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Title: Nanoscale mass conveyors

Patent ·
OSTI ID:970536

A mass transport method and device for individually delivering chargeable atoms or molecules from source particles is disclosed. It comprises a channel; at least one source particle of chargeable material fixed to the surface of the channel at a position along its length; a means of heating the channel; and a means for applying an controllable electric field along the channel, whereby the device transports the atoms or molecules along the channel in response to applied electric field. In a preferred embodiment, the mass transport device will comprise a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT), although other one dimensional structures may also be used. The MWNT or other structure acts as a channel for individual or small collections of atoms due to the atomic smoothness of the material. Also preferred is a source particle of a metal such as indium. The particles move by dissociation into small units, in some cases, individual atoms. The particles are preferably less than 100 nm in size.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Albany Research Center (ARC), Albany, OR (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
Assignee:
The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
Patent Number(s):
7,341,651
Application Number:
11/085,397
OSTI ID:
970536
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (14)

Electromodulated Molecular Transport in Gold-Nanotube Membranes journal October 2002
POLYMER OLED EFFICIENCY BOOST: Polymer display breakthroughs could lead to large-scale manufacturing journal May 2004
Thermal Transport Measurements of Individual Multiwalled Nanotubes journal October 2001
Fabrication and electrical characteristics of carbon nanotube-based microcathodes for use in a parallel electron-beam lithography system
  • Teo, K. B. K.; Chhowalla, M.; Amaratunga, G. A. J.
  • Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures, Vol. 21, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1116/1.1545755
journal January 2003
Carbon nanotubes as nanoscale mass conveyors journal April 2004
Nanowicks: Nanotubes as Tracks for Mass Transfer
  • Regan, B. C.
  • MOLECULAR NANOSTRUCTURES: XVII International Winterschool Euroconference on Electronic Properties of Novel Materials, AIP Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1628101
conference January 2003
Spontaneous Reduction of Metal Ions on the Sidewalls of Carbon Nanotubes journal August 2002
Creating, transporting, cutting, and merging liquid droplets by electrowetting-based actuation for digital microfluidic circuits journal February 2003
Growth of nanotubes for probe microscopy tips journal April 1999
Temperature measurement using a gallium-filled carbon nanotube nanothermometer journal October 2003
Monolithic Integration of Carbon Nanotube Devices with Silicon MOS Technology journal December 2003
Modelling of HREM and nanodiffraction for dislocation kinks and core reconstruction journal November 2000
Fabrication of metallic electrodes with nanometer separation by electromigration journal July 1999
Electrokinetic Transport in Nanochannels. 1. Theory journal November 2005

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