United States Patent Application 20100133513
Kind Code A1
Schmidt; Howard K. June 3, 2010
NANOPARTICLE / NANOTUBE-BASED NANOELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CHEMICALLY-DIRECTED ASSEMBLY THEREOF
Abstract
According to some embodiments, the present invention provides a nanoelectronic device based on a nanostructure that may include a nanotube with first and second ends, a metallic nanoparticle attached to the first end, and an insulating nanoparticle attached to the second end. The nanoelectronic device may include additional nanostructures so a to form a plurality of nanostructures comprising the first nanostructure and the additional nanostructures. The plurality of nanostructures may arranged in a network comprising a plurality of edges and a plurality of vertices, wherein each edge comprises a nanotube and each vertex comprises at least one insulating nanoparticle and at least one metallic nanoparticle adjacent the insulating nanoparticle. The combination of at least one edge and at least one vertex comprises a diode. The device may be an optical rectenna.
Inventors: Schmidt; Howard K.; (Cypress, TX)
Correspondence Name and Address:
WINSTEAD PC
P.O. BOX 50784
DALLAS
TX
75201
US
Assignee Name and Adress: William Marsh Rice University
Houston
TX
Serial No.: 910521
Series Code: 11
Filed: February 2, 2007
PCT Filed: February 2, 2007
PCT NO: PCT/US07/61563
371 Date: October 2, 2007
U.S. Current Class: 257/25; 257/E21.04; 257/E31.033; 438/57
U.S. Class at Publication: 257/25; 438/57; 257/E31.033; 257/E21.04
Intern'l Class: H01L 31/0352 20060101 H01L031/0352; H01L 31/18 20060101 H01L031/18
Goverment Interests
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SPONSORSHIP
[0002]The present invention was made in part with United States Government support under a grant awarded by the Office of Naval Research, Grant No. N00014-04-1-0765 and the Department of Energy, Grant No. DE-FC36-050015073. The U.S. Government has certain rights in this invention.
Claims
1. A nanoelectronic device, comprising:a first nanostructure, comprising:a nanotube having first and second opposing ends;a metallic nanoparticle attached to the first end; and an insulating nanoparticle attached to the second end.
2. The nanoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the nanotube is conducting.
3. The nanoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the nanotube absorbs light.
4. The nanoelectronic device according to claim 3, wherein the nanotube comprises an antenna.
5. The nanoelectronic device according to claim 4, wherein the length between the first and second ends is about half a wavelength of the light.
[0046]The nanoelectronic device may be arranged so as operate as an optical rectenna. The optical rectenna may display frequency response some 10,000 times higher than achieved with prior optical rectennae and deliver useful power conversion well into the optical regime at 30,000 TH. The optical rectenna may find application in photovoltaics for conversion of light to electricity.
Source
Amazing - and as from ANI's grandfather, of interest here. Will ANI participate????
