title: Resizing metal-coated nanopores using a scanning electron microscope.
abstract: Electron beam-induced shrinkage provides a convenient way of resizing solid-state nanopores in Si(3) N(4) membranes. Here, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) has been used to resize a range of different focussed ion beam-milled nanopores in Al-coated Si(3) N(4) membranes. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectra and SEM images acquired during resizing highlight that a time-variant carbon deposition process is the dominant mechanism of pore shrinkage, although granular structures on the membrane surface in the vicinity of the pores suggest that competing processes may occur. Shrinkage is observed on the Al side of the pore as well as on the Si(3) N(4) side, while the shrinkage rate is observed to be dependent on a variety of factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Guillaume A T
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Chansin
authors.forename: Jongin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dusting
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: deMello
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: Joshua B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Edel
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry; D004583:Electrons; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000295:instrumentation*; D058608:Nanopores / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D000535:Aluminum; D012825:Silicon