Abstract
We developed a novel fabrication method for nanochannels that are easily scaled up to mass production by selectively growing zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures and covering using a flat PDMS surface to make hollow nanochannels. Nanochannels are used in the biotechnological and environmental fields, being employed for DNA analysis and water purification, due to their unique features of capillary-induced negative pressure and an electrical double-layer overlap. However, existing nanochannel fabrication methods are complicated, costly, and not amenable to mass production. Here, we developed a novel nanochannel fabrication method. The pillar-like dense ZnO nanostructures were grown in a solution process, which is easily applicable to mass production. The size of the fabricated ZnO nanostructures has a thickness of 30–300 nm and a diameter on the order of 102 nm, which are easily adjusted by synthesis times. The ZnO nanostructures were covered by the flat polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface, and then the cracks between ZnO nanostructures served as hollow nanochannels. Because the suggested fabrication process has no thermal shrinkage, the process has higher production efficiency than existing nanochannel mass production methods based on the thermal/pressure process. The mechanical strength of the fabricated ZnO nanostructures was tested with repetitive tape peeling tests. Finally, we briefly verified the nanochannel performance by applying the nanochannel to the micro/nanofluidic system, whose performance is easily evaluated and visualized by current–voltage relation.
Highlights
A nanochannel is a nanometer-sized (1−100 nm) hollow channel exhibiting unique nanofluidic phenomena, including capillary-induced negative pressure caused by the high surfaceto-volume ratio and an electrical double-layer overlap
Pillar-like dense zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures were fabricated on silicon and glass wafers to any height desired between 30 and 300 nm by adjusting the synthesis time, and the structures were patterned on the surface with conventional lithography mask patterns
We developed a new and simple method of nanochannel fabrication, which is scaled up to mass production through a solution-based fabrication process
Summary
A nanochannel is a nanometer-sized (1−100 nm) hollow channel exhibiting unique nanofluidic phenomena, including capillary-induced negative pressure caused by the high surfaceto-volume ratio and an electrical double-layer overlap. Nanochannels have been used for DNA analysis,[1] virus detection,[2,3] water purification,[4] protein research,[5,6] assessing molecule concentration,[7,8] particle separation,[9] and environmental monitoring.[10] The current fabrication methods use conventional lithography and include reactive ion etching,[11] high-energy beam processing,[12] and interference lithography.[13]. Nanochannels fabricated using conventional lithography are not amenable to mass production; the high-energy beam process has relatively low production speed, and reactive ion etching and interference lithography have relatively smaller patternable areas. Pillar-like dense ZnO nanostructures were fabricated on silicon and glass wafers to any height desired between 30 and 300 nm by adjusting the synthesis time, and the structures were patterned on the surface with conventional lithography mask patterns. Received: August 7, 2019 Accepted: November 27, 2019 Published: December 13, 2019
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