Nanofluidic device with silicon nitride membrane

A nanopore device, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a lower protective oxide layer disposed on the substrate;
• a membrane disposed on the lower protective oxide layer, wherein the membrane comprises silicon nitride and contains a pore, and wherein:
• the silicon nitride has a nitrogen to silicon ratio of about 0.95 to about 1.05;
• the membrane comprises hydrogen at a concentration of about 1×1017 atoms/cm3 to less than 1×1020 atoms/cm3;
• the membrane has a thickness of about 0.001 μm to less than 0.1 μm;
• and
• the pore has a diameter of about 1 nm to less than 100 nm;
• and
• a channel containing the pore and extending through at least the substrate and the lower protective oxide layer.

A nanopore device, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a lower protective silicon nitride layer disposed on a lower surface of the substrate;
• a lower protective oxide layer disposed on an upper surface of the substrate;
• a membrane disposed on the lower protective oxide layer, wherein:
• the membrane comprises silicon nitride and contains a pore;
• the silicon nitride has a nitrogen to silicon ratio of about 0.95 to about 1.05;
• and
• the membrane comprises hydrogen at a concentration of about 1×1017 atoms/cm3 to less than 1×1020 atoms/cm3;
• an upper protective oxide layer disposed on the membrane;
• an upper protective silicon nitride layer disposed on the upper protective oxide layer;
• and
• a channel containing the pore and extending through at least the substrate, the lower protective oxide layer, the upper protective oxide layer, and the upper protective silicon nitride layer.