Wafer-Scale Maskless Process to Fabricate Sub-20nm Silicon Nitride Nanopores for Ultrafiltration

A. Walikar; C. Cummins; B. Du Bois; L. Verstraete; H. S. Suh; E. Vecchio; F. De Samblanx; T. A. Valdez; C. J.Garcia Abrego; S. Suran; J. Vollenbroek; T. Irmak; F. Wieringa; K. G.F. Gerritsen; S. Severi; A. Ray Chaudhuri

doi:10.1117/12.3089809

Wafer-Scale Maskless Process to Fabricate Sub-20nm Silicon Nitride Nanopores for Ultrafiltration

A. Walikar^*
, C. Cummins
, B. Du Bois
, L. Verstraete
, H. S. Suh
, E. Vecchio
, F. De Samblanx
, T. A. Valdez
, C. J.Garcia Abrego
, S. Suran
, J. Vollenbroek
, T. Irmak
, F. Wieringa
, K. G.F. Gerritsen
, S. Severi
, A. Ray Chaudhuri

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

We report a wafer-scale process developed at imec for fabricating solid-state ultrafiltration membranes on 300 mm wafers. Maskless nanopatterning was achieved using block copolymers (BCP), enabling precise pattern transfer and dimensional control across a 2 cm² area. The process utilizes 30 nm LPCVD SiN membranes, and an optimized frontside protection protocol combined with deep reactive ion etching of the backside silicon. Subsequent controlled release protocols produce freestanding, defect-free membranes with uniform 20 nm wide nanopores at a 40 nm pitch. This scalable approach provides a robust foundation for advanced ultrafiltration and biomedical applications.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Novel Patterning Technologies 2026
Editors	Ricardo Ruiz, Richard A. Farrell
Publisher	SPIE
ISBN (Electronic)	9781510699106
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3089809
Publication status	Published - 8 Apr 2026
Event	Novel Patterning Technologies 2026 - San Jose, United States Duration: 23 Feb 2026 → 26 Feb 2026

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	13982
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)	1996-756X

Conference

Conference	Novel Patterning Technologies 2026
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Jose
Period	23/02/26 → 26/02/26

Keywords

block copolymer
maskless patterning
membrane fabrication
nanopores
ultrafiltration

Access to Document

10.1117/12.3089809

Cite this

Walikar, A., Cummins, C., Bois, B. D., Verstraete, L., Suh, H. S., Vecchio, E., De Samblanx, F., Valdez, T. A., Abrego, C. J. G., Suran, S., Vollenbroek, J., Irmak, T., Wieringa, F., Gerritsen, K. G. F., Severi, S., & Chaudhuri, A. R. (2026). Wafer-Scale Maskless Process to Fabricate Sub-20nm Silicon Nitride Nanopores for Ultrafiltration. In R. Ruiz, & R. A. Farrell (Eds.), Novel Patterning Technologies 2026 Article 1398212 (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 13982). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3089809

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title = "Wafer-Scale Maskless Process to Fabricate Sub-20nm Silicon Nitride Nanopores for Ultrafiltration",

abstract = "We report a wafer-scale process developed at imec for fabricating solid-state ultrafiltration membranes on 300 mm wafers. Maskless nanopatterning was achieved using block copolymers (BCP), enabling precise pattern transfer and dimensional control across a 2 cm2 area. The process utilizes 30 nm LPCVD SiN membranes, and an optimized frontside protection protocol combined with deep reactive ion etching of the backside silicon. Subsequent controlled release protocols produce freestanding, defect-free membranes with uniform 20 nm wide nanopores at a 40 nm pitch. This scalable approach provides a robust foundation for advanced ultrafiltration and biomedical applications.",

keywords = "block copolymer, maskless patterning, membrane fabrication, nanopores, ultrafiltration",

author = "A. Walikar and C. Cummins and Bois, \{B. Du\} and L. Verstraete and Suh, \{H. S.\} and E. Vecchio and \{De Samblanx\}, F. and Valdez, \{T. A.\} and Abrego, \{C. J.Garcia\} and S. Suran and J. Vollenbroek and T. Irmak and F. Wieringa and Gerritsen, \{K. G.F.\} and S. Severi and Chaudhuri, \{A. Ray\}",

