CONTACT METALLIZATION OF CARBON NANOTUBES
First Claim
1. A method of metallizing an array of carbon nanotubes, comprising:
- fabricating a template having a layer of aluminum covering a catalyst layer separating the aluminum from another aluminum layer that is supported on a conductive material;
anodizing the template to form porous anodic alumina;
synthesizing at least one single walled carbon nanotube from the catalytic layer in each of a plurality of pores;
placing the porous template in a solution containing metallic ions after said synthesizing; and
electrodepositing a quantity of metal in each of the plurality of pores sufficient to establish electrical contact from the nanotube to the conductive material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, SWNTs are synthesized from an embedded catalyst in a modified porous anodic alumina (PAA) template. Pd is electrodeposited into the template to form nanowires that grow from an underlying conductive layer beneath the PAA and extend to the initiation sites of the SWNTs within each pore. Individual vertical channels of SWNTs are created, each with a vertical Pd nanowire back contact. Further Pd deposition results in annular Pd nanoparticles that form on portions of SWNTs extending onto the PAA surface. Two-terminal electrical characteristics produce linear I-V relationships, indicating ohmic contact in the devices.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of metallizing an array of carbon nanotubes, comprising:
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fabricating a template having a layer of aluminum covering a catalyst layer separating the aluminum from another aluminum layer that is supported on a conductive material; anodizing the template to form porous anodic alumina; synthesizing at least one single walled carbon nanotube from the catalytic layer in each of a plurality of pores; placing the porous template in a solution containing metallic ions after said synthesizing; and electrodepositing a quantity of metal in each of the plurality of pores sufficient to establish electrical contact from the nanotube to the conductive material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of metallizing an array of carbon nanotubes, comprising:
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providing a plurality of nanopores in an array, each nanopore having first and second ends interconnected by a chamber; forming a carbon nanotube in each nanopore, a first end of each nanotube contacting the wall of the chamber intermediate of the first and second ends of the chamber, the second end of the nanotube being proximate one of the first or second ends of the chamber; providing a first electrical contact of a first polarity at the other of the first or second ends of the chamber; placing the array and nanotubes in a solution containing metallic ions; providing a second electrical contact of an opposite polarity in the solution; and applying a plurality of electrical pulses between the first and second electrical contacts, said pulses being either of a predetermined waveform of current or a predetermined waveform of voltage. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A method of metallizing an array of carbon nanotubes, comprising:
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providing a plurality of nanopores in an array; forming a carbon nanotube in each nanopore; providing a first electrical contact of a first polarity within each nanopore; placing the array and nanotubes in a solution containing metallic ions; providing a second electrical contact of an opposite polarity in the solution; applying a plurality of input electrical pulses between the first and second electrical contacts, said pulses being either a predetermined waveform of current or a predetermined waveform of voltage; measuring the corresponding output pulses of the other of current or voltage; detecting either a monotonic increase or monotonic decrease in the ratio of input pulse to output pulse during a first sequence of pulses; detecting the other of a monotonic increase or monotonic decrease in the ratio of input pulse to output pulse during a second sequence of pulses following the first sequence; and stopping said applying in response to said detecting the second sequence. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method of metallizing an array of carbon nanotubes, comprising:
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fabricating a template of substantially porous anodic alumina; synthesizing a single walled carbon nanotube in each of a plurality of pores; placing the porous template in a solution containing metallic ions after said synthesizing; electrodepositing a nanowire of metal in each of the plurality of pores, each nanowire being in electrical contact with one end of the corresponding nanotube; and electrodepositing a nanoparticle of metal on the other end of at least one of the nanotubes. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of metallizing an array of carbon nanotubes, comprising:
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fabricating a template of first and second layers of aluminum separated by a catalytic layer, at least a portion of one outer surfaces of a layer of aluminum having an electrically conductive material deposited thereon; anodizing the template to form porous anodic alumina; removing a portion of alumina in the bottom of a pore; synthesizing at least one carbon nanotube from the catalytic layer in the pore; placing the porous template in a solution containing metallic ions after said synthesizing; and electrodepositing a quantity of the metal in the pore. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of metallizing an array of carbon nanotubes, comprising:
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providing a plurality of aligned, generally cylindrical nanopores in an array, each nanopore having first and second apertures interconnected by a chamber, the first aperture extending to an external surface of the array; forming a carbon nanotube in each nanopore, a first end of each nanotube connecting to the wall of the chamber intermediate of the first and second ends of the chamber, the second end of the nanotube extending to the surface and beyond the first end of the chamber; and removing the portion of the nanotube extending beyond the surface. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method of producing a nanoporous array, comprising:
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providing a film of aluminum; applying to a surface of the aluminum a layer of resist material sensitive to an electron beam; exposing the layer to an electron beam at a plurality of sites in a predetermined pattern; etching the surface of aluminum under each of the sites to create a corresponding pattern of defects; removing the layer; anodizing the etched aluminum; and creating a pore from each defect by said anodizing. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification