Tubular nanostructures, processes of preparing same and devices made therefrom
AssigneeRamot at Tel-Aviv University Ltd.
InventorsMoshit Ben-Ishai, Fernando Patolsky
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Abstract
Novel methods of producing single-walled and multi-walled, single-crystalline, tubular nanostructures, made of an inorganic substance (e.g., silicon), and single-walled and multi-walled, single-crystalline, tubular nanostructures produced thereby, are disclosed. Also disclosed are devices into which the nanostructures are integrated. The methods described herein are used to reproducibly and controllably producing single-crystalline nanostructures with well-defined shape, diameter and/or interwall distance, chemical composition and morphology.
Claims49
-49. (canceled)
A multi-walled tubular nanostructure made of at least one single-crystalline inorganic substance, the nanostructure being characterized by an interwall distance between at least two walls which is smaller than 10 nm.
A multi-walled, tubular single-crystalline silicon nanostructure.
A single-walled tubular nanostructure made of at least one single-crystalline inorganic substance, the nanostructure being characterized by an inner diameter which is either smaller than 5 nm or greater than 100 nm.
A method of producing single-walled or multi-walled tubular, inorganic, single-crystalline nanostructures, the method comprising:
- growing a nanowire made of a crystalline, sacrificial substance;
- epitaxially growing, onto said nanowire, a layer of an inorganic substance that has a crystallinity mismatch with said sacrificial substance of less than 4.5%;
- and
- etching said nanowire, thereby producing a single-walled tubular, inorganic, single-crystalline nanostructure,
- whereas when the nanostructure is a multi-walled nanostructure, the method further comprising, prior to said etching:
- growing onto said layer of said inorganic substance a layer of said sacrificial substance;
- epitaxially growing, onto said layer of said sacrificial substance, a layer of said inorganic substance;
- and
- repeatedly growing onto an outer layer of said inorganic substance a layer of said sacrificial substance;
- and growing onto said layer of sacrificial substance said layer of said inorganic substance;
- and
- whereas said etching comprises etching said nanowire and each of said layers of said sacrificial substance,
- the method being such that at least one of a shape, diameter, wall thickness and chemical composition of each wall is reproducibly controlled.
A method of preparing a single-walled or a multi-walled single crystalline inorganic nanostructure having an inorganic nanowire interposed within an inner wall of the nanostructure, the process comprising:
- growing a nanowire made of an inorganic substance;
- growing a layer of a sacrificial substance onto the nanowire;
- epitaxially growing a layer of an inorganic substance onto the layer of the sacrificial substance;
- and
- etching the sacrificial substance, to thereby obtain the single-walled nanostructure having the nanowire interposed therewithin, wherein when the nanostructure is a multi-walled nanostructure, the method further comprising, prior to said etching:
- growing onto said layer of said inorganic substance a layer of said sacrificial substance;
- epitaxially growing, onto said layer of said sacrificial substance, a layer of said inorganic substance;
- and
- repeatedly growing onto an outer layer of said inorganic substance a layer of said sacrificial substance;
- and growing onto said layer of sacrificial substance said layer of said inorganic substance;
- and
- whereas said etching comprises etching each of said layers of said sacrificial substance, thereby obtaining the multi-walled nanostructure having the nanowire interposed within an inner wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.