Methods of generation of pores in sheets of hexagonal boron nitride and applications thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016334366-A1
Application number	US-201615088549-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 1, 2016
Priority date	Apr 1, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to few-layer and monolayer hexagonal boron nitride having a pore therein. In one aspect, a method comprises providing a sheet of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). A defect is created in the sheet of h-BN. The sheet of h-BN is heated to a temperature above about 500° C. The defect in the sheet of h-BN is irradiated with charged particles to enlarge the defect to a hexagonal-shaped pore or a parallelogram-shaped pore in the sheet of h-BN.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
(a) providing a sheet of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN); (b) creating a defect in the sheet of h-BN; (c) heating the sheet of h-BN to a temperature above about 500° C.; and (d) irradiating the defect in the sheet of h-BN with charged particles to enlarge the defect to a hexagonal-shaped pore or a parallelogram-shaped pore in the sheet of h-BN.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
fabricating the sheet of h-BN.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the charged particles comprise particles selected from a group comprising electrons, protons, and alpha particles.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the charged particles comprise electrons, and wherein the electrons have energies of about 40 kV to 120 kV.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hexagonal-shaped pore or the parallelogram-shaped pore in the sheet h-BN has a dimension of about 1 nanometer to 3 nanometers across the hexagonal-shaped pore or the parallelogram-shaped pore.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein creating the defect comprises irradiating the sheet of h-BN with the charged particles.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein creating the defect comprises depositing a catalyst on the h-BN and heating the catalyst.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the catalyst comprises a transition metal.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the catalyst comprises a metal selected from a group consisting of iron, cobalt, and nickel.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet of h-BN is heated to a temperature of about 700° C. in operation (c).

11 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the sheet of h-BN comprises a monolayer of h-BN or multiple layers of h-BN.

12 . A material comprising:
a sheet of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), a pore being defined in the sheet of h-BN, the pore being a hexagonal-shaped pore or a parallelogram-shaped pore.

13 . The material of claim 12 , wherein the sheet of h-BN comprises a monolayer of h-BN or multiple layers of h-BN.

14 . The material of claim 12 , wherein pore has a dimension of about 1 nanometer to 3 nanometers across the pore.

15 . The material of claim 12 , wherein the pore is defined by atoms selected from a group consisting of nitrogen atoms, boron atoms, and combinations thereof.

16 . The material of claim 12 , further comprising:
functional groups attached to atoms defining the pore.

17 . A method comprising:
providing an apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber and the second chamber being separated from each other by a sheet of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), the first chamber and the second chamber in fluid communication with each other by a pore of dimensions of about 0.5 nanometers to 3 nanometers in the sheet of h-BN;
a liquid disposed in the first chamber and the second chamber, a salt being dissolved in the liquid;
a first electrode in contact with the liquid disposed in the first chamber and a second electrode in contact with the liquid disposed in the second chamber; and
a power source electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode;
applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode; and measuring the current between the first electrode and the second electrode when a molecule in the first chamber travels to the second chamber through the pore in the sheet of h-BN.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the voltage is about 1 mV to 2 V.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the pore in the h-BN has shape selected from a group consisting of a triangular shape, a hexagonal shape, and a parallelogram shape.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the molecule comprises a stand of DNA.

Assignees

• Zettl Alexander K
• Dunn Gabriel P
• Gilbert Stephen M
• Univ California

Inventors

• Zettl Alexander K
• Dunn Gabriel P
• Gilbert Stephen M

Classifications

• C12Q1/6869 Primary

  Methods for sequencing · CPC title

• G01N33/48721

  Investigating individual macromolecules, e.g. by translocation through nanopores (Coulter counters in general G01N15/12; fabrication methods for nanoscale apertures B81B1/00; sequencing of nucleic acids C12Q1/68) · CPC title

• G01N27/44791 Primary

  Microapparatus (sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027) · CPC title

• H01J37/3056

  for microworking, e. g. etching of gratings or trimming of electrical components · CPC title

• H01J2237/3341

  Reactive etching · CPC title