Solid State Nanopores: Nanopore Formation via Tip‐Controlled Local Breakdown Using an Atomic Force Microscope (Small Methods 7/2019). Issue 7 (8th July 2019) - Zhang, Yuning
Abstract : Developing a scalable method for creating highly localized single nanopore and nanopore arrays in ultra‐thin membranes has long been the Achilles' Heel of the vastly growing field of nanopore bio‐sensing. In article number 1900147, Yuning Zhang, Yoichi Miyahara, Peter Grutter, Walter Reisner and co‐workers report a new method for creating nanoscale pores and nanopore arrays in thin SiNx membranes. Tip‐controlled local breakdown (TCLB) uses a conductive tip in an atomic force microscope to create pores at precise positions on a membrane by inducing highly localized dielectric breakdown. TCLB is able to fabricate sub 5 nm diameter nanopores within tens of milliseconds, with high scalability, and with nanometer positioning precision. The cover depicts the process of a single nanopore forming at the tip, with pore arrays already fabricated in the background.