# US 7,745,810 B2 · Nanotube films and articles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,745,810 B2 - Document ID: US7745810B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/774,682 - Filed: 2004-02-09 - Published: 2004-08-19 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2001-07-25 - Assignees: Nantero, Inc. - Inventors: Thomas Rueckes; Brent M. Segal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745810B2 ## CPC - G11C 13/025: {using fullerenes, e.g. C60, or nanotubes, e.g. carbon or silicon nanotubes} - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - 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 - D01F 9/127: by thermal decomposition of hydrocarbon gases or vapours {or other carbon-containing compounds in the form of gas or vapour, e.g. carbon monoxide, alcohols} - D04H 1/4234: Metal fibres - D04H 1/4242: Carbon fibres - D04H 1/43838: {Ultrafine fibres, e.g. microfibres} - G11C 23/00: Digital stores characterised by movement of mechanical parts to effect storage, e.g. using balls; Storage elements therefor - H10K 71/12: using liquid deposition, e.g. spin coating - H10K 71/231: {by etching of existing layers} - H10K 85/221: {Carbon nanotubes} - H10W 20/031: {of conductive parts of the interconnections} - H10W 20/063: {by forming conductive members before forming protective insulating material} - H10W 20/0633: {using subtractive patterning of the conductive members} - H10W 20/4462: {Carbon or carbon-containing materials, e.g. graphene} - C01B 2202/02: Single-walled nanotubes - C01B 2202/22: Electronic properties - G11C 2213/16: Memory cell being a nanotube, e.g. suspended nanotube - G11C 2213/77: Array wherein the memory element being directly connected to the bit lines and word lines without any access device being used - G11C 2213/81: Array wherein the array conductors, e.g. word lines, bit lines, are made of nanowires - H10B 63/80: {Arrangements comprising multiple bistable or multi-stable switching components of the same type on a plane parallel to the substrate, e.g. cross-point arrays} - H10D 86/201: {the substrates comprising an insulating layer on a semiconductor body, e.g. SOI (H10D86/40 take precedence)} - H10W 20/0554: {of nanotubes or nanowires} - Y10S 977/742: Carbon nanotubes, CNTs - Y10S 977/75: Single-walled - Y10S 977/778: within specified host or matrix material, e.g. nanocomposite films - Y10S 977/943: Information storage or retrieval using nanostructure - Y10T 428/24802: Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.] - Y10T 428/2918: including free carbon or carbide or therewith [not as steel] - Y10T 428/2982: Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.] - Y10T 428/30: Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) - 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} - D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS - D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B) - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Nanotube films and articles and methods of making the same are disclosed. A conductive article includes an aggregate of nanotube segments in which the nanotube segments contact other nanotube segments to define a plurality of conductive pathways along the article. The nanotube segments may be single walled carbon nanotubes, or multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The various segments may have different lengths and may include segments having a length shorter than the length of the article. The articles so formed may be disposed on substrates, and may form an electrical network of nanotubes within the article itself. Conductive articles may be made on a substrate by forming a nanotube fabric on the substrate, and defining a pattern within the fabric in which the pattern corresponds to the conductive article. The nanotube fabric may be formed by growing the nanotube fabric on the substrate using a catalyst, for example, in which the catalyst is a gas phase catalyst, or in which the catalyst is a metallic gas phase catalyst. The nanotube fabric may be formed by depositing a solution of suspended nanotubes on the substrate. The deposited solution may be spun to create a spin-coating of the solution. The solution may be deposited by dipping the substrate into the solution. The nanotube fabric is formed by spraying an aerosol having nanotubes onto a surface of the substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly including a substrate and a conductive trace disposed on the substrate, the trace having at least two sides that are substantially parallel to each other, wherein the trace includes a plurality of unaligned nanotubes for providing a plurality of conductive pathways along the trace. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the nanotubes include single walled carbon nanotubes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the nanotubes include multi-walled nanotubes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the nanotubes have different lengths. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the nanotubes include nanotubes having a length shorter than the length of the article. ### Claim 6 An assembly including a substrate and a conductive trace disposed on the substrate, the trace having a width and a length, the length being substantially larger than the width, wherein the trace includes an electrical network of a plurality of unaligned nanotubes in contact with other nanotubes to provide a plurality of conductive pathways along the trace. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The assembly of claim 6 wherein the nanotubes include single walled carbon nanotubes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The assembly of claim 6 wherein the nanotubes include multi-walled carbon nanotubes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The assembly of claim 6 wherein the nanotubes have different lengths. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The assembly of claim 6 wherein the nanotubes include nanotubes having a length shorter than the length of the ribbon. ### Claim 11 An assembly including a substrate and a conductive trace of predefined shape, the conductive trace being over the substrate, the conductive trace including a plurality of unaligned nanotubes for providing a plurality of conductive paths along the extent of the trace. ### Claim 12 An assembly including a substrate, at least one metal electrode, and a conductive trace of predefined shape, the conductive trace being over the substrate, the conductive trace including a plurality of unaligned nanotubes for providing a plurality of conductive paths along the extent of the trace, and the metal electrode being over at least a portion of the conductive trace, the metal electrode being formed by a metallization step. ### Claim 13 A wafer substrate structure having a non-woven fabric of unaligned nanotubes substantially parallel to and covering a major surface of the wafer substrate, the major surface of the substrate comprising a plurality of patterned conductors, and wherein the nanotubes of the fabric are arranged in accordance with inherent self-assembly traits of the nanotubes. ### Claim 14 A wafer substrate structure having a non-woven fabric of unaligned nanotubes covering a major surface of the wafer substrate, the major surface of the substrate comprising a plurality of patterned conductors, and wherein the fabric comprises substantially a monolayer of nanotubes. ### Claim 15 A wafer substrate structure having a non-woven fabric of unaligned nanotubes substantially parallel to and covering a major surface of the wafer substrate and wherein the fabric comprises a multilayer fabric having a controlled density of nanotubes. ### Claim 16 A plurality of conductive traces on a substrate, each conductive trace extending substantially parallel to the substrate and comprising a non-woven fabric of carbon nanotubes, the plurality of conductive traces extending substantially parallel to each other and having a spaced relation between adjacent conductive traces. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The plurality of conductive traces of claim 16, wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of patterned conductors under the plurality of conductive traces. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The plurality of conductive traces of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of patterned conductors over the plurality of conductive traces.