California Institute of Technology

Anupama B Kaul

Larry W Epp

Harish M Manohara

Eric W Wong

Leif Bagge

James B Coles

Richard L Baron

A monolithic optical absorber and methods of making same. The monolithic optical absorber uses an array of mutually aligned carbon nanotubes that are grown using a PECVD growth process and a structure that includes a conductive substrate, a refractory template layer and a nucleation layer. Monolithic optical absorbers made according to the described structure and method exhibit high absorptivity, high site densities (greater than 10nanotubes/cm), very low reflectivity (below 1%), and high thermal stability in air (up to at least 400&#xb0; C.). The PECVD process allows the application of such absorbers in a wide variety of end uses.

Thermally-resilient, broadband optical absorber from UV-to-IR derived from carbon nanostructures and method of making the same

Methods for gas sensing with single-walled carbon nanotubes are described. The methods comprise biasing at least one carbon nanotube and exposing to a gas environment to detect variation in temperature as an electrical response.

Methods for gas sensing with single-walled carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanofiber resonator devices, methods for use, and applications of said devices are disclosed. Carbon nanofiber resonator devices can be utilized in or as high Q resonators. Resonant frequency of these devices is a function of configuration of various conducting components within these devices. Such devices can find use, for example, in filtering and chemical detection.

Applications and methods of operating a three-dimensional nano-electro-mechanical resonator and related devices

A miniature thermal conductivity gauge employs a carbon single-walled-nanotube. The gauge operates on the principle of thermal exchange between the voltage-biased nanotube and the surrounding gas at low levels of power and low temperatures to measure vacuum across a wide dynamic range. The gauge includes two terminals, a source of constant voltage to the terminals, a single-walled carbon nanotube between the terminals, a calibration of measured conductance of the nanotube to magnitudes of surrounding vacuum and a current meter in electrical communication with the source of constant voltage. Employment of the nanotube for measuring vacuum includes calibrating the electrical conductance of the nanotube to magnitudes of vacuum, exposing the nanotube to a vacuum, applying a constant voltage across the nanotube, measuring the electrical conductance of the nanotube in the vacuum with the constant voltage applied and converting the measured electrical conductance to the corresponding calibrated magnitude of vacuum using the calibration. The nanotube may be suspended to minimize heat dissipation through the substrate, increasing sensitivity at even tower pressures.

Carbon nanotube vacuum gauges with wide-dynamic range and processes thereof

Switches having an in situ grown carbon nanotube as an element thereof, and methods of fabricating such switches. A carbon nanotube is grown in situ in mechanical connection with a conductive substrate, such as a heavily doped silicon wafer or an SOI wafer. The carbon nanotube is electrically connected at one location to a terminal. At another location of the carbon nanotube there is situated a pull electrode that can be used to elecrostatically displace the carbon nanotube so that it selectively makes contact with either the pull electrode or with a contact electrode. Connection to the pull electrode is sufficient to operate the device as a simple switch, while connection to a contact electrode is useful to operate the device in a manner analogous to a relay. In various embodiments, the devices disclosed are useful as at least switches for various signals, multi-state memory, computational devices, and multiplexers.

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Arcadia, CA, United States of America

Anupama B Kaul