|Publication number||US7847207 B1|
|Application number||US 10/961,929|
|Publication date||Dec 7, 2010|
|Filing date||Oct 8, 2004|
|Priority date||Mar 17, 2000|
|Publication number||10961929, 961929, US 7847207 B1, US 7847207B1, US-B1-7847207, US7847207 B1, US7847207B1|
|Inventors||Lee Chow, Guang-Yu Chai|
|Original Assignee||University Of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (29), Referenced by (1), Classifications (20), Legal Events (4)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This invention in a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/424,336 filed on Apr. 25, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,011,884 which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/528,259 filed on Mar. 17, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,582,673 and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/511,787 filed Oct. 16, 2003.
This invention relates to nanotubes, in particular to methods and systems for attaching carbon nanotube probes to scanning probe microscopy (SPM) tips.
Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in 1991, much has been done to characterize their properties and explore their potential applications. Currently, carbon nano particles including both nanotubes and monofilaments are found in extended commercial applications in modern technologies, for example, for manufacture of composite materials, nanoscale machines, flat panel displays, and computer memory devices. The wide application of carbon nanotubes is based on their unique physical and mechanical properties, which show the high electrical and thermal conductivity, and high strength values along the nanotubes' axis.
Their high aspect ratio, mechanical resilience and electrically conducting make them ideal for probe microscopy tips. There are several different types of scanning probe microscopy, including scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), scanning force microscopy (SFM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), magnetic force microscopy (MFM), and magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM). Nanotubes have previously been made into atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips and have proven to have great advantages in imaging and manipulation over conventional silicon and silicon nitride tips. AFM instruments are well known for producing images with resolution in the nanometer or smaller range. AFM resolution is dependent on physical characteristics of the scanning probe including composition, size, shape and rigidity of the probe. Both length and width (or diameter) of the probe affect the resolution because, for example, the length limits the maximum depth of a detail that may be measured, and the width limits the minimum breadth of a detail that may be measured. Silicon probes are commonly used, but have a tip diameter generally greater than 10 nm, and are easily damaged or worn during use. Scanning probes made of carbon nanotubes have been shown to be acceptable alternatives to silicon probes and are known to be mechanically stable.
However, there are no easy and controllable methods to attach a carbon nanotube to a scanning probe tip, due to the extremely small size of the carbon nanotubes. Previous approaches have included the mechanical attachment of a CNT onto an AFM tip, chemical vapor deposition growth of a CNT directly onto commercial atomic force microscope made of Si or one of its derivatives, and electric or magnetic field induced multiwall nanotube probe attachment.
Mechanical attachment of nanotubes on a scanning probe tip using optical microscope was developed in 1996. See Dai, Hafner, Rinzler, Golbert and Smalley, Nature 384, 147 (1996). In this process, micromanipulators are used to control the positions of a commercial cantilever tip and a bundle of nanotubes, while viewing with an optical microscope. This approach has allowed the initial development of nanotube tips although it has significant limitations. Firstly, the assembly procedure inherently selects towards thick bundles of nanotubes since these are easiest to observe in the optical microscope Bundles are selected because it is extremely difficult to observe an individual nanotube due to its nanometer size. However, mechanical assembly of nanotube tips has also been performed inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The use of the SEM still limits assembly to nanotube bundles or nanotubes with diameters greater than 5-10 nm and, moreover, increases greatly the overall time required to make one tip. Secondly, well defined and reproducible tip etching procedures to expose individual nanotubes do not exist. Thirdly, a relatively long time is required to attach nanotubes to commercial cantilevers, thus increasing the cost.
To overcome the limitations of mechanical attachment of nanotubes, direct growth of carbon nanotubes on the tip by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) was developed in 1999. See Hafner, Cheung, and Lieber, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 121, 9750 (1999). In this technique, a flattened area was created at the cantilever tip, pores were etched into the flat area and a catalyst was deposited into the pores. CVD was then used to allow nanotubes to grow from the tip in alignment with the pores. This method produced thin, individual multiwall CNT tips, however there was no control over the orientation of the nanotubes. For SPM tip application, the nanotube has to be perpendicular to the surface.
Alternative methods to attach a carbon nanotube to a scanning probe tip were electric field induced attachment which was developed in 2000 and magnetic field induced alignment which was developed as in 2003. See Stevens, Nguyen, Cassell, Delzeit, Meyyappan, and Han, Appl. Phys. Lett., 77 3453 (2000) and Hall, Mathews, Superfine, Falvo, and Washburn, Appl. Phys. Lett., 82, 2506 (2003). In these technique, electric or magnetic fields are used to align the carbon nanotube along the scanning probe tip axis. The electric or magnetic field induced attachment provides advantages in adjustment of the orientation of the nanotubes, however, the methods require precoating to improve conductivity. The four above described methods were somewhat arduous have met with difficulties in adhesion, reproducibility, and process control. It has been demonstrated already that carbon nanotubes (CNT) are excellent scanning probe tips. However, as discussed above, there are no easy and controllable methods to attach a carbon nanotube to a scanning probe tip, due to the extremely small size of the carbon nanotubes.
