Chemically Functionalizing Controlled Dielectric Breakdown Silicon Nitride Nanopores by Direct Photohydrosilylation

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Surface Chemistry
• Biophysics

Background:

• Silicon nitride (SiN) nanopores are crucial for single-molecule analysis but face challenges due to difficult surface chemistry.
• Existing methods often require harsh chemical pretreatments, limiting their flexibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a robust and flexible method for functionalizing SiN nanopores with tunable surface chemistry.
• To eliminate the need for hazardous hydrofluoric acid etching in nanopore fabrication.

Main Methods:

• Combined controlled dielectric breakdown (CDB) with hydrosilylation for nanopore creation and functionalization.
• Applied various surface terminations (acidic, basic, nonionizable) via one-step covalent chemical film formation.
• Utilized condensation and click reactions for further surface modification.

Main Results:

• Successfully functionalized over 100 SiN nanopores with diverse surface chemistries.
• Demonstrated proof-of-principle DNA translocation through functionalized nanopores, showing tunable characteristics.
• CDB eliminated the requirement for hydrofluoric acid pretreatment.

Conclusions:

• The developed method offers a robust and flexible approach to tailor nanopore surface chemistry for specific applications.
• This technique facilitates the development of advanced nanopore devices, including biomimetic systems.
• The elimination of HF etching simplifies the fabrication process and broadens nanopore applications.