# US 11,898,235 B2 · Method of making metal nanostructures using low temperature deposition

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- Number: US 11,898,235 B2
- Document ID: US11898235B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/498,364
- Filed: 2021-10-11
- Published: 2022-10-06
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-03
- Assignees: King Faisal University
- Applicants: King Faisal University
- Inventors: Nagih Mohammed Shaalan; Faheem Ahmed; Osama Sabera; Dalia Hamad; Abdullah Aljaafari; Adil Alshoaibi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11898235B2

## CPC

- C23C 14/243: {Crucibles for source material (C23C14/28, C23C14/30 take precedence)}
- C23C 14/16: on metallic substrates or on substrates of boron or silicon
- C23C 14/26: by resistance or inductive heating of the source
- C23C 14/54: Controlling or regulating the coating process
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES

## Abstract

A method of forming metal nanostructures is a low temperature closed space vacuum deposition method. The method includes disposing a source material in an enclosed space at low evaporation temperatures to controllably form nanostructures of different dimensionalities on a substrate. The nanostructures have dimensionalities determined by a chosen evaporation temperature. An apparatus is also provided for performing the method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for forming nano structures from a source material, comprising:
a vacuum chamber;
a double crucible container within the vacuum chamber, the double crucible container including an outer crucible having an outer bottom wall, an upright peripheral wall extending from the outer bottom wall and forming a lip at an upper end thereof, an open top end opposite the outer bottom wall, and an inner cavity,
an inner crucible disposed within the inner cavity of the outer crucible, the inner crucible including an inner bottom wall, an upright peripheral wall extending from the inner bottom wall and forming a lip at an upper end thereof, an open top end opposite the inner bottom wall, and an inner cavity for receiving a source material, the lip of the inner crucible being configured to support a substrate over the open top end of the inner crucible,
a source material, the source material being disposed atop the inner bottom wall, wherein the source material is selected from the group consisting of Au, Ge, Al Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Sn, and Ti, and
a resistive heating element extending between the outer crucible and the inner crucible, the heating element configured to surround an outer surface of the peripheral wall of the inner crucible.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resistive heating element surrounds an entirety of the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the inner crucible.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:
a first thermocouple configured to measure a temperature of the substrate and a second thermocouple configured to measure a temperature of the source material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resistive heating element is a resistive wire.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pair of rods extending between the double crucible container and the chamber floor, the rods configured to space the double crucible container from the chamber floor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a vacuum pressure of the vacuum within the vacuum chamber ranges from about 10-4 mbar to about 10-6 mbar.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating element provides temperature ranges from about 850° C. to about 1350° C.