Ut-Battelle, Inc.

Vladimir I Merkulov

Michael Leon Simpson

Douglas H Lowndes

Michael A Guillorn

Anatoli Vasilievich Melechko

Timothy Eric McKnight

Mitchel John Doktycz

Bojan Robert Ilic

Elias Stanley Greenbaum

Charles L Britton, Jr

James Weifu Lee

Ida Lee

Gyula Eres

Michael A Guillom

Yayi Wei

Anatoil V Melechko

Methods, manufactures, machines and compositions are described for nanotransfer and nanoreplication using deterministically grown sacrificial nanotemplates. An apparatus, includes a substrate and a nanoconduit material coupled to a surface of the substrate. The substrate defines an aperture and the nanoconduit material defines a nanoconduit that is i) contiguous with the aperture and ii) aligned substantially non-parallel to a plane defined by the surface of the substrate.

Nano transfer and nanoreplication using deterministically grown sacrificial nanotemplates

Methods, manufactures, machines and compositions are described for nanotransfer and nanoreplication using deterministically grown sacrificial nanotemplates. An apparatus, includes a substrate and a nanoreplicant structure coupled to a surface of the substrate.

Nanotransfer and nanoreplication using deterministically grown sacrificial nanotemplates

Systems and methods are described for controlled alignment of catalytically grown nanostructures in a large-scale synthesis process. A method includes: generating an electric field proximate an edge of a protruding section of an electrode, the electric field defining a vector; and forming an elongated nanostructure located at a position on a surface of a substrate, the position on the surface of the substrate proximate the edge of the protruding section of the electrode, at least one tangent to the elongated nanostructure i) substantially parallel to the vector defined by the electric field and ii) substantially non-parallel to a normal defined by the surface of the substrate.

Controlled alignment of catalytically grown nanostructures in a large-scale synthesis process

Methods, manufactures, machines and compositions are described for nanotransfer and nanoreplication using deterministically grown sacrificial nanotemplates. A method includes depositing a catalyst particle on a surface of a substrate to define a deterministically located position; growing an aligned elongated nanostructure on the substrate, an end of the aligned elongated nanostructure coupled to the substrate at the deterministically located position; coating the aligned elongated nanostructure with a conduit material; removing a portion of the conduit material to expose the catalyst particle; removing the catalyst particle; and removing the elongated nanostructure to define a nanoconduit.

A nanoengineered membrane for controlling material transport (e.g., molecular transport) is disclosed. The membrane includes a substrate, a cover defining a material transport channel between the substrate and the cover, and a plurality of fibers positioned in the channel and connected to and extending away from a surface of the substrate. The fibers are aligned perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and have a width of 100 nanometers or less. The diffusion limits for material transport are controlled by the separation of the fibers. In one embodiment, chemical derivatization of carbon fibers may be undertaken to further affect the diffusion limits or affect selective permeability or facilitated transport. For example, a coating can be applied to at least a portion of the fibers. In another embodiment, individually addressable carbon nanofibers can be integrated with the membrane to provide an electrical driving force for material transport.

Nanoengineered membranes for controlled transport

Systems and methods are described for controlled alignment of catalyticaly grown nanostructures in a large-scale synthesis process. A composition includes an elongated nanostructure including a first segment defining a first axis and a second segment coupled to the first segment, the second segment defining a second axis that is substantially nonparallel to the first axis. A method includes: generating an electric field proximate an edge of a protruding section of an electrode, the electric field defining a vector; and forming an elongated nanostructure located at a position on a surface of a substrate, the position on the surface of the substrate proximate the edge of the protruding section of the electrode, at least one tangent to the elongated nanostructure i) substantially parallel to the vector defined by the electric field and ii) substantially non-parallel to a normal defined by the surface of the substrate.

Controlled alignment catalytically grown nanostructures

Systems and methods are described for controlled alignment of catalyticaly grown nanostructures in a large-scale synthesis process. An apparatus includes an electrode including: a protruding section defining an edge; and a nonprotruding section coupled to the protruding section, where the edge is adapted to deflect an electric field generated with the electrode and at least one section selected from the group consisting of the protruding section and the nonprotruding section is adapted to support a substrate for the growth of elongated nanostructures.

Apparatus for controlled alignment of catalytically grown nanostructures

Methods, manufactures, machines and compositions are described for nanotransfer and nanoreplication using deterministically grown sacrificial nanotemplates. An apparatus includes a substrate and a nanoconduit material coupled to a surface of the substrate, where the substrate defines an aperture and the nanoconduit material defines a nanoconduit that is i) contiguous with the aperture and ii) aligned substantially non-parallel to a plane defined by the surface of the substrate. An apparatus includes a substrate and a nanoreplicant structure coupled to a surface of the substrate.

Nanoconduits and nanoreplicants

Methods and apparatus are described for cantilever structures that include a vertically aligned nanostructure, especially vertically aligned carbon nanofiber scanning probe microscope tips. An apparatus includes a cantilever structure including a substrate including a cantilever body, that optionally includes a doped layer, and a vertically aligned nanostructure coupled to the cantilever body.

Vertically aligned nanostructure scanning probe microscope tips

Systems and methods are described for individually electrically addressable carbon nanofibers on insulating substrates. A method includes forming an electrically conductive interconnect on at least a part of an insulating surface on a substrate; and growing at least one fiber that is coupled to the electrically conductive interconnect.

Individually electrically addressable carbon nanofibers on insulating substrates

Systems and methods are described for carbon containing tips with cylindrically symmetrical carbon containing expanded bases. A method includes producing an expanded based carbon containing tip including: fabricating a carbon containing expanded base on a substrate; and then fabricating a carbon containing fiber on the expanded base. An apparatus includes a carbon containing expanded base coupled to a substrate; and a carbon containing extension coupled to said carbon containing expanded base. The carbon containing expanded base is substantially cylindrically symmetrical and said carbon containing extension is substantially cylindrically symmetrical.

Carbon containing tips with cylindrically symmetrical carbon containing expanded bases

Systems and methods are described for individually electrically addressable carbon nanofibers on insulating substrates. An apparatus includes an electrically conductive interconnect formed on at least a part of an insulating surface on a substrate; and at least one vertically aligned carbon nanofiber coupled to the electrically conductive interconnect. A kit includes a substrate having an insulating surface; an electrically conductive interconnect formed on at least a part of the insulating surface; and at least one vertically aligned carbon nanofiber coupled to the electrically conductive interconnect.

Individually electrically addressable vertically aligned carbon nanofibers on insulating substrates

Systems and methods are described for controlled non-normal alignment of catalyticaly grown nanostructures in a large-scale synthesis process. A method includes: generating an electric field proximate an edge of a protruding section of an electrode, the electric field defining a vector; and forming an elongated nanostructure located at a position on a surface of a substrate, the position on the surface of the substrate proximate the edge of the protruding section of the electrode, at least one tangent to the elongated nanostructure i) substantially parallel to the vector defined by the electric field and ii) substantially non-parallel to a normal defined by the surface of the substrate.

Controlled non-normal alignment of catalytically grown nanostructures in a large-scale synthesis process

Gated field emission devices and systems and methods for their fabrication are described. A method includes growing a substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure, the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure coupled to a substrate; covering at least a portion of the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure with a dielectric; forming a gate, the gate coupled to the dielectric; and releasing the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure by forming an aperture in the gate and removing a portion of the dielectric.

Gated fabrication of nanostructure field emission cathode material within a device

A method is described for catalyst-induced growth of carbon nanotubes, nanofibers, and other nanostructures on the tips of nanowires, cantilevers, conductive micro/nanometer structures, wafers and the like. The method can be used for production of carbon nanotube-anchored cantilevers that can significantly improve the performance of scaning probe microscopy (AFM, EFM etc). The invention can also be used in many other processes of micro and/or nanofabrication with carbon nanotubes/fibers. Key elements of this invention include: (1) Proper selection of a metal catalyst and programmable pulsed electrolytic deposition of the desired specific catalyst precisely at the tip of a substrate, (2) Catalyst-induced growth of carbon nanotubes/fibers at the catalyst-deposited tips, (3) Control of carbon nanotube/fiber growth pattern by manipulation of tip shape and growth conditions, and (4) Automation for mass production.

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Knoxville, TN, United States of America

Vladimir I Merkulov