Method for attaching rod-shaped NANO structure to probe holder

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a probe for detecting surface signals or chemical signals through a long and slender rod-shaped nano structure such as tungsten nanowire, carbon nanotube, boron nanotube, etc., being attached to a tip end portion thereof. According to the method, a holder, acting as the probe, including a first electrode to which the rod-shaped nano structure is attached, and a second electrode at a predetermined distance from the first electrode are partially or fully immersed in a solution containing the rod-shaped structure. When a voltage is applied between two electrodes, an electrical field is generated, and the rod-shaped nano structure is attached to the holder, acting as the probe.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 651,612, filed Aug. 28, 2003, which claimed priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) to Korean Patent Application Number 10-2003-0025948, filed on Apr. 24, 2003, and which also claimed priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) to Korean Patent Application Number 10-2003-0035429, filed on Jun. 2, 2003. Each of the above-identified patent applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a probe for signal detection having a rod-shaped nano structure attached thereto and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a probe for detection of a surface signal or a chemical signal having a rod-shaped nano structure, such as tungsten nanowire, carbon nanotube, boron nanotube, etc., which is attached to an tip portion thereof and a method for manufacturing the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0023] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to solve the foregoing problems by providing a probe, which is capable of detecting a surface signal or a chemical signal through a rod-shaped nano structure such as tungsten nanowire, carbon nanotube, boron nanotube and the like attached to a tip end portion of the probe, and can be easily manufactured by mass-production methods, and a method for attaching a rod-shaped nano structure to a probe holder. Compared to the related art, the method of the present invention has a very high success rate and a substantially reduced assembling time by reducing and simplifying a step for manufacturing a probe tip.

Problems solved by technology

However, it is very difficult to individually form a high quality carbon nanotube in a desired shape at a desired position.

It is very difficult to purify, separate and manipulate such an entangled nanotube so as to be attached to a single device.

Even though such methods are effective for developing a new complex material by massively producing the carbon nanotube or carbon fibril, it is almost impossible to separate individual nanotube and precisely attach each one to a desired position, as stated above.

Thus, it is inappropriate to mount a nanotube tip on the probe of the AFM as a commercial method.

However, it is very difficult to attach catalyst particles to the tip of the silicon pyramid.

Although discharging methods are used to reduce the size, they rarely succeed in precisely adjusting the size.

However, all of these methods pose a problem in that coating the precursor exactly to a desired amount is very difficult primarily because of mechanical and chemical properties of the precursor.

Unfortunately however, the above coating method driven by a chemical reaction is unrealistic and thus, cannot be succeeded in reality.

This is because a microscopically protruded nanotube can also be influenced of the chemical reaction, and the nanotube itself can be damaged during a work process.

Besides the above, the method by Nakayama et. al. has a very low yield, and thus, is not appropriate for mass production.

First of all, it is almost impossible to visually confirm whether the carbon nanotube is firmly adhered to the holder.

Also, because the manufacturing process is usually conducted on SEM (Scanning probe microscope), it takes a great deal of time.

Even then, it only raises concerns about the possibility of nanotube getting damages during the process.

Moreover, when a carbon nanotube, one of the nano structures like SWNT (Single Wall NanoTube), gets too small, it is difficult to confirm the carbon nanotube as a SEM, so the process also becomes out of control, making the assembly thereof virtually impossible.

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