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US 2009/0283693 A1Published application
Integrally gated carbon nanotube ionizer device
AssigneesThe Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsDavid S.Y. Hsu, Jonathan L. Shaw
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Abstract
Described herein is a field ionization and electron impact ionization device consisting of carbon nanotubes with microfabricated integral gates that is capable of producing short pulses of ions.
Claims21
An integrally gated carbon nanotube field ionizer device comprising:
- a substrate containing a cavity and a gate;
- a first insulator layer positioned between said substrate and said gate;
- an aperture in said gate and said first insulator layer forming an interior wall;
- a second insulator layer on said interior wall;
- a metallization layer on said second insulator layer;
- a catalyst layer on said metallization layer;
- a carbon nanotube on said catalyst layer and in electrical contact with the substrate and electrically insulated from the gate;
- a collector;
- wherein the gate is biased negative with respect to the carbon nanotube and substrate;
- wherein the collector is biased more negative than the gate;
- wherein an analyte is channeled and field ionized via the cavity from the backside and through to contact the carbon nanotube;
- wherein the resulting positive ion is then accelerated toward the collector;
- and
- wherein a second positive ion is produced within a nanosecond.
11 more elements
An integrally gated carbon nanotube field ionizer device comprising:
- a first insulator layer on a first side of a substrate;
- a conductive gate layer on said first insulator layer;
- a cavity in said substrate;
- a portion of said first insulator layer over said cavity;
- an aperture in said portion of said first insulator layer and said conductive gate layer thereby forming an aperture sidewall;
- a second insulator layer on said aperture sidewall on said first insulator layer and optionally surface of said cavity;
- a metallization layer over said second insulator layer;
- a catalyst layer on said metallization layer on sidewall of said second insulator on said aperture sidewall;
- a carbon nanotube on said catalyst layer and in electrical contact with the substrate and electrically insulated from the gate;
- a collector;
- wherein the gate is biased negative with respect to the carbon nanotube and substrate;
- wherein the collector is biased more negative than the gate;
- wherein an analyte can be channeled and field ionized via the cavity from the backside and through to contact the carbon nanotube;
- wherein the resulting positive ion is then accelerated toward the collector;
- and
- wherein a second positive ion is produced within a nanosecond.
13 more elements
A method of producing ion pulses with nanosecond rise under gas pressures as high as 1 Torr or more, wherein the ions are produced by an integrally gated carbon nanotube field ionizer device comprising:
- a substrate containing a cavity and a gate;
- a first insulator layer positioned between said substrate and said gate;
- an aperture in said gate and said first insulator layer forming an interior wall;
- a second insulator layer on said interior wall;
- a metallization layer on said second insulator layer;
- a catalyst layer on said metallization layer;
- a carbon nanotube on said catalyst layer and in electrical contact with the substrate and electrically insulated from the gate;
- a collector;
- wherein the gate is biased negative with respect to the carbon nanotube and substrate;
- wherein the collector is biased more negative than the gate;
- wherein an analyte is channeled and field ionized via the cavity from the backside and through to contact the carbon nanotube;
- wherein the resulting positive ion is then accelerated toward the collector;
- and
- wherein a second positive ion is produced within a nanosecond.
11 more elements
A method of producing ion pulses with nanosecond rise under gas pressures as high as 1 Torr or more, wherein the ions are produced by an integrally gated carbon nanotube field ionizer device comprising:
- a substrate containing a cavity and a gate;
- a first insulator layer positioned between said substrate and said gate;
- an aperture in said gate and said first insulator layer forming an interior wall;
- a second insulator layer on said interior wall;
- a metallization layer on said second insulator layer;
- a catalyst layer on said metallization layer;
- a carbon nanotube on said catalyst layer and in electrical contact with the substrate and electrically insulated from the gate;
- a collector;
- wherein the gate is biased positive with respect to the carbon nanotube and substrate;
- wherein an analyte is channeled and field ionized via the cavity from the backside and through to contact the carbon nanotube;
- and
- wherein the resulting electrons are field emitted from the carbon nanotubes and the electrons subsequently create ions.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.