63rd Annual Gaseous Electronics Conference and 7th International Conference on Reactive Plasmas
Volume 55, Number 7
Monday–Friday, October 4–8, 2010;
Paris, France
Session MR1: Plasma Nanotechnologies and Flexible Electronics I
8:30 AM–10:00 AM,
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Room: 162
Chair: Uwe Kortshagen, University of Minnesota
Abstract ID: BAPS.2010.GEC.MR1.1
Abstract: MR1.00001 : Bottom-up approaches to plasma synthesis of nanomaterials
8:30 AM–9:00 AM
Preview Abstract
Abstract
Author:
R. Mohan Sankaran
(Case Western Reserve University)
Large-scale, low-pressure plasmas play an essential role in the
manufacturing of integrated circuits that are now ubiquitous in
consumer
electronics. In recent years, new challenges have arisen for
these top-down
approaches to materials processing. Future electronic devices will
incorporate nanoscale materials such as nanoparticles, carbon
nanotubes, and
silicon nanowires that cannot be fabricated by current plasma
technology
because of limitations associated with photolithography. In
addition,
emerging applications in sensors, energy, and medicine require
materials
that must be prepared from the ``bottom-up.'' The aim of our
research is to
develop a new class of plasmas, termed microplasmas, for
nanomaterials
synthesis.
Microscale plasmas or microplasmas are a special class of electrical
discharges formed in geometries where at least one dimension is
less than 1
mm. As a result of their unique scaling, microplasmas operate
stably at
atmospheric pressure and contain large concentrations of
energetic electrons
(1-10 eV). These properties are attractive for a range of
nanomaterials
applications. Vapor-phase metal-organic precursors can be
dissociated near
ambient conditions (i.e. room temperature and atmospheric
pressure) to
homogeneously nucleate metal [1] and alloyed [2] nanoparticles.
Metal
nanoparticles are then continuously injected into a flow furnace
to catalyze
the growth of chirally-enriched carbon nanotubes or
diameter-controlled
silicon nanowires [3]. Recently, we have also coupled
microplasmas with
liquids or polymeric films to nucleate nanoparticles from metal
ions [4]. In
this talk, I will discuss these topics in detail, highlighting the
advantages of microplasma-based systems for the synthesis of
well-defined
nanomaterials.\\[4pt]
[1] W-H. Chiang and R. M. Sankaran, Appl. Phys. Lett. 91,
121503 (2007)\\[0pt]
[2] W-H. Chiang and R. M. Sankaran, Adv. Mater. 20, 4857
(2008)\\[0pt]
[3] W-H. Chiang and R. M. Sankaran, Nat. Mater. 8, 882 (2009)\\[0pt]
[4] C. Richmonds and R. M. Sankaran, Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 131501
(2008)
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2010.GEC.MR1.1