Magnetic and Raman Based Method for Process Control During Fabrication of Carbon Nanotube Based Structures
AssigneeU.S.A. as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsRussell A. Wincheski, Jae-Woo Kim, Godfrey Sauti, Emilie J. Siochi, Phillip A. Williams
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Abstract
A method of fabricating composite structures comprising carbon nanotubes. The method including providing a nanotube starting material, forming the composite structure with the nanotube starting material and monitoring at least a magnetic or Raman property of the composite structure while forming the composite structure.
Claims20
A method for process control during fabrication of carbon nanotube structures, the method comprising:
- providing a carbon nanotube starting material;
- forming a composite structure with the carbon nanotube starting material under one or more fabrication process parameters to achieve a desired alignment of individual carbon nanotubes, wherein forming the composite structure comprises:
- monitoring a first property of the composite structure with polarized Raman spectroscopy to characterize the alignment of individual carbon nanotubes, S, as described by the formula,
- S=½(3 cos2 β−1),
- wherein, β is the angle between the nanotubes and a plurality of measurement axes,
- adjusting the one or more fabrication process parameters if the desired alignment of individual carbon nanotubes is not obtained.
An in-situ, real time method for process control during fabrication of carbon nanotube structures, the method comprising:
- providing a carbon nanotube starting material;
- forming a composite structure with the carbon nanotube starting material under one or more fabrication process parameters to achieve a desired alignment of individual carbon nanotubes and a desired strain transfer between the individual carbon nanotubes, wherein forming the composite structure comprises:
- monitoring the composite structure with polarized Raman spectroscopy to characterize the alignment of individual carbon nanotubes,
- monitoring the composite structure with polarized Raman spectroscopy to determine a strain transfer between the individual carbon nanotubes,
- adjusting the one or more fabrication process parameters if the desired alignment of the individual carbon nanotubes or strain transfer between the individual carbon nanotubes is not obtained;
- continuing formation of the composite structure if the desired alignment of the individual carbon nanotubes and strain transfer between the individual carbon nanotubes is obtained.
A method for process control during fabrication of carbon nanotube structures, the method comprising:
- providing a carbon nanotube starting material;
- forming the composite structure with the carbon nanotube starting material under one or more fabrication process parameters;
- and
- monitoring a magnetic property of the composite structure while forming the composite structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.