Nanochannel glass materials are an experimental

mask A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment and often they have been employed for rituals and rights. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and pra ...

technology that is an alternate method for fabricating

nanostructures A nanostructure is a structure of intermediate size between microscopic and molecular structures. Nanostructural detail is microstructure at nanoscale. In describing nanostructures, it is necessary to differentiate between the number of dime ...

, although optical lithography is the predominant patterning technique. * Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop, Cambridge, U.K., April 1--3, 1994 Series: NATO Science Series E: (closed), Vol. 292 Nanochannel glass materials are complex glass structures containing large numbers of parallel hollow channels. In its simplest form, the hollow channels are arranged in geometric arrays with packing densities as great as 10¹¹ channels/cm². Channel dimensions are controllable from micrometers to tens of nanometers, while retaining excellent channel uniformity. Exact replicas of the channel glass can be made from a variety of materials. This is a low cost method for creating identical structures with nanoscale features in large numbers.

Characteristics

These materials have high density of uniform channels with diameters from 15 micrometres to 15 nanometers. These are rigid structures with serviceable temperatures to at least 300 °C, with potential up to 1000 °C. Furthermore, these are optically transparent photonic structures with high degree of reproducibility.

Applications

These can be used as a material for chromatographic columns, unidirectional conductors, Microchannel plate and nonlinear optical devices. Other uses are as masks for

semiconductor A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way. ...

development, including ion implantation, optical lithography, and

reactive ion etching Reactive-ion etching (RIE) is an etching technology used in microfabrication. RIE is a type of dry etching which has different characteristics than wet etching. RIE uses chemically reactive plasma to remove material deposited on wafers. The pl ...

. They are also used in dental and medical X-ray sensors optically coupled or internally coated with a scintillator to increase efficiency. *

Characteristics

Applications

See also

References

Further reading