Process for fabricating semiconductor nanofibers
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsJeffrey Warrender, Quentin Hudspeth
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Abstract
Semiconductor nanofibers are produced at room temperature in a pressure vessel. A semiconductor wafer and metal catalyst are introduced into the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is filled with a background gas. A nanofiber growth element is introduced into the pressure vessel. For example, the semiconductor may be ablated by a laser. The semiconductor is retained in the pressure vessel for a prolonged period of time until nanofiber growth appears.
Claims20
A method for producing semiconductor nanofibers at room temperature in a pressure vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a semiconductor wafer into the pressure vessel;
- introducing a background gas into the pressure vessel;
- introducing a nanofiber growth element into the pressure vessel in the presence of a metal catalyst;
- and
- retaining the nanofiber growth element within the pressure vessel for a period of time sufficient to produce a semiconductor nanofiber.
A method for producing semiconductor nanofibers at room temperature in a pressure vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a silicon wafer into the pressure vessel;
- introducing a metal catalyst into the pressure vessel;
- evacuating the pressure vessel;
- introducing a background gas comprising fluorine into the pressure vessel;
- ablating the silicon wafer by directing a pulsed laser at directing a second harmonic Nd:YAG pulsed laser through a window in the pressure vessel onto the semiconductor wafer;
- and
- retaining the nanofiber growth element within the pressure vessel for a period of time sufficient to produce a semiconductor nanofiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.