Defect controlled nanotube sensor and method of production

1 . A sensor for detecting at least one of a physical and chemical quantity, comprