Direct growth of nanotubes, and their use in nanotweezers
US6743408B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 28, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jun 1, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 15, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/863
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method of producing carbon single wall nanotubes (SWNT) by CVD is disclosed. The SWNTs are grown on a metal-catalyzed support surface, such as a commercially available silicon tips for atomic force microscopes (AFM). The growth characteristics of the SWNTs can be controlled by adjusting the density of the catalyst and the CVD growth conditions. The length of the SWNTs can be adjusted through pulsed electrical etching. Nanotubes of this type can find applications in nanotubes structures with defined patterns and for nano-tweezers. Nano-tweezers may be useful for manipulating matter, such as biological material, on a molecular level.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.