Carbon nanotube device, manufacturing method of carbon nanotube device, and electron emitting device

Claim 2

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 1, wherein said carbon nanotube has grown on the surface of a catalytic particle, and said catalytic particle binds to said conductive surface so that conduction therebetween is maintained.

Claim 3

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 2, wherein there is provided an insulating layer between said catalytic particle and said conductive surface, and said carbon nanotube and said conductive surface are in tunnel junction.

Claim 4

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 2, wherein there is provided an insulating layer between said catalytic particle and said conductive surface; said insulating layer has a bridge-shaped path connecting said conductive surface and said catalytic particle; and said path contains a material composing the conductive surface.

Claim 5

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 2, wherein said catalytic particle is a metal particle formed on said conductive surface by an AC electro-deposition process.

Claim 6

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 2, wherein said catalytic particle contains at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel and iron.

Claim 7

A carbon nanotube device according to any one of claims 2, 5 and 6, wherein said catalytic particle has a particle diameter within a range of from 1 to 100 nm.

Claim 8

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 7, wherein said catalytic particle has a particle diameter within a range of from 2 to 50 nm.

Claim 9

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 1, wherein said wall comprises alumina.

Claim 10

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 9, wherein said wall is an anodic oxide film of an aluminum film formed on said conductive surface.

Claim 11

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 1, wherein said conductive surface comprises a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, copper and zinc, said conductive surface being provided on said support.

Claim 12

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 11, wherein said conductive surface comprises a layer containing niobium.

Claim 13

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 1, wherein said wall contains silicon.

Claim 14

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 1, wherein said wall comprises the same material as that comprised in said conductive surface.

Claim 15

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 1, wherein said conductive surface comprises a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, niobium, tantalum and molybdenum, said conductive surface being provided on said support; said wall comprises an anodic oxide film of aluminum; said carbon nanotube binds to said conductive surface via a catalytic particle and an insulating layer; said insulating layer has a bridge-shaped path connecting said conductive surface and said catalytic particle; and said path contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, niobium, tantalum and molybdenum.

Claim 16

A carbon nanotube device according to claim 1, wherein said device is provided with a plurality of said carbon nanotubes, and wherein the binding sites of each of said individual carbon nanotubes are isolated from each other by said walls.

Claim 17

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device comprising a support having a conductive surface and a carbon nanotube, one of whose terminus binds to said conductive surface at a site so that conduction between said conductive surface and said carbon nanotube is maintained, wherein a root of said carbon nanotube at the site where said carbon nanotube binds to said conductive surface is surrounded by a wall, said method comprising the steps of: (i) forming a plurality of carbon nanotube binding sites isolated from each other by walls on said conductive surface; and (ii) forming carbon nanotubes at the sites.

Claim 18

A manufacturing method according to claim 17, wherein said step (i) comprises a substep of forming a catalytic particle on said conductive surface at the site, and said step (ii) comprises a substep of causing the carbon nanotube to grow from the surface of said catalytic particle at the site.

Claim 19

A manufacturing method according to claim 18, wherein said support having said conductive surface comprises low-resistance silicon, and the substep of forming said catalytic particle on said conductive surface at the site comprises the steps of: forming a narrow hole surrounded by said low-resistance silicon by anodizing the surface of said support; forming a layer comprising a material of said catalytic particle on the surface of said support; and annealing the layer comprising a material of said catalytic particle and causing the layer comprising the material of said catalytic particle to aggregate, thereby forming said catalytic particle in the narrow hole.

Claim 20

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 18, wherein said support having said conductive surface comprises low-resistance silicon, and the substep of forming a catalytic particle on said conductive surface at the site comprises the steps of: selectively covering the surface of said low-resistance silicon support with a photoresist; etching said low-resistance silicon support surface not covered with the photoresist, thereby forming a narrow hole surrounded by the low-resistance silicon; and forming a layer comprising a material of said catalytic particle on the surface of said photoresist and the narrow hole, then removing said photoresist, and annealing the layer comprising the material of said catalytic particle and causing the layer comprising the material of the catalytic particle to aggregate, thereby forming said catalytic particle in the narrow hole.

Claim 21

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 18, wherein said conductive surface comprises a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, copper and zinc, said conductive surface being provided on said support, and wherein the substep of forming the catalytic particle on said conductive surface at the site comprises the steps of: forming an anodic oxide film having a narrow hole on the surface of said conductor layer; and forming the catalytic particle on the bottom of said narrow hole.

Claim 22

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 21, wherein the step of forming an anodic oxide film having a narrow hole on the surface of said conductive surface comprises the steps of: forming an aluminum film on the surface of said conductive surface; and causing anodic oxidation of said aluminum film.

Claim 23

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 22, wherein said step of causing anodic oxidation of said aluminum film comprises the steps of monitoring anodic oxidizing current; and discontinuing anodic oxidation of the aluminum film when a change in anodic oxidizing current shows that anodic oxidation has reached said conductive surface.

Claim 24

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 18, wherein said conductive surface comprises a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, niobium, tantalum and molybdenum, formed on said support, and wherein the substep of forming the catalytic particle on said conductive surface at the site comprises the steps of: forming an aluminum film on the surface of said conductive surface; forming an alumina film having a narrow hole by causing anodic oxidation of said aluminum film; and forming said catalytic particle on the bottom of said narrow hole; and wherein said step of forming an alumina film having said narrow hole by causing anodic oxidation of said aluminum film comprises continuing anodic oxidation after detecting a change in anodic oxidation current showing that anodic oxidation has reached said conductive surface, and forming a path containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, niobium, tantalum and molybdenum, connecting said narrow hole and said conductive surface, in the alumina layer between said narrow hole and said conductive surface.

Claim 25

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 24, further comprising a step of heating the support having said path formed thereon in an atmosphere of hydrogen gas, an inert gas or hydrogen gas and an inert gas, between the step of forming an alumina film having said narrow hole by anodic oxidation of said aluminum film and the step of forming said catalytic particle on the bottom of said narrow hole.

Claim 26

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 25, wherein said heating is carried out at a temperature within a range of from 200 to 1,100°C for 5 to 60 minutes.

Claim 27

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 18, wherein said catalytic particle is deposited by an AC electro-deposition method.

Claim 28

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein said catalytic particle contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe and Ni.

Claim 29

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to any one of claims 18 and 27, wherein said catalytic particle has a particle diameter within a range of from 1 to 100 nm.

Claim 30

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 29, wherein said catalytic particle has a particle diameter within a range of from 2 to 50 nm.

Claim 31

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 17, wherein the step (ii) comprises: a substep of heating a silicon support or an insulating silicon support having a catalytic particle on the surface thereof in a container containing a raw material gas and hydrogen gas under a pressure within a range of from 500 to 3,000 Pa to a temperature within a range of from 400 to 800°C.

Claim 32

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 31, wherein said raw material gas is at least one gas selected from the group consisting of methane, ethylene, acetylene, carbon monoxide and benzene.

Claim 33

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 32, wherein said raw material gas is at least one gas selected from the group consisting of methane, ethylene, acetylene and carbon monoxide.

Claim 34

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 28, wherein said catalytic particle has a particle diameter within a range of from 1 to 100 nm.

Claim 35

A manufacturing method of a carbon nanotube device according to claim 34, wherein said catalytic particle has a particle diameter within a range of from 2 to 50 nm.

Claim 36

An electron emitting device comprising: a carbon nanotube device according to any of claims 1 to 16; an electrode located at a position opposite to said conductive surface; and means for impressing a potential to a space between said conductive surface and said electrode.