Carbon Nanotube Bolometer Film Structure and Dip-Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bolometers with carbon nanotube films formed by printing techniques face challenges in reducing resistance, as it is difficult to achieve optimal electrical connectivity between the film and electrodes.
Innovation Solution
A bolometer design featuring a base material with a stacking surface, two electrodes, and a film containing carbon nanotubes, where the film includes a first portion stacked on the electrode surface, a second portion stacked between the electrodes, and a connection portion connecting these portions on the side surface, with an average film thickness of the second portion less than 10 nm. The manufacturing method involves immersing the base material in a dispersion liquid containing carbon nanotubes and pulling it up at a controlled speed to achieve oriented carbon nanotube layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a film made of carbon nanotubes is formed by using a printing technique, then the film can be manufactured with existing techniques, but it is difficult to reduce the resistance of the bolometer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the film thickness parameter to less than 10 nm (ultra-thin) and controls the pulling speed parameter during manufacturing to achieve optimal resistance values while maintaining manufacturability through dip-coating technique
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a three-dimensional film structure with specific thickness dimension (less than 10 nm) and spatial orientation (stacked on substrate with connection portion on side surface) to achieve low resistance while using dip-coating manufacturing
2Reliability
If the film thickness is reduced to less than 10 nm, then the resistance is reduced, but the manufacturing precision required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dip-coating process allows the film thickness to be self-regulated by the capillary action and adsorption characteristics of carbon nanotubes on the substrate, achieving uniform ultra-thin films (less than 10 nm) without requiring complex precision control equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses liquid-phase dip-coating where the dispersion liquid penetrates and forms the carbon nanotube film through capillary action and surface tension effects, enabling precise thickness control at the nanometer scale through simple immersion and withdrawal motion
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for easy reduction in resistance by forming conductive paths through the electrical connection of carbon nanotubes between the film and electrodes, while maintaining a high temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) by controlling the thickness and orientation of the carbon nanotube layers.
Implementation Method 1
a film that contains carbon nanotubes, in which the film includes a first portion that is stacked on the main surface, a second portion that is stacked on the stacking surface between the two electrodes, and a connection portion that connects the first portion and the second portion and is provided on the side surface
Implementation Method 2
immersing the base material in a dispersion liquid containing carbon nanotubes, and pulling up the immersed base material at a moving speed of 0.3 μm/s or less such that the stacking surface passes through a liquid surface of the dispersion liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A bolometer includes a base material that has a stacking surface, two electrodes each of which has a main surface and a side surface extending from the main surface to the stacking surface, and a film that contains carbon nanotubes, in which the film includes a first portion that is stacked on the main surface, a second portion that is stacked on the stacking surface between the two electrodes, and a connection portion that connects the first portion and the second portion and provided on the side surface, and in which an average film thickness of the second portion is less than 10 nm.