Shaping nanomaterials by short electrical pulses
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsAli E. Aliev, Ray H. Baughman
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Abstract
A dry-state non-contact method for patterning of nanostructured conducting materials is disclosed. Short self-generated electron-emission pulses in air at atmospheric pressure can enable an electron-emission-based (field enhancement) interaction between a sharp tungsten tip and elements of the nanostructured materials to cause largely non-oxidative sequential decomposition of the nanostructured elements. Embodiments can employ a substrate/tip gap of 10 to 20 nm, discharge voltages of 25-30 V, and patterning speeds as fast as 10 cm/s to provide precisely patterned nanostructures (<200 nm) that are largely free of foreign contaminants, thermal impact and sub-surface structural changes.
Claims20
A method of non-contact, dry-state patterning of a conducting nanostructured material, the method comprising:
- applying a positive voltage signal to a probe tip with respect to the conducting nanostructured material;
- moving the probe tip with respect to the conducting nanostructured material while maintaining a spatial separation between the probe tip and the conducting nanostructured material;
- generating electron field emission within the spatial separation with respect to the conducting nanostructured material;
- and
- removing material from at least a first portion of the nanostructured material,
- wherein the positive voltage signal comprises a periodic sequence of electrical pulses comprising substantially rectangular pulses having a pulse width of between approximately 1 μsec and approximately 10 μsec at a frequency of between approximately 1 kHz and approximately 10 kHz.
An apparatus for non-contact, dry-state patterning of a conducting nanostructured material, the apparatus comprising:
- a power supply configured to provide a positive voltage signal with respect to the conducting nanostructured material;
- and
- a probe tip coupled to the power supply, the probe tip configured to move with respect to the nanostructured material while maintaining a spatial separation between the probe tip and the conducting nanostructured material, to generate electron field emission within the spatial separation with respect to the conducting nanostructured material, and to remove material from at least a first portion of the conducting nanostructured material,
- wherein the positive voltage signal comprises a periodic sequence of electrical pulses comprising substantially rectangular pulses having a pulse width of between approximately 1 μsec and approximately 10 μsec at a frequency of between approximately 1 kHz and approximately 10 kHz.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.