Automated and inexpensive method to manufacture solidstate nanopores and micropores in robust silicon wafers

M VEGA; P GRANELL; C LASORSA; B LERNER; M PEREZ

Journal of Physics Conference Series

Institute of Physics Publishing (IOP)

Año: 2016 vol. 687

1742-6588

In this work an easy, reproducible and inexpensive technique for the production of solid state nanopores and micropores using silicon wafer substrate is proposed. The technique is based on control of pore formation, by neutralization etchant (KOH) with a strong acid (HCl). Thus, a local neutralization is produced around the nanopore, which stops the silicon etching. The etching process was performed with 7M KOH at 80°C, where 1.23µm/min etching speed was obtained, similar to those published in literature. The control of the pore formation with the braking acid method was done using 12M HCl and different extreme conditions: i) at 25ºC, ii) at 80°C and iii) at 80°C applying an electric potential. In these studies, it was found that nanopores and micropores can be obtained automatically and at a low cost.Additionally, the process was optimized to obtain clean silicon wafers after the pore fabrication process. This method opens the possibility for an efficient scale-up from laboratory production.