Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1682600 | Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms | 2009 | 5 Pages |
We present two fabrication methods which allow production of ion-track nanopore membranes with pronounced geometrical asymmetry and diode-like ionic conductivity. The asymmetry of the pores is provided by self-assembly of surfactant molecules at ion-track entrances on one side of the ion-irradiated polymer foil. On the other side of the membrane, the effect of surfactant is excluded using a pre-treatment with ultraviolet radiation or a surfactant-free etching solution. Highly tapered pore profiles are obtained and characterized using SEM and FESEM. In electrolyte solutions, the asymmetric pores thus fabricated exhibit a high rectification of electric current. The nanopores with a large angle aperture can be of interest for resistive-pulse technique applications and for the atomic beam projection nanolithography.