FABRICATION OF NANOWIRES

• US 20110045298A1
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Adelaide Research & Innovation Pty Ltd. (University of Adelaide)
• Original Assignee: Adelaide Research & Innovation Pty Ltd. (University of Adelaide)
• Inventors: MONRO, Tanya, EBENDORFF-HEIDEPRIEM, Heike
• Application Number:
  US12/914,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20110045298A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/401
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/11 comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/475 using pistons, accumulators or press rams
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00663 Production of light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/60 Multitubular or multicompartmented articles, e.g. honeycomb
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2201/30 doped with metals, e.g. Ga, Sn, Sb, Pb or Bi
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2201/82 Fluoride glasses, e.g. ZBLAN glass
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2201/86 Chalcogenide glasses, i.e. S, Se or Te glasses
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2203/02 External structure or shape details
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2203/10 Internal structure or shape details
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2203/14 Non-solid, i.e. hollow products, e.g. hollow clad or with core-clad interface
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2203/16 Hollow core
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2203/223 Matching viscosities or softening points of glass layers
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2203/32 Eccentric core or cladding
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2203/34 Plural core other than bundles, e.g. double core
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2203/42 Photonic crystal fibres, e.g. fibres using the photonic bandgap PBG effect, microstructured or holey optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/01205 starting from tubes, rods, fibres or filaments C03B37/014 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/01228 Removal of preform material C03B37/01251 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/0124 Means for reducing the diameter of rods or tubes by drawing, e.g. for preform draw-down
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/01274 by extrusion or drawing
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/0256 Drawing hollow fibres C03B37/02781 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/02781 : Hollow fibres, e.g. holey fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02366 : Single ring of structures, e.g. "air clad"
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02371 : Cross section of longitudinal structures is non-circular
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/107 : Subwavelength-diameter waveguides, e.g. nanowires
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/298 : Physical dimension

Abstract

A method of forming a nanowire is disclosed. In one embodiment, a primary preform is formed comprising at least one central region and a support structure. The primary preform is then drawn to a cane, which is then inserted into an outer portion, to form a secondary preform. The secondary preform is then drawn until the at least one central portion is a nanowire. The method can produce nanowires of far greater length than existing methods, and can reduce the likelihood of damaging the nanowire when handling.

Claims

1. A method of forming a fibre incorporating a nanowire, the method comprising:

forming a primary preform comprising a central portion and a support structure for supporting the central portion;

drawing the primary preform to form a cane;

forming an outer portion having a cane receiving portion for receiving the cane;

inserting the cane into the cane receiving portion to form a secondary preform; and

drawing the secondary preform until the central portion is a nanowire.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary preform is formed by extrusion.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer portion is formed to provide a space leading to the cane receiving portion.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the space is a wedge-shaped cut-away in the outer portion.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the method further comprises etching away at least a part of the support structure that is exposed to the space to expose the nanowire.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary preform is made from a soft glass.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, where in the soft glass is lead silicate.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary preform is made from a polymer.

16. A fibre incorporating a nanowire, formed by the method according to claim 1.

9. A method of forming a nanowire, the method comprising:

forming a preform structure comprising a central portion supported by a support structure, and an outer portion surrounding the central portion and the support structure; and

drawing the preform structure until the central portion is a nanowire.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of forming the preform structure comprises inserting the central portion and the support structure into the outer portion.

11. A nanowire formed according to the method of claim 9.

12. A method of forming a nanowire comprising drawing a cane having a central portion supported by a support structure until the central portion is a nanowire.

13. A method of increasing the nonlinearity of a nanowire, the method comprising surrounding the nanowire with a nonlinear fluid.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the nanowire is surrounded by a support structure and an outer portion, defining at least one channel in fluid communication with the nanowire, the step of surrounding the nanowire with the nonlinear fluid comprising introducing the nonlinear fluid into the at least one channel.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the nonlinear fluid is carbon disulphide.

17. A method of forming a fibre incorporating a plurality of nanowires, the method comprising:

forming a primary preform comprising at plurality of central portions and a support structure for supporting the plurality of central portions;

drawing the primary preform to form a cane;

forming an outer portion having a cane receiving portion for receiving the cane;

inserting the cane into the cane receiving portion to form a secondary preform; and

drawing the secondary preform until the plurality of central portions are nanowires.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the outer portion is formed to provide a space leading to the cane receiving portion.

19. A fibre containing a plurality of nanowires, the fibre made by the method of claim 17.

20. A nanowire greater than 10 mm in length.