The present invention contributes a more consistent and controlled method for attaching a novel carbon nanotube probe to the SPM cantilever tip using Focus Ion Beam (FIB) technology. Through the method of the present invention, a FIB tool is used to form a slot in the SPM cantilever tip and the carbon nanotube probe is inserted into the formed slot. The inserted carbon nanotube probe is welded to the SPM cantilever tip using the FIB tool to deposit metal atoms to the joint between the carbon nanotube probe and the cantilever tip, thus welding the carbon nanotube probe to the cantilever tip.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method and system using Focus Ion Beam (FIB) technology to attach novel nanotube probes to SPM (scanning probe microscope) tips.
A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide an easy and controllable method and system for attaching carbon nanotubes to a scanning probe tips. Our new method uses the Focus Ion Beam (FIB) technique to attach our unique nanotube probe to the SPM tips. The FIB technique is a standard well-developed technique. It is very controllable and the carbon nanotube can be attached in a very perpendicular manner. The carbon fiber of our unique carbon nanotube probe provides excellent mechanical stability.
A novel nanotube probe is prepared by catalytic chemical vapor deposition method. Plural carbon fibers are provided along with the nanotube probe and a metal wire with a silver paint coating is used to stick the micron size carbon fibers and carbon nanotube probe for FIB pickup. The SPM cantilever tip is milled using the ion beam of an FIB to form a slot for receiving the carbon nanotube probe. A micro manipulator is then used to pick up a carbon fiber with nanotube tip and align it within the slot in the cantilever tip perpendicular to the axis. Once aligned, FIB welding is used to deposit metal atoms to fill the gap between the carbon fiber and the wall of the slot in the cantilever tip, thus welding the carbon fiber with nanotube tip and the scanning probe cantilever tip to produce the nanotube scanning tip.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings.
Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
The method and system of the present invention produces a nanotube scanning tip as shown in
A method for attaching the carbon nanotube probe 14 to a conventional scanning probe cantilever tip 12 will now be describe in detail.
The novel carbon nanotube probe is prepared by catalytic chemical vapor deposition following the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,582,673. Plural carbon fibers are provided along with the carbon nanotube probe for use in attaching the carbon nanotube probe to the SPM cantilever tip. In step 20 of
The intermediate carbon fiber 52 is inserted into the slot 54 formed on the needle tip 50 as shown in
The intermediate carbon fiber is used as a new metal needle in step 46 of
FIB milling is also used to prepare the cantilever tip for receiving the carbon nanotube probe and for attaching the carbon nanotube probe to the SPM cantilever tip. Since the carbon nanotube probe tip can be easily damaged by the ion beam, the intermediate carbon fiber and carbon nanotube probe are kept a safe distance from the ion beam during the milling step. Therefore, scanning electron microsopy (SEM) is applied to the carbon nanotube probe to determine the dimension of the graphitic outer layer.
While the method and system of the present invention have been illustrated and described for attachment of a carbon nanotube probe to a pyramidal cantilever tip, the method may also be used for attaching carbon fibers or nonotubes to other geometrical surfaces such as parallel to another tungsten tip for use testing other surface properties. In another example, the carbon nanotube is attached is attached using the novel method to a sharpened tungsten wire for field emission testing. Other uses for the novel attachment method will be obvious to those skilled in the art. The method of the present invention combines milling and welding using FIB tools to prepare a surface for receiving a carbon fiber and carbon nanotube probe and for attaching the same to the prepared surface. Each milling and welding step is reliable and controllable and can be accomplished in minimum time, thus reducing fabrication cost. By arranging the angle between the intermediate file and the nanotube probe, plus the five degree of free movement of the FIB tool, the carbon fiber with nanotube tip can be precisely aligned with the conventional scanning probe cantilever tip axis. Another advantage of the present invention is the use of mechanical fabrication processes to eliminate the need for precoating for conductivity.
While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.
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|U.S. Classification||219/68, 228/101, 423/447.1, 423/447.3, 423/585, 427/564|
|International Classification||C23C8/00, B23K11/22|
|Cooperative Classification||C01B31/0206, B82Y30/00, B82Y40/00, G01Q70/12, B82Y35/00, B82Y15/00|
|European Classification||C01B31/02B, B82Y30/00, G01Q70/12, B82Y35/00, B82Y15/00, B82Y40/00|
|Oct 8, 2004||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL F
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:CHOW, LEE;CHAI, GUANG-YU;REEL/FRAME:015883/0597
Effective date: 20041007
|Jul 18, 2014||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Dec 7, 2014||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|Jan 27, 2015||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20141207