Tuesday, 31st May 2005 (4808 views)

Gold is being used in a new nanoscale etching process discovered by researchers at the University of Arkansas.

The research team have discovered a way to use a liquid medium to sculpt material, such as gold, at a nanoscale level and in a predictable, inexpensive and controllable way, according to AZoNano.

If successful the technique could be used in single DNA detection devices like nanopores, nanojets for fuel or drug delivery, molecular devices for sorting protein and computer aided designing (CAD).

Ajay Malshe, associate professor in mechanical engineering at the University of Arkansas, said: "With this technique, you can remove on demand precisely what you want to, where you want to remove it. It's very simple but very powerful."

Using nanoscale electro machining (nano-EM) nanopores as small as eight to ten nanometres in diameter are etched on an atomically flat gold surface.

An electric field is then applied using a scanning tunnelling microscope and dielectric oil, causing precise ejection of gold atoms and then creating tiny pores.

At present manufacturers have problems with the vacuum chambers and expensive equipment needed for such techniques.

Materials including gold can be manipulated more easily with the technology, simply by using the appropriate liquid and process conditions.

 

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