Solid state nanopore devices for nanopore applications to improve the nanopore sensitivity and methods of manufacture
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- forming a membrane layer on an underlying semiconductor substrate;
forming a hole in the membrane layer;
plugging the hole with a sacrificial material;
forming a membrane over a top surface of the sacrificial material;
forming an optional sacrificial material over the sacrificial material and under the membrane;
removing the sacrificial material within the hole and portions of the underlying semiconductor substrate; and
drilling an opening in the membrane, aligned with the hole, after the sacrificial material has been removed,wherein the membrane remains directly over remaining portions of the optional sacrificial material during the removing step.
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Abstract
Solid state nanopore devices for nanopore applications and methods of manufacture are disclosed herein. The method includes forming a membrane layer on an underlying substrate. The method further includes forming a hole in the membrane layer. The method further comprises plugging the hole with a sacrificial material. The method further includes forming a membrane over the sacrificial material. The method further includes removing the sacrificial material within the hole and portions of the underlying substrate. The method further includes drilling an opening in the membrane, aligned with the hole.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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forming a membrane layer on an underlying semiconductor substrate; forming a hole in the membrane layer; plugging the hole with a sacrificial material; forming a membrane over a top surface of the sacrificial material; forming an optional sacrificial material over the sacrificial material and under the membrane; removing the sacrificial material within the hole and portions of the underlying semiconductor substrate; and drilling an opening in the membrane, aligned with the hole, after the sacrificial material has been removed, wherein the membrane remains directly over remaining portions of the optional sacrificial material during the removing step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12)
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11. A method, comprising:
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forming a membrane layer on an underlying semiconductor substrate; forming a hole in the membrane layer; plugging the hole with a sacrificial material, wherein the sacrificial material is blanketed deposited to a thickness greater than a depth of the hole and is thereafter planarized to form a sacrificial plug; forming a membrane over the sacrificial plug; forming an optional sacrificial material over the sacrificial plug and under the membrane; removing the sacrificial plug within the hole and portions of the underlying semiconductor substrate; and drilling an opening in the membrane, aligned with the hole, after the sacrificial plug is removed, wherein the forming of the hole also removes a portion of the optional sacrificial material to form an air gap between the membrane layer and the membrane, and wherein the membrane remains directly over remaining portions of the optional sacrificial material during the removing step.
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13. A method, comprising:
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forming a dielectric layer on an underlying semiconductor substrate; forming a hole in the dielectric layer by lithography and etching processes; plugging the hole with a sacrificial material to form a sacrificial plug, the plugging comprising; blanket depositing of an oxide material to a thickness greater than the depth of the hole; and planarizing the oxide material to a surface of the dielectric layer; forming a membrane over a top surface of the sacrificial plug; forming an optional sacrificial material over the sacrificial plug and under the membrane; removing the sacrificial plug and portions of the underlying semiconductor substrate; and drilling an opening in the membrane, aligned with the hole, after the sacrificial plug has been removed, wherein the membrane remains directly over remaining portions of the optional sacrificial material during the removing step. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 17)
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16. A method, comprising:
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forming a dielectric layer on an underlying semiconductor substrate; forming a hole in the dielectric layer by lithography and etching processes; plugging the hole with a sacrificial material to form a sacrificial plug, the plugging comprising; blanket depositing of an oxide material to a thickness greater than the depth of the hole; and planarizing the oxide material to a surface of the dielectric layer; forming a membrane over a top surface of the sacrificial plug; forming an optional sacrificial material over the sacrificial plug and under the membrane, wherein; the optional sacrificial material is a same material as used for the sacrificial plug; and the forming of the hole removes a portion of the optional sacrificial material to form an air gap between the dielectric layer and the membrane; removing the sacrificial plug and portions of the underlying semiconductor substrate; and drilling an opening in the membrane, aligned with the hole, after the sacrificial plug is removed, wherein the opening is formed by one of a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) process and focused ion beam (FIB) process, after the removing of the sacrificial plug, and wherein the membrane remains directly over remaining portions of the optional sacrificial material during the removing step.
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Specification