Geometrical Characterization of Glass Nanopipettes with Sub-10 nm Pore Diameter by Transmission Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Glass nanopipettes are widely used for various applications in nanosciences. In most of the applications, it is important to characterize their geometrical parameters, such as the aperture size and the inner cone angle at the tip region. For nanopipettes with sub-10 nm aperture and thin wall thickness, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) must be most instrumental in their precise geometrical measurement. However, this measurement has remained a challenge because heat generated by electron beam irradiation would largely deform sub-10-nm nanopipettes. Here we provide methods for preparing TEM specimens that do not cause deformation of such tiny nanopipettes.

arXiv comment8 pages, 4 figures

References in corpus (4)

• High-speed XYZ-nanopositioner for scanning ion conductance microscopy
• Abnormal Ionic Current Rectification Caused by Reversed Electroosmotic Flow under Viscosity Gradients across Thin Nanopores
• Development of High-Speed Ion Conductance Microscopy
• Thermally Driven Approach To Fill Sub-10-nm Pipettes with Batch Production