Fabrication of nanopores in a 100-nm thick Si3N4 membrane.

Textured alumina films have been used to fabricate nanoscale pores in Si3N4 membranes. A few nanometer-thick alumina layer was used as a masking material for nanopore fabrication, and the pattern was transferred into a 100-nm thick, 200 microm x 200 microm Si3N4 membrane by reactive ion etching (RIE). The nanopores were found to be concentrated in a approximately 150-microm diameter region at the center of the membrane.