Research progress and application of solid-state nanopore fabrication based on wet etching

Solid-state nanopores have the potential to revolutionise biomedical and molecular detection, particularly in the fields of gene sequencing, protein analysis, and ion screening, owing to their exceptional mechanical strength, stability, and tunability of pore structure. Among various techniques for fabricating solid-state nanopores, wet etching stands out for its low cost, high efficiency, batch production capability, and compatibility with a wide range of substrate materials, including silicon, silicon nitrides, silicon oxides, and metals. This paper systematically reviews recent advancements in the fabrication of solid-state nanopores using wet etching, encompassing key technologies such as anisotropic wet etching, metal-assisted chemical etching, and electrochemical etching. Additionally, this paper details representative applications of solid-state nanopores, such as gene sequencing, protein detection, energy conversion and storage, seawater desalination, and haemodialysis. Furthermore, this paper offers a prospective analysis of enhancing the size consistency of solid-state nanopores fabricated by wet etching and explores future applications, aiming to foster the ongoing advancement of solid-state nanopore fabrication technology and its applications.