The fabrication of integrated carbon pipes with sub-micron diameters

Abstract

A method for fabricating integrated carbon pipes (nanopipettes) of sub-micron diameters and tens of microns in length is demonstrated. The carbon pipes are formed from a template consisting of the tip of a pulled alumino-silicate glass capillary coated with carbon deposited from a vapour phase. This method renders carbon nanopipettes without the need for ex situ assembly and facilitates parallel production of multiple carbon-pipe devices. An electric-field-driven transfer of ions in a KCl solution through the integrated carbon pipes exhibits nonlinear current–voltage (I–V) curves, markedly different from the Ohmic I–V curves observed in glass pipettes under similar conditions. The filling of the nanopipette with fluorescent suspension is also demonstrated.