year = "2026",

month = apr,

day = "8",

doi = "10.1117/12.3089809",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

publisher = "SPIE",

editor = "Ricardo Ruiz and Farrell, \{Richard A.\}",

booktitle = "Novel Patterning Technologies 2026",

address = "United States",

}

Walikar, A, Cummins, C, Bois, BD, Verstraete, L, Suh, HS, Vecchio, E, De Samblanx, F, Valdez, TA, Abrego, CJG, Suran, S, Vollenbroek, J, Irmak, T, Wieringa, F, Gerritsen, KGF, Severi, S & Chaudhuri, AR 2026, Wafer-Scale Maskless Process to Fabricate Sub-20nm Silicon Nitride Nanopores for Ultrafiltration. in R Ruiz & RA Farrell (eds), Novel Patterning Technologies 2026., 1398212, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 13982, SPIE, Novel Patterning Technologies 2026, San Jose, United States, 23/02/26. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3089809

Wafer-Scale Maskless Process to Fabricate Sub-20nm Silicon Nitride Nanopores for Ultrafiltration. / Walikar, A.; Cummins, C.; Bois, B. Du et al.
Novel Patterning Technologies 2026. ed. / Ricardo Ruiz; Richard A. Farrell. SPIE, 2026. 1398212 (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 13982).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Wafer-Scale Maskless Process to Fabricate Sub-20nm Silicon Nitride Nanopores for Ultrafiltration

AU - Walikar, A.

AU - Cummins, C.

AU - Bois, B. Du

AU - Verstraete, L.

AU - Suh, H. S.

AU - Vecchio, E.

AU - De Samblanx, F.

AU - Valdez, T. A.

AU - Abrego, C. J.Garcia

AU - Suran, S.

AU - Vollenbroek, J.

AU - Irmak, T.

AU - Wieringa, F.

AU - Gerritsen, K. G.F.

AU - Severi, S.

AU - Chaudhuri, A. Ray

PY - 2026/4/8

Y1 - 2026/4/8

N2 - We report a wafer-scale process developed at imec for fabricating solid-state ultrafiltration membranes on 300 mm wafers. Maskless nanopatterning was achieved using block copolymers (BCP), enabling precise pattern transfer and dimensional control across a 2 cm2 area. The process utilizes 30 nm LPCVD SiN membranes, and an optimized frontside protection protocol combined with deep reactive ion etching of the backside silicon. Subsequent controlled release protocols produce freestanding, defect-free membranes with uniform 20 nm wide nanopores at a 40 nm pitch. This scalable approach provides a robust foundation for advanced ultrafiltration and biomedical applications.

AB - We report a wafer-scale process developed at imec for fabricating solid-state ultrafiltration membranes on 300 mm wafers. Maskless nanopatterning was achieved using block copolymers (BCP), enabling precise pattern transfer and dimensional control across a 2 cm2 area. The process utilizes 30 nm LPCVD SiN membranes, and an optimized frontside protection protocol combined with deep reactive ion etching of the backside silicon. Subsequent controlled release protocols produce freestanding, defect-free membranes with uniform 20 nm wide nanopores at a 40 nm pitch. This scalable approach provides a robust foundation for advanced ultrafiltration and biomedical applications.

KW - block copolymer

KW - maskless patterning

KW - membrane fabrication

KW - nanopores

KW - ultrafiltration

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105038684786

U2 - 10.1117/12.3089809

DO - 10.1117/12.3089809

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:105038684786

T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

BT - Novel Patterning Technologies 2026

A2 - Ruiz, Ricardo

A2 - Farrell, Richard A.

PB - SPIE

T2 - Novel Patterning Technologies 2026

Y2 - 23 February 2026 through 26 February 2026

ER -

Wafer-Scale Maskless Process to Fabricate Sub-20nm Silicon Nitride Nanopores for Ultrafiltration

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Keywords

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