Reversible actuation in arrays of nanostructures

a nanostructure and array technology, applied in the field of nanostructures, can solve the problems of inability to adapt materials and devices, geometry is inherently non-responsive, undesired design outcomes,

Inactive Publication Date: 2008-03-20
ALCATEL-LUCENT USA INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

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Problems solved by technology

Their rigidity, however, makes them unsuitable for use in adaptive materials and devices.
For example, they are structurally unchangeable, and thus their geometry is inherently non-responsive.
Interestingly, the intrinsic flexibility of artificial responsive materials frequently leads to undesired design outcomes, as the features in the soft materials are generally poorly controlled and often susceptible to irreversible collapse.

Method used

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Embodiment Construction

[0017]The present invention is based, at least in part, on the acknowledgement that nanostructures defined by a rigid medium, such as silicon, as well as nanostructures defined within a flexible medium, such as a polymer, when used alone, provide inferior “smart” artificial nanostructures. For example, the present invention has acknowledged that nanostructures defined by the rigid medium lack the responsiveness desired in the “smart” artificial nanostructures, while the nanostructures defined by the flexible medium lack the stability desired in such structures.

[0018]Based upon the foregoing acknowledgements, the present invention recognizes that a more promising approach is to create a “smart” artificial nanostructure based on a hard-soft combination, which capitalizes on the beneficial properties of the different materials. In such a design, the hard medium brings about the rigidity, structure and precision, whereas the softer medium brings about responsive behavior. Accordingly, a...

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Abstract

The present invention provides, in one embodiment, an apparatus. The apparatus, without limitation, may include a substrate with a surface, and a polymer layer attached to a region of the surface. The apparatus may further include a plurality of nanostructures, a first end of each nanostructure being in the polymer layer and a second end of each nanostructure protruding through the polymer layer, wherein the nanostructures are configured to move from a first position to a second position in response to a change in thickness of the polymer layer from a first thickness to a second thickness.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention is directed, in general, to nanostructures and, more specifically, to reversible actuation in arrays of nanostructures.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Synthetic routes, fabrication strategies and engineering solutions leading to new-generation, dynamically-tunable materials are often inspired by biological systems that show a wide range of adaptive responses. Recently, a number of studies have demonstrated that various physico-chemical properties of biological materials that are generally vital for an organism's survival arise from the presence of highly developed surface nanoroughness and exquisite nano-microfeatures. For example, nano-microstructures developed on the surface of gekko feet, lotus leaves, and cicada and butterfly wings enable exceptional adhesive, self-cleaning, water-repelling and photonic properties. Such features have become textbook examples of “smart” biological nanomaterials.[0003]Several efforts hav...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): H01L29/82
CPCB81B3/0032Y10S310/80
Inventor AIZENBERG, JOANNAKRUPENKIN, THOMAS NIKITASYDORENKO, OLEKSANDERTAYLOR, JOSEPH ASHLEY
Owner ALCATEL-LUCENT USA INC
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