# US 2008/0187648 A1 · Apparatus and methods for controlled growth and assembly of nanostructures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0187648 A1 - Document ID: US20080187648A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/586,310 - Filed: 2006-10-25 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2005-10-25 - Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Inventors: Anastasios John Hart; Alexander Henry Slocum; Lucas Carolus van Laake - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080187648A1 ## CPC - B01J 23/745: Iron - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - C01B 32/162: characterised by catalysts - C01B 2202/02: Single-walled nanotubes - C01B 2202/06: Multi-walled nanotubes - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} ## Abstract A method and apparatus providing controlled growth and assembly of nanostructures is presented. A first substrate including at least one reaction site is provided. Energy is provided to the reaction site and a reaction species is introduced to the first substrate. A nanostructure is grown from the reaction site. The growth process of the nanostructure is controlled while continuously monitoring the properties of at least one of the nanostructure and the at least one reaction site, and by controlling process variables based on the monitored properties of the nanostructure and the at least one reaction site. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of providing controlled growth and assembly of nanostructures comprising: providing a first substrate including at least one reaction site; providing energy to said reaction site; introducing a reaction species to said first substrate; growing a nanostructure from said reaction site; and controlling the growth process of the nanostructure while continuously monitoring the properties of at least one of the nanostructure and the at least one reaction site, and by controlling process variables based on the monitored properties of the nanostructure and the at least one reaction site. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said controlling the growth process comprises providing at least one of the group consisting of mechanical control of the growth process, chemical control of the growth process, electrical control of the growth process and thermal control of the growth process. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said nanostructures comprise at least one of the group consisting of single-wall carbon nanotubes and multi-wall carbon nanotubes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said monitoring the properties of the nanostructure and growth sites includes at least one of the group consisting of measuring a growth rate of said nanostructures; performing infrared spectroscopy at least one of the nanostructure and growth sites; performing resonant Raman spectroscopy at least one of the nanostructure and growth sites; measuring an electrical characteristic of at least one of the nanostructure, growth sites, and substrate; and measuring infrared radiation associated with said assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein said Raman spectroscopy involves monitoring the G-band and D-band resonances, a G/D peak intensity ratio, and a radial breathing mode resonances of carbon nanotubes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said providing a first substrate including at least one reaction site further comprises providing a second substrate, said second substrate disposed proximate said first substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein said second substrate has reaction sites and said growing further comprises growing a second nanostructure from said reaction sites on said second substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said first substrate includes a plurality of cavities. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of said plurality of cavities include at least one reaction site. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein said second substrate includes a plurality of cavities. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said at least one of said plurality of cavities include at least one reaction site. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein said reaction species is provided between said first substrate and said second substrate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said providing mechanical control of the growth process includes at least one of the group consisting of exerting a force on said nanostructures and exerting a torque on said nanostructures. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising exerting a force on said nanostructure after said nanostructure has reached a predetermined length to assemble said nanostructure with other nanostructures. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said chemical control of the growth process includes at least one of the group consisting of controlling a flow rate of said reaction species, controlling the composition of said reaction species, performing chemical composition analysis on the reactants at inflow, outflow, and at various stages in the reactor apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 where said chemical composition analysis involves at least one of the group consisting of measuring the concentrations of hydrocarbons, hydrogen, hydrocarbon and hydrogen radicals, and oxygen-containing species in the reactant flow, before and after contact with the growth sites, and before and after heating. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 where said chemical composition analysis involves at least one of the group consisting of infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, ion mobility spectrometry, and gas chromatography. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said electrical control of the growth process includes at least one of the group consisting of providing control of an electric field about said assembly and providing control of a current through said nanostructure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said thermal control of the growth process includes at least one of the group consisting of measuring at least one of the temperature of said nanostructure, growth site, and substrate; controlling energy supplied to said growth site; controlling energy supplies to said substrate; and controlling a temperature of a surrounding atmosphere about said nanostructure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 where said measuring temperature involves at least one of using a thermocouple in thermal contact with the substrate and an infrared temperature sensor placed at a distance from the substrate. ### Claim 21 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein said first substrate and said second substrate comprise a first unit and wherein at least one additional unit is provided adjacent said first unit. ### Claim 22 An apparatus comprising: a closed container; a first substrate including at least one reaction site disposed within said closed container; heating apparatus for heating said first substrate; at least one aperture in said closed container capable of use for introducing a reaction species to said first substrate, wherein a nanostructure is grown from said reaction site upon introduction of the reaction species to said reaction site; and wherein the growth process of the nanostructure is controlled by a controller that continuously monitors the properties of the nanostructure and the at least one reaction site, and by controlling process variables based on the monitored properties of the nanostructure and the at least one reaction site. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said process variables include at least one of the group consisting of flow rates, composition, and substrate temperature. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said substrate is resistively heated. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The substrate of claim 24 where said resistive heating is obtained by application of electric current to the substrate. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The substrate of claim 24 where said substrate is suspended freely between a pair of contacts, such that its average temperature can be controlled rapidly and can be substantially higher than that of the contacts and/or the surrounding apparatus. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said substrate includes a plurality of cavities extending therethrough. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising an energy source in communication with said controller, said energy source providing energy necessary for heating at least one of said growth sites and said growth substrate. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising an energy source in communication with said controller, said energy source providing energy necessary for activation and maintaining of a reaction within said container. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising a reaction species controller, said reaction species controller in communication with said container and controlling a supply of reaction species to said container. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising a reaction process monitor in communication with said container, said reaction process monitor providing information regarding the reaction process within said container. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising a chemical composition monitor in communication with said container and providing information regarding chemical composition and states of species flowing into and out of said container, and at various stages of processing within said container. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising a nanostructure feature monitor in communication with said controller and providing information regarding features of said nanostructure. ### Claim 34 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a growth site feature monitor in communication with said controller and providing information regarding features of said growth sites. ### Claim 35 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a substrate feature monitor in communication with said controller and providing information regarding features of said substrate. ### Claim 36 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a controller in communication with said nanostructure feature monitor, said controller controlling the growth process of the nanostructure by continuously monitoring outputs from nanostructure feature monitor, and by controlling process variables based on the monitored properties of the nanostructure and/or the at least one reaction site. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said controller is further in communication with at least one of said reaction process monitor, said energy source, said reaction species controller, said chemical composition monitor and wherein said controller controls the growth process by continuously monitoring the outputs of said reaction process monitor, said energy source, said reaction species controller, said reaction process monitor, said effluent monitor and wherein said controller establishes at least one of mechanical, chemical, and/or thermal control of the process based on the monitored properties of said nanostructure and the at least one reaction site.