Method for manufacturing single wall carbon nanotube tips

• US 7,211,795 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2005
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Quake, Stephen R., Shapiro, Ian R., Collier, Charles Patrick, Ziyang, Ma, Wade, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Wells; Nikita
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEYBOURNE, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US11/045,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20050269509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 250/307
• US Class Current: 250/307
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/02 Single-walled nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/34 Length
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/36 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/162 characterised by catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 60/38 Probes, their manufacture, or their related instrumentation, e.g. holders
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 70/12 Nanotube tips
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 3/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture or maintenance of measuring instruments , e.g. of probe tips

Abstract

A method for fabricating assembled structures. The method includes providing a tip structure, which has a first end, a second end, and a length defined between the first end and the second end. The second end is a free end. The method includes attaching a nano-sized structure along a portion of the length of the tip structure to extend a total length of the tip structure to include the length of the tip structure and a first length associated with the nano-sized structure. The method includes shortening the nano-sized structure from the first length to a second length. The method also includes pushing the nano-sized structure in a direction parallel to the second length to reduce the second length to a third length of the nano-sized structure along the direction parallel to the second length to cause the nano-sized structure to move along a portion of the length of the tip structure.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating carbon based nanotubes for scanning probe microscopy, the method comprising:

providing an AFM tip structure, the AFM tip structure including a first end, a second end, and a length defined between the first end and the second end, the second end being a free end;

attaching a carbon based nanotube structure along a portion of the length of the AFM tip structure to extend a total length of the AFM structure to include the length of the AFM tip structure and a first length associated with the carbon based nanotube structure;

applying an electrical bias between the AFM tip structure and a substrate to cause a reducing of the carbon based nanotube structure from the first length to a second length, and

forcing the carbon based nanotube structure in a direction parallel to the second length to reduce the second length to a third length of the carbon based nanotube structure using a pushing action along the direction parallel to the second length to cause the carbon based nanotube structure to move along a portion of the length of the AFM tip structure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical bias ranges from about 3 volts to about 50 volts.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate can be selected from a conductive doped-silicon or oxidized doped-silicon or gold plated or otherwise made somewhat electrically conductive material.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical bias comprises one or more pulsed voltages.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical bias comprises one or more pulsed voltages of less than 100 micro-seconds.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first length is greater than 2 micrometers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second length ranges from about 10 nanometers to about 200 nanometers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the attaching comprises using attractive forces between a portion of the AFM tip structure and a portion of the carbon based nanotube structure.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the attaching comprises moving the AFM tip structure along a portion of substrate comprising a plurality of carbon based nanotube structures to attract one of the carbon based nanotube structures onto the portion of the AFM tip structure.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical bias ablates a portion of the carbon based nanotube structure.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the pushing action is provided using mechanical force on an end of the carbon based nanotube structure in the direction parallel to the second length.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical bias is applied to the AFM tip structure.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the third length is less than about 100 microns.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the attaching comprises substantially Vanderwaals forces between a portion of the AFM tip structure and a portion of the carbon based nanotube structure.

15. A method for fabricating carbon based nanotubes for scanning probe microscopy including atomic force microscope (“

AFM”

) applications, the method comprising;

providing an AFM tip structure, the AFM tip structure including a first end, a second end, and a length defined between the first end and the second end, the second end being a free end;

providing the AFM tip structure along a first portion of a substrate comprising a plurality of carbon based nanotube structures thereon;

attaching at least one of the carbon based nanotube structure from the plurality of carbon based nanotube structures from the substrate along a portion of the length of the AFM tip structure to extend a total length of the AFM structure to include the length of the AFM tip structure and a first length associated with the carbon based nanotube structure;

providing the AFM tip structure including the carbon based nanotube structure along a second portion of the substrate;

applying an electrical bias between the AFM tip structure and an electrically grounded substrate to cause a reducing of the carbon based nanotube structure from the first length to a second length;

providing the AFM tip structure including the carbon based nanotube structure of the second length to a third portion of the substrate, and

forcing the carbon based nanotube structure in a direction parallel to the second length using the third portion of the substrate to reduce the second length to a third length of the carbon based nanotube structure using a pushing action along the direction parallel to the second length to cause the carbon based nanotube structure to move along a portion of the length of the AFM tip structure.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the substrate is a single substrate being maintained in a stationary position.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion of the substrate are different spatial locations.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the forcing causes the carbon based nanotube structure to slide along the portion of the length of the AFM tip structure.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the attaching is provided using Vanderwaals forces between a portion of the AFM tip structure and a portion of the carbon based nanotube structure.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the pushing causes a portion of the nano-sized structure to slide along the portion of the length of the tip structure.

