US 11,912,900 B2
Step-wise fabrication of conductive carbon nanotube bridges via dielectrophoresis
Lawrence Kulinsky, Irvine, CA (US); and Tuo Zhou, Irvine, CA (US)
Assigned to THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Oakland, CA (US)
Filed by THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Oakland, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/223,459.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/005,860, filed on Apr. 6, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0309869 A1, Oct. 7, 2021
Int. Cl. C09D 5/44 (2006.01); C25D 13/12 (2006.01); C25D 13/22 (2006.01); C25D 17/10 (2006.01)
CPC C09D 5/4476 (2013.01) [C25D 13/12 (2013.01); C25D 13/22 (2013.01); C25D 17/10 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A step-wise method for fabricating conducting bridges between adjacent electrodes, the method comprising:
a. depositing a droplet (150) containing a suspension of conductive or dielectric nanostructures between a first electrode (100) and second electrode;
b. applying voltage to the suspension of conductive or dielectric nanostructures using the first electrode (100) immediately after (a);
c. completely evaporating the droplet (150) containing the suspension of conductive or dielectric nanostructures immediately after (b), wherein complete evaporation of the droplet (150) allows surface tension of the droplet (150) surrounding the deposited conductive or dielectric nanostructures to pull the nanostructures together; and
d. repeating steps a-c for at least two iterations until a distance between the first electrode (100) and a second electrode (200) is spanned by the conducting bridges;
wherein after the first iteration, the deposited nanostructures do not yet form the conductive bridges;
wherein the step-wise method is effective at forming conductive bridges that are at least 30 microns in length.