Electron beam induced local crystallization of HfO2 nanopores for biosensing applications

We report the development of single, locally crystallized nanopores in HfO2 membranes for biosensing applications. HfO2 is chosen for its isoelectric point of 7.0, mechanical and chemical stability in solution, and for its potential as a high-k material for nanopore ionic field effect transistor applications. The HfO2 membrane is deposited on a graphene layer suspended over a 300 nm FIB hole, where graphene is used as the mechanical support. Exposure of the membrane to a focused electron beam causes crystallization in the vicinity of the nanopore during pore formation. We investigate the effects of crystallization on the electrical and surface properties of HfO2 films. Our surface analysis of HfO2 reveals improved hydrophilicity of crystallized HfO2, a notable advantage over the hydrophobicity of as-deposited HfO2. We also demonstrate detection of dsDNA translocation through HfO2 nanopores under various applied bias levels. In addition, our device architecture also presents a promising first step toward the realization of high-k HfO2 nanopore transistors.