Nanofluidic channels by anodic bonding of amorphous silicon to glass to study ion-accumulation and ion-depletion effect

A unique phenomenon, ion-enrichment and ion-depletion effect, exists in nanofluidic channels and is observed in amorphous silicon (α-Si) nanochannels as shallow as 50 nm. As a voltage is applied across a nanochannel, ions are rapidly enriched at one end and depleted at the other end of the nanochannel. α-Si is deposited on glass by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and is selectively etched to form nanochannels. The depth of nanochannels is defined by the thickness of the α-Si layer. Low temperature anodic bonding of α-Si to glass was used to seal the channel with a second glass wafer. The strength of the anodic bond was optimized by the introduction of a silicon nitride adhesion promoting layer and double-sided bonding resulting from the electric field reversal. Completed channels, 50 nm in depth, 5 micron wide, and 1 mm long were completely and reliably sealed. Structures based on nanochannels 50–300 nm deep were successfully incorporated into nanofluidic devices to investigate ionic accumulation and depletion effect due to overlapping of electric double layer.