge G Lemay

doi:10.1021/nl052163x

Fabrication and characterization of nanopore-based electrodes with radii down to 2 nm

Nano Lett. 2006 Jan;6(1):105-9. doi: 10.1021/nl052163x.

Authors

Diego Krapf¹, Meng-Yue Wu, Ralph M M Smeets, Henny W Zandbergen, Cees Dekker, Serge G Lemay

Affiliation

¹ Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands.

PMID: 16402796
DOI: 10.1021/nl052163x

Abstract

We report on the fabrication and characterization of gold nanoelectrodes with carefully controlled nanometer dimensions in a matrix of insulating silicon nitride. A focused electron beam was employed to drill nanopores in a thin silicon nitride membrane. The size and shape of the nanopores were studied with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron-energy-loss two-dimensional maps. The pores were subsequently filled with gold, yielding conically shaped nanoelectrodes. The nanoelectrodes were examined by atomic and electrostatic force microscopy. Their applicability in electrochemistry was demonstrated by steady-state cyclic voltammetry. Pores with a radii down to 0.4 nm and electrodes with radii down to 2 nm are demonstrated.