20. A method for fabricating assembled structures, the method comprising:

providing a tip structure, the tip structure including a first end, a second end, and a length defined between the first end and the second end, the second end being a free end;

attaching a nano-sized structure along a portion of the length of the tip structure to extend a total length of the tip structure to include the length of the tip structure and a first length associated with the nano-sized structure;

shortening the nano-sized structure from the first length to a second length, and

pushing the nano-sized structure in a direction parallel to the second length to reduce the second length to a third length of the nano-sized structure along the direction parallel to the second length to cause the nano-sized structure to move along a portion of the length of the tip structure.

22. A method for manufacturing carbon based nanotubes, the method comprising:

providing a tip structure, the tip structure including a first end, a second end, and a length defined between the first end and the second end, the second end being a free end;

moving the tip structure along a first region comprising a plurality of carbon based nanotube structures thereon;

attaching at least one of the carbon based nanotube structure from the plurality of carbon based nanotube structures from the first region along a portion of the length of the tip structure to extend a total length of the tip structure to include the length of the tip structure and a first length associated with the carbon based nanotube structure;

moving the tip structure including the carbon based nanotube structure along a second region;

applying an electrical bias between the tip structure at the end of the first length associated with the carbon based nanotube structure and an electrically grounded substrate to cause a reducing of the carbon based nanotube structure from the first length to a second length;

moving the tip structure including the carbon based nanotube structure of the second length to a third region of the substrate;

forcing the carbon based nanotube structure in a direction parallel to the second length using the third region to reduce the second length to a third length of the carbon based nanotube structure using a pushing action along the direction parallel to the second length to cause the carbon based nanotube structure to move along a portion of the length of the tip structure;

removing the tip structure including the attached carbon based nanotube structure;

repeating the above elements of providing a tip structure;

moving the tip structure along a first region comprising a plurality of carbon based nanotube structures thereon;

attaching at least one of the carbon based nanotube structure;

moving the tip structure including the carbon based nanotube structure along a second region;

applying an electrical bias between the tip structure at the end of the first length associated with the carbon based nanotube structure and the electrically grounded substrate to cause a reducing of the carbon based nanotube structure from the first length to a second length;

moving the tip structure including the carbon based nanotube structure of the second length to a third region of the substrate;

forcing the carbon based nanotube structure in a direction parallel to the second length using the third region to reduce the second length; and

removing the tip structure including the attached carbon based nanotube structure for N repetitions, whereupon N is an integer greater than 1, and

repeating the above elements at a rate of M repetitions whereupon M equal to N divided by hours, whereupon M is an integer greater than three.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein M is an integer greater than five.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein M is an integer greater than ten.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the tip structure comprises an AFM tip structure.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the first region, the second region, and the third region are provided on a single substrate, the single substrate being maintained on a stage.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the stage is moved relative to the tip structure.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the tip structure is moved relative to the stage.

29. A method for assembling carbon based nanotubes, the method comprising:

providing a tip structure, the tip structure including a first end, a second end, and a length defined between the first end and the second end, the second end being a free end;

moving the tip structure along a first region comprising a plurality of carbon based nanotube structures thereon;

attaching at least one of the carbon based nanotube structure from the plurality of carbon based nanotube structures from the first region along a portion of the length of the tip structure to extend a total length of the tip structure to include the length of the tip structure and a first length associated with the carbon based nanotube structure;

moving the tip structure including the carbon based nanotube structure along a second region;

applying an electrical bias between the tip structure at the end of the first length associated with the carbon based nanotube structure and the second region to cause a reducing of the carbon based nanotube structure from the first length to a second length;

removing the tip structure including the attached carbon based nanotube structure;

repeating the above elements of providing a tip structure;

moving the tip structure along a first region comprising a plurality of carbon based nanotube structures thereon;

attaching at least one of the carbon based nanotube structure;

moving the tip structure including the carbon based nanotube structure along a second region;

applying an electrical bias between the tip structure at the end of the first length associated with the carbon based nanotube structure and the second region to cause a reducing of the carbon based nanotube structure from the first length to a second length.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the substrate is electrically grounded.

31. A system for manufacturing nanotubes, the system comprising:

a member;

a tip structure coupled to the member, the tip structure including a first end, a second end, and a length defined between the first end and the second end, the second end being a free end;

a first region comprising a plurality of nanotube structures, the first region being within a vicinity of the tip structure, at least one of the nanotube structures from the plurality of nanotube structures from the first region being attached along a portion of the length of the tip structure to extend a total length of the tip structure to include the length of the tip structure and a first length associated with the nanotube structure;

a second region within a vicinity of the tip structure including the nanotube structure;

a power source coupled to the tip structure, the power source being adapted to apply an electrical bias between the tip structure at the end of the first length associated with the nanotube structure and the second region to cause a reducing of the nanotube structure from the first length to a second length;

a third region within a vicinity of the tip structure including the nanotube structure of the second length;

whereupon the nanotube structure is forced in a direction parallel to the second length using the third region to reduce the second length to a third length of the nanotube structure using a pushing action along the direction parallel to the second length to cause the nanotube structure to move along a portion of the length of the tip structure.