# US 8,772,756 B2 · Nanowires, method of fabrication the same and uses thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,756 B2 - Document ID: US8772756B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/924,654 - Filed: 2013-06-24 - Published: 2013-10-31 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-04-28 - Assignees: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Research and Development Authority - Applicants: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Research and Development Authority - Inventors: Roman Volinsky; Raz Jelinek - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772756B2 ## CPC - B32B 5/12: characterised by the relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of {different layers, e.g. the fibres or filaments being parallel or perpendicular to each other} - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - G01B 7/003: {for measuring position, not involving coordinate determination (coordinate measuring G01B7/004)} - H01J 1/316: having an electric field parallel to the surface, e.g. thin film cathodes - H01J 37/073: Electron guns using field emission, photo emission, or secondary emission electron sources - H05K 1/09: Use of materials for the {conductive, e.g. } metallic pattern - H10B 61/00: Magnetic memory devices, e.g. magnetoresistive RAM [MRAM] devices - H10D 30/43: having one-dimensional [1D] charge carrier gas channels, e.g. quantum wire FETs or transistors having 1D quantum-confined channels - H10D 30/6757: {characterised by the structure of the channel, e.g. transverse or longitudinal shape or doping profile (TFTs having channel structures for preventing kink or snapback effects H10D30/6708; TFTs having lightly-doped source or drain extensions H10D30/6715)} - H10D 62/119: {Nanowire, nanosheet or nanotube semiconductor bodies} - H10D 62/121: {oriented parallel to substrates} - H10N 10/81: Structural details of the junction - H10N 50/01: Manufacture or treatment - H10N 50/10: Magnetoresistive devices - H10N 50/80: Constructional details - H10N 50/85: Materials of the active region - Y10S 977/701: Integrated with dissimilar structures on a common substrate - Y10S 977/762: Nanowire or quantum wire, i.e. axially elongated structure having two dimensions of 100 nm or less - Y10S 977/84: Manufacture, treatment, or detection of nanostructure - Y10S 977/892: Liquid phase deposition - Y10T 428/2938: Coating on discrete and individual rods, strands or filaments - Y10T 428/298: Physical dimension - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A method of forming a nanowire structure is disclosed. The method comprises applying on a surface of carrier liquid a layer of a liquid composition which comprises a surfactant and a plurality of nanostructures each having a core and a shell, and heating at least one of the carrier liquid and the liquid composition to a temperature selected such that the nanostructures are segregated from the surfactant and assemble into a nanowire structure on the surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nanowire structure, comprising a pattern of linear sub-structures interconnected thereamongst to form an elongated solid structure, each linear sub-structure being formed of a plurality of nanoparticles; wherein an average diameter of said sub-structures is less than 50 nanometers and an average diameter of said elongated solid structure is at least five times said average diameter of said sub-structures but less than 1 micrometer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The nanowire structure according to claim 1, being carried by a liquid surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The nanowire structure according to claim 1, wherein an average density of said nanoparticles is at least 4 nanoparticles per 100 square nanometers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The nanowire structure according to claim 1, wherein said nanoparticles are made of a metal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The nanowire structure according to claim 4, wherein said metal is gold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The nanowire structure according to claim 1, wherein said nanoparticles are made of a semiconductor material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The nanowire structure according to claim 1, wherein said nanoparticles are made of a dielectric material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The nanowire structure according to claim 1, wherein said nanoparticles are made of a ferromagnetic material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The nanowire structure according to claim 1, being producible by a method, the method comprising: applying on a surface of carrier liquid a layer of a liquid composition which comprises a surfactant and a plurality of nanostructures, each nanostructure having a core enclosed by a hydrophobic shell; and heating at least one of said carrier liquid and said liquid composition to a temperature selected such that said nanostructures are segregated from said surfactant and assemble into a nanowire structure on said surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A nanowire circuitry comprising a pattern of nanowire structures, wherein at least one of said nanowire structure is the nanowire structure of claim 1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An electronic switching or amplifying device, comprising a source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode and a channel; wherein at least one of said gate electrode and said channel comprises a nanowire structure, and wherein said nanowire structure is the nanowire structure of claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An electronic inverter comprising a first switching device and a second switching device, each of said first switching device and said second switching device comprising a source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode and a channel, such that a drain electrode of said first switching device is electrically communicating with a source electrode of said second switching device; wherein at least one of said gate electrode and said channel comprises a nanowire structure, and wherein said nanowire structure is the nanowire structure of claim 1. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A transistor, comprising a first nanowire structure and a second nanowire structure forming a junction with said first nanowire structure, each of said nanowire structures being the nanowire structure of claim 1; wherein nanoparticles of said first nanowire structure are made of an n-type semiconductor material, and nanoparticles of said first nanowire structure are made of a p-type semiconductor material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A crossbar array, comprising a plurality of junctions each formed by a pair of crossed nanowire structures and at least one connector connecting said pair of crossed nanowire structures, said at least one connector and said pair of crossed nanowire structures forming an electrochemical cell; wherein at least one of said nanowire structures is the nanowire structure of claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A device for detecting a position and/or movement of an object, the device comprising a plurality of non-intersecting nanowire structures, each being connected to an electronic circuitry, such that when the object contacts at least one nanowire structure of said plurality of non-intersecting nanowire structures, said at least one nanowire structure intersects with at least one additional nanowire structure of said plurality of non-intersecting nanowire structures, thereby allowing said electronic circuitry to generate a signal representative of the position and/or movement of an object; wherein at least one of said nanowire structures is the nanowire structure of claim 1. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) An electronic circuit assembly, comprising conductive lines being arranged in at least two layers separated therebetween by a dielectric layer, wherein conductive lines of at least a pair of layers of said at least two layers are electrically connected therebetween via at least one conductive nanowire structure; wherein said at least one nanowire structure is the nanowire structure of claim 1. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A memory cell, comprising: a plurality of magnetic nanowire structures, each being capable of assuming two magnetization states and is connected to two conductive lines defining an address of a magnetic nanowire structure connected thereto, wherein each of said magnetic nanowire structures is the nanowire structure of claim 1, and wherein nanoparticles of each of said magnetic nanowire structures are made of a ferromagnetic material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A field emitter device, comprising an electrode and a nanowire structure, said electrode and said nanowire structure being designed and constructed such that when an electrical field is formed therebetween, electrons are emitted from said nanowire structure; wherein said nanowire structure is the nanowire structure of claim 1. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) Apparatus for electron emission lithography, comprising: (a) an electron emission source being at a first electrical potential, said electron emission source including at least one nanowire structure; and (b) an electrically conducting mounting device being in a second electrical potential which is different from said first electrical potential; wherein a difference between said second electrical potential and said first electrical potential is selected such that electrons are emitted from said electron emission source, and impinge on said mounting device to thereby perform a lithography process on a sample mounted on said mounting device; and wherein said at least one nanowire structure is the nanowire structure of claim 1. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A thermoelectric device, comprising a first heat conducting layer and a second heat conducting layer, said first and said second heat conducting layers being interposed by a plurality of nanowire structures, such that when current flows through said plurality of nanowires, heat is transferred out of said first heat conducting layer and is dissipated through said second heat conducting layer; wherein at least one of said nanowire structures is the nanowire structure of claim 1.