Self-Aligned Plasmonic Nanopores by Optically Controlled Dielectric Breakdown.
We present a novel cost-efficient method for the fabrication of high-quality self-aligned plasmonic nanopores by means of an optically controlled dielectric breakdown. Excitation of a plasmonic bowtie nanoantenna on a dielectric membrane localizes the high-voltage-driven breakdown of the membrane to the hotspot of the enhanced optical field, creating a nanopore that is automatically self-aligned to the plasmonic hotspot of the bowtie. We show that the approach provides precise control over the nanopore size and that these plasmonic nanopores can be used as single molecule DNA sensors with a performance matching that of TEM-drilled nanopores. The principle of optically controlled breakdown can also be used to fabricate nonplasmonic nanopores at a controlled position. Our novel fabrication process guarantees alignment of the nanopore with the optical hotspot of the nanoantenna, thus ensuring that pore-translocating biomolecules interact with the concentrated optical field that can be used for detection and manipulation of analytes.
Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology , Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands.
Sergii
S
Pud
Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology , Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands.
Daniel
D
Verschueren
Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology , Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands.
Nikola
N
Vukovic
Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology , Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands.
Calin
C
Plesa
Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology , Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands.
Magnus P
MP
Jonsson
Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology , Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands.
Cees
C
Dekker
D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D058608:Nanopores; D055095:Optics and Photonics
DNA translocation; Plasmonic nanopores; dielectric breakdown; nanoplasmonics; solid-state nanopores