Nanopores for the study of single biomolecules

Nanoscale containers and devices fabrication and application are recently attracted much attention. The surface profiles of nanoscale patterns are very important for nanotechnology and nano-devices integration. Nanopits and nanopores arrays are fabricated with focused ion beam tool. The morphologies of these small containers were explored by atomic force microscopy. The topography of every nanopattern looks like a volcano; and each nanopit has a V-shaped cross section with a pronounced ring-shaped structure that surrounds the crater. The main reason of this protruded ring structure is the swelling of the substrate due to amorphization and it is the inherent shape obtained by single-pass FIB milling. In this fabricating case, the redeposition effect is minor. The atomic force microscopy results of the nanopits rim morphologies are helpful to the micro- and nanoscale devices integration.