Methods and systems for electric field deposition of nanowires and other devices

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for nanowire deposition are provided. A deposition system includes an enclosed flow channel, an inlet port, and an electrical signal source. The inlet port provides a suspension that includes nanowires into the channel. The electrical signal source is coupled to an electrode pair in the channel to generate an electric field to associate at least one nanowire from the suspension with the electrode pair. The deposition system may include various further features, including being configured to receive multiple solution types, having various electrode geometries, having a rotatable flow channel, having additional electrical conductors, and further aspects.

1 . A method for deposition of nanostructures to the surface of a substrate, comprising:
 selecting a first solvent having properties that enable dielectrophoretic pinning of nanowires on electrodes of a substrate without the nanowires sticking to the substrate;   selecting a second solvent having properties that enable the nanowires to lock to the substrate;   flowing a first suspension that includes the first solvent and the nanowires over the substrate to enable the nanowires to be pinned to the substrate;   flowing a second suspension that includes the second solvent over the substrate to enable the nanowires to lock to the substrate; and   drying the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 rinsing the substrate subsequently to said flowing the first suspension.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first solvent is selected to include isopropyl alcohol and water. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first solvent is selected to include isopropyl alcohol. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second solvents includes at least one of a water-alcohol mixture, a non-polar solvent, an additive, a pH modifier, or a salt. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating an electric field with electrodes of an electrode pair on the substrate to associate at least one nanowire from the first suspension with the electrodes.   
     
     
         7 . A method for deposition of nanostructures to the surface of a substrate, comprising:
 positioning the surface of the substrate in a first orientation, the surface including an electrode pair that includes a first electrode and a second electrode;   flowing a suspension that includes a plurality of nanowires over the surface of the substrate;   generating an electric field with the electrode pair to associate at least one nanowire from the suspension with the electrode pair;   flushing the surface of the substrate in the first orientation to remove excess nanowires;   rotating the substrate into a second orientation; and   flushing the surface of the substrate in the second orientation to remove excess nanowires.   
     
     
         8 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A system for deposition of nanostructures, comprising:
 an enclosed flow channel having a first surface that includes an electrode pair that includes a first electrode and a second electrode;   an inlet port configured to provide a flow of a suspension into the channel, the suspension including a plurality of nanowires, the enclosed flow channel being capable of being positioned in a first orientation to enable the suspension to flow over the first surface; and   an electrical signal source coupled to the electrode pair that is configured to generate an electric field with the electrode pair to associate at least one nanowire from the suspension with the electrode pair;   wherein the inlet port provides a solution to flush the first surface of the enclosed flow channel in the first orientation to remove excess nanowires;   wherein the enclosed flow channel is configured to be rotatable into a second orientation; and   wherein the inlet portion provides a solution to flush the first surface of the enclosed flow channel in the second orientation to remove excess nanowires.   
     
     
         12 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A nanostructure deposition apparatus, comprising:
 a bounding surface configured to receive a target panel having a plurality of electrode pairs on a surface of the target panel, each electrode pair being configured to receive at least one nanowire;   a transport mechanism configured to convey the target panel over the bounding surface at a predetermined velocity; and   a plurality of panel processing zones, each panel processing zone being configured to perform a respective process to a portion of the surface of the target panel;   wherein the transport mechanism is configured to convey the target panel through the plurality of panel processing zones.   
     
     
         21 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method for deposition of nanostructures, comprising:
 receiving at a bounding surface a target panel having a plurality of electrode pairs on a surface of the target panel, each electrode pair being configured to receive at least one nanowire;   conveying the target panel over the bounding surface at a predetermined velocity through a plurality of panel processing zones; and   processing the target panel at each panel processing zone of the plurality of panel processing zones, each panel processing zone being configured to perform a respective process to a portion of the surface of the target panel.   
     
     
         31 . A system for deposition of nanostructures, comprising:
 an enclosed flow channel having opposing first and second surfaces, the first surface including a first electrode pair that includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and the second surface including a second electrode pair that includes a third electrode and a fourth electrode;   a dielectric material that coats the first electrode pair and the second electrode pair;   an inlet port configured to provide a flow of a suspension into the channel, the suspension including a plurality of nanowires; and   an alternating current (AC) electrical signal source coupled to the first and second electrode pairs that is configured to generate an AC electric field with the first and second electrode pairs to impose a net force in a direction normal to the first and second surfaces on at least one nanowire in the suspension.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the AC electric field is asymmetric. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A system for deposition of nanostructures, comprising:
 an enclosed flow channel having a first surface, the first surface including an electrode pair that includes a first electrode and a second electrode;   an electrical conductor;   an inlet port configured to provide a flow of a suspension into the channel, the suspension including a plurality of nanowires; and   an alternating current (AC) electrical signal source coupled to the electrode pair and the electrical conductor that is configured to generate an AC electric field with the electrode pair and electrical conductor to impose a net force in a direction normal to the first surface on at least one nanowire in the suspension.   
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A method for deposition of nanostructures to the surface of a substrate, comprising:
 flowing a suspension that includes a plurality of nanowires through an enclosed flow channel having opposing first and second surfaces, the first surface including a first electrode pair that includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and the second surface including a second electrode pair that includes a third electrode and a fourth electrode; and   generating an alternating current (AC) electric field with the first and second electrode pairs to impose a net force in a direction normal to the first and second surfaces on at least one nanowire in the suspension.   
     
     
         38 . A method for deposition of nanostructures to the surface of a substrate, comprising:
 flowing a suspension that includes a plurality of nanowires through an enclosed flow channel having a first surface, the first surface including an electrode pair that includes a first electrode and a second electrode;   positioning an electrical conductor in the enclosed flow channel; and   generating an AC electric field with the electrode pair and electrical conductor to impose a net force in a direction normal to the first surface on at least one nanowire in the suspension.   
     
     
         39 . A system for deposition of nanostructures, comprising:
 a substrate having a surface; and   an electrode pair that includes a first electrode and a second electrode that are coaxially aligned on the surface, the first electrode having a first end and the second electrode having a second end, the first end and the second end being adjacently positioned and separated by a first distance on the surface of the substrate;   the electrode pair being configured to receive an electrical signal to generate an electric field to associate at least one nanowire with the electrode pair; and   wherein the first end and the second end are each non-square shaped.   
     
     
         40 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method for deposition of nanostructures, comprising:
 receiving an electrical signal at a first electrode and a second electrode of an electrode pair that are coaxially aligned on a surface of a substrate to generate an electric field with the electrode pair to associate at least one nanowire from a suspension with the electrode pair, the first electrode having a first end and the second electrode having a second end, the first end and the second end being adjacently positioned and separated by a first distance on the surface of the substrate, the first end and the second end each being non-square shaped; and   locking the at least one nanowire to the surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         45 . A system for deposition of nanostructures, comprising:
 a flow channel having a first surface;   an inlet port configured to provide a flow of a suspension into the channel, the suspension including a plurality of nanowires;   an electrode pair that includes a first electrode and a second electrode on the first surface, the electrode pair being configured to receive a first electrical signal to generate a first electric field to associate at least one nanowire of the suspension with the electrode pair; and   at least one electrical conductor configured to receive a second electrical signal to generate a second electric field to attract excess nanowires from the first surface of the flow channel.   
     
     
         46 - 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A method for deposition of nanostructures to the surface of a substrate, comprising:
 flowing a suspension that includes a plurality of nanowires through a flow channel having a first surface, the first surface including an electrode pair that includes a first electrode and a second electrode;   generating an AC electric field with the electrode pair to associate at least one nanowire of the suspension with the electrode pair; and   generating a second electric field with at least one electrical conductor to attract excess nanowires from the first surface of the flow channel.   
     
     
         50 . A method for deposition of nanostructures to the surface of a substrate, comprising:
 configuring a geometry of an electrode pair to increase an operating window of a pinning voltage associated with the electrode pair, the electrode pair including a first electrode and a second electrode on a surface of a flow channel;   flowing a suspension that includes a plurality of nanowires through the flow channel; and   applying a voltage having a value within the operating window to the electrode pair to generate an AC electric field with the electrode pair to pin at least one nanowire from the suspension at the electrode pair.   
     
     
         51 - 58 . (canceled)