Claims
- 1. A method comprising the steps of:
coating nanoparticles with a catalyst; depositing the nanoparticles coated with the catalyst onto a substrate; and growing carbon nanotubes on the nanoparticles.
- 2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the catalyst has a property that promotes carbon nanotube growth there upon.
- 3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the coating step uses an electroless plating bath process to coat the catalyst onto the nanoparticles.
- 4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the catalyst is a metal.
- 5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the metal is copper.
- 6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the metal is nickel.
- 7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the metal is cobolt.
- 8. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the metal is iron.
- 9. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the metal is silver.
- 10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the catalyst is copper.
- 11. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein coating of the nanoparticles takes place in a bath comprising:
a compound containing the catalyst; a promoter to dissolve the compound in a bath solution; a reaction slowing agent; and a pH balancing agent.
- 12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the electroless plating bath process further comprises the steps of:
decanting a remaining liquid from the bath, leaving the coated nanoparticles; and drying the coated nanoparticles.
- 13. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the depositing step deposits the nanoparticles coated with the catalyst in a predetermined pattern onto the substrate.
- 14. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the substrate is prepared by depositing a conducting layer onto an insulating layer.
- 15. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the depositing step uses an electrophoretic process to deposit the nanoparticles coated with the catalyst in a predetermined pattern.
- 16. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the depositing step further comprises the steps of:
depositing a mask layer onto the substrate, the mask layer having a predetermined pattern; depositing the nanoparticles coated with the catalyst onto the substrate and mask layer; and removing the mask layer leaving the substrate with the nanoparticles with the catalyst deposited thereon in the predetermined pattern.
- 17. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising the steps of:
positioning a screen having a phosphor thereon a predetermined distance from the substrate, the substrate including the coated nanoparticles with carbon nanotubes grown thereon; and positioning circuitry in proximity to the substrate, the circuitry operable for creating an electric field to promote field emission of electrons from the carbon nanotubes grown onto the coated nanoparticles towards the screen.
- 18. An apparatus comprising:
a substrate; nanoparticles deposited on the substrate, wherein the nanoparticles are coated with copper; and carbon nanotubes grown on the copper coated nanoparticles.
- 19. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the substrate includes a conducting layer on an insulating base, wherein the copper coated nanoparticles are deposited on the conducting layer.
- 20. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, further comprising:
circuitry for creating an electric field to promote field emission of electrons from the carbon nanotubes.
- 21. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, further comprising:
a phosphor screen positioned a distance from the substrate.
- 22. A field emission apparatus comprising:
a cathode including a conducting layer on a substrate; and catalyst coated nanoparticles deposited on the conducting layer in a predetermined pattern, wherein carbon nanotubes are deposited on the catalyst coated nanoparticles.
- 23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, further comprising:
circuitry for creating an electric field to promote field emission of electrons from the carbon nanotubes.
- 24. The apparatus as recited in claim 23, further comprising:
a phosphor screen positioned a distance from the cathode.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present invention claims priority to the following:
[0002] Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/314,870, entitled “PROCESS FOR PRODUCING PATTERNED CARBON NANOTUBE FILMS,” filed on Aug. 24, 2001; and
[0003] Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/336,351, entitled “CATALYST FOR CARBON NANOTUBE GROWTH,” filed on Nov. 2, 2001.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60314870 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
|
60336351 |
Nov 2001 |
US |