SBIR Phase I: Novel Method for the Deposition of Electrically Conductive Patterns of Carbon Nanotubes

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目涉及开发一种具有成本效益、可扩展且非光刻的沉积系统，用于在各种基材上沉积导电碳纳米管图案。碳纳米管（CNTs）具有优异的导电性、导热性、良好的机械强度、半导体/金属性质和先进的场发射性能等物理特性，已被广泛应用于各种不同的器件中。使用催化或等离子体增强化学气相沉积方法在预图型生长模板上选择性合成或沉积碳纳米管，为未来的高级应用开辟了进一步的领域。然而，这些技术需要复杂的光刻工艺和精密的沉积设备，或者仅限于热耐用的生长基板。Lynntech和他们的合作者将开发一种创新的数字光学化学处理器（DOC-P），通过静电或共价相互作用为随后的碳纳米管组装创造一个反应表面。DOC-P涉及通过独立可控的微米级抛光微镜阵列的反射将紫外线聚焦到表面处理的基板上，该阵列由德州仪器商业化，从而消除了对光掩模的需求。该技术将允许比喷墨打印或DipPen方法更快的沉积。在第一阶段，将研究印刷图案的电学行为、粘附强度和光学透明度，并确定该工艺的局限性。该系统提供了一种简单快速的碳纳米管生成透明导电图案的方法。利用DOC-P成功制取碳纳米管将降低制造成本。该技术可用于在高透明导电薄膜上制造电子电路和场发射显示器。据纳米技术市场分析公司Nanomarkets LC称，虽然一些柔性塑料显示器的电路可以使用碳纳米管，但碳纳米管在显示领域的最大机会将来自场发射显示器（场发射显示器），这可能为碳纳米管提供第一个大规模市场。Nanomarkets LC预计，到2009年，fed将产生超过7亿美元的收入。DOC-P技术的特性和加工优势也将在触摸屏、大面积显示器、柔性显示器和太阳能光伏集热器等商业应用中得到应用。DOC-P设置允许制造不同的导电模式，而无需使用高成本的光掩膜程序，使其对教育研究实验室非常有用。制作这种图案或电路的过程也非常环保，因为不需要光阻剂或有毒溶剂来制作图案或固定碳纳米管。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project involves the development of a cost effective, scaleable, and non-lithographic-based deposition system to deposit electrically conductive CNTs patterns on a wide range of substrates. The advantageous physical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), including excellent electrical, thermal conductivity, good mechanical strength, semiconducting/metallic nature, and advanced field-emission behavior, have been utilized in various different devices. The area-selective synthesis or deposition of CNTs on pre-patterned growth templates using either catalytic or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition methods opens up further fields for advanced future applications. However, these techniques require complex lithography processes and sophisticated deposition facilities or are limited to thermally durable growth substrates. Lynntech and their collaborators will develop an innovative digital optical chemistry processor (DOC-P) to create a reactive surface for the subsequent assembly of CNTs through electrostatic or covalent interactions. The DOC-P involves focusing UV-light onto surface-treated substrates by reflection from an independently controllable micron-sized polished micromirror array commercialized by Texas Instruments eliminating the need for photo-masks. The technology will allow more rapid deposition than inkjet-printing or DipPen approaches. In Phase I, electrical behavior, adhesion strength, and optical transparency of the printed patterns will be investigated and limitations of the process will be determined.The proposed system provides a simple and rapid method to generate transparent conductive patterns using carbon nanotubes. Successful patterning of CNTs using DOC-P will lead to reduction in manufacturing costs. The technology can be used to make electronic circuits and field emission displays on highly transparent conductive films. According to Nanomarkets LC, a company specialized in analyzes nanotechnology market, while some of the circuits for flexible plastic displays can use CNTs, the biggest opportunity for CNTs in the display sector will come from field emission displays (FEDS) which may provide the first mass market for CNTs. Nanomarkets LC expects FEDS will generate more than $700 million in revenues by 2009. The properties and processing advantages of DOC-P technology will also find uses in commercial applications such as touch screens, larger areas displays, flexible display and solar photovoltaic collectors. The DOC-P setup allows the fabrication of different conductive patterns without the use of high cost photo-mask procedures, making it very useful for educational research laboratories. The process to make such patterns or circuits is also very environmental friendly as photoresists or toxic solvents are not needed for patterning or the immobilization of CNTs.