The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 09, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 21, 2002
Robert Ryan Vallance, Lexington, KY (US);
Apparao M. Rao, Anderson, SC (US);
M. Pinar Menguc, Lexington, KY (US);
University of Kentucky Research Foundation, Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
Novel methods and devices for nanomachining a desired pattern on a surface of a conductive workpiece are disclosed. In one aspect, the method comprises using an electron beam emitted from one or more nanotubes to evaporate nanoscale quantities of material from the workpiece surface. The surface of the workpiece to be machined may be excited to a threshold energy to reduce the amount of power required to be emitted by the nanotube. In another aspect, a device is described for nanomachining a desired pattern on a surface of a conductive workpiece, comprising a vessel capable of sustaining a vacuum, a leveling support, a nanopositioning stage, and a laser for heating the workpiece. A nanotool is provided comprising at least one nanotube supported on an electrically conductive base, adapted to emit an electron beam for evaporating material from an electrically conductive workpiece.