Abstract:
This invention includes field emitters, in particular, electron field emitters with metal oxide nanoscale, aligned and sharped-tip emitter structures, the metal oxide emitter structures being a plurality of carbon nanostructures supported by and projecting from a substrate and including a metal oxide coating overlying the surfaces of the plurality of carbon nanostructures.
Abstract:
Techniques, apparatus, materials and systems are described for providing solar cells. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a high efficiency dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The DSSC includes three-dimensional nanostructured electrodes. The three-dimensional nanostructured electrodes can include a cathode; an electrolyte; and anode that includes TiO2 nanotubes arranged in a three-dimensional structure; and a photosensitive dye coated on the anode.
Abstract:
Systems, techniques and applications for nanoscale coating structures and materials that are superhydrophobic with a water contact angle greater than about 140° or 160° and/or superoleophobic with an oil contact angle greater than about 140° or 160°. The nanostructured coatings can include Si or metallic, ceramic or polymeric nanowires that may have a re-entrant or mushroom-like tip geometry. The nanowired coatings can be used in various self-cleaning applications ranging from glass windows for high-rise buildings and non-wash automobiles to pipeline inner surface coatings and surface coatings for biomedical implants.
Abstract:
This invention discloses novel nanocomposite material structures which are strong, highly conductive, and fatigue-resistant. It also discloses novel fabrication techniques to obtain such structures. The new nanocomposite materials comprise a high-conductivity base metal, such as copper, incorporating high-conductivity dispersoid particles that simultaneously minimize field enhancements, maintain good thermal conductivity, and enhance mechanical strength. The use of metal nanoparticles with electrical conductivity comparable to that of the base automatically removes the regions of higher RF field and enhanced current density. Additionally, conductive nanoparticles will reduce the surface's sensitivity to arc or sputtering damage. If the surface is sputtered away to uncover the nanoparticles, their properties will not be dramatically different from the base surface. Most importantly, the secondary electron emission coefficients of all materials in the nanocomposite are small and close to unity, whereas the previously used insulating particles can produce significant and undesirable electron multiplication.
Abstract:
A mechanically stable and oriented scanning probe tip comprising a carbon nanotube having a base with gradually decreasing diameter, with a sharp tip at the probe tip. Such a tip or an array of tips is produced by depositing a catalyst metal film on a substrate (10 & 12 in FIG. 1(a)), depositing a carbon dot (14 in FIG. 1(b)) on the catalyst metal film, etching away the catalyst metal film (FIG. 1(c)) not masked by the carbon dot, removing the carbon dot from the catalyst metal film to expose the catalyst metal film (FIG. 1(d)), and growing a carbon nanotube probe tip on the catalyst film (16 in FIG. 1(e)). The carbon probe tips can be straight, angled, or sharply bent and have various technical applications.
Abstract:
This invention discloses novel field emitters which exhibit improved emission characteristics combined with improved emitter stability, in particular, new types of carbide or nitride based electron field emitters with desirable nanoscale, aligned and sharped-tip emitter structures.
Abstract:
This invention discloses novel nanocomposite material structures which are strong, highly conductive, and fatigue-resistant. It also discloses novel fabrication techniques to obtain such structures. The new nanocomposite materials comprise a high-conductivity base metal, such as copper, incorporating high-conductivity dispersoid particles that simultaneously minimize field enhancements, maintain good thermal conductivity, and enhance mechanical strength. The use of metal nanoparticles with electrical conductivity comparable to that of the base automatically removes the regions of higher RF field and enhanced current density. Additionally, conductive nanoparticles will reduce the surface's sensitivity to arc or sputtering damage. If the surface is sputtered away to uncover the nanoparticles, their properties will not be dramatically different from the base surface. Most importantly, the secondary electron emission coefficients of all materials in the nanocomposite are small and close to unity, whereas the previously used insulating particles can produce significant and undesirable electron multiplication.
Abstract:
A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) device is presented that can read very high density magnetic media and very high density CD ROMs. Both the magnetic and optical read heads comprise one or more cold cathode MEMS e-beam cells. The e-beams are deflected according to the data bit being interrogated and the state of that bit is determined by a detector. Large arrays of such cells can simultaneously read large areas of the memory media. Arrays of such MEMs detectors can comprise a plurality of “steerable” e-beam emitters that can be directed to interrogate specific data sites on the magnetic media. Thus, in some cases, the media can remain stationary. Densities of 200 gigabits per square inch or more and read speeds greater than 1000 times faster can be achieved.
Abstract:
This invention provides novel methods of fabricating novel gated field emission structures that include aligned nanowire electron emitters (individually or in small groups) localized in central regions within gate apertures. It also provides novel devices using nanoscale emitters for microwave amplifiers, electron-beam lithography, field emission displays and x-ray sources. The new emission structures are particularly useful in the new devices.
Abstract:
In accordance with the invention, a spaced-apart array of nanostructures is fabricated by providing a shadow mask having a plurality of spaced apart, relatively large apertures, reducing the size of the apertures to nanoscale dimensions, and depositing a material through the mask to form a plurality of spaced-apart nanostructures. In a preferred embodiment, the spaced apart nanostructures comprise nanoscale islands (nano-islands) of catalyst material, and spaced-apart nanowires such as carbon nanotubes are subsequently grown from the islands.