Nanotube semiconductor structures with varying electrical properties
AssigneeKulite Semiconductor Products, Inc.
InventorAnthony Kurtz
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Abstract
There is disclosed a nanotube sensor which essentially employs a straight or twisted nanotube deposited on a supporting surface, such as silicon, silicon dioxide and some other semiconductor or metal material. The nanotube is basically a graphite device which is now subjected to stress causing the electrical characteristics of the nanotube to change according to stress. The nanotube is then provided in a circuit, such as a Wheatstone Bridge or other circuit, and the circuit will produce an output signal proportional to the change in electrical characteristics of the nanotube according to the applied force.
Claims5
1-18. (canceled)
A method of forming a pressure transducer comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- disposing a plurality of nanotube structures on a surface of said substrate, said plurality of nanotube structures having varying resistance values such that each of said plurality of nanotube structures corresponds to one of a conductive nanotube structure having a relatively low resistivity, and a semiconductive nanotube structure having a relatively high resistivity, and wherein at least one electrical property of said semiconductive nanotube structures changes with an applied force;
- selectively connecting at least some of said relatively high resistivity semiconductive nanotube structures to one another using at least some of said relatively low resistivity conductive nanotube structures to form a bridge circuit having a plurality of force sensitive bridge elements;
- wherein application of a force to said substrate causes a change in current through said bridge circuit according to the applied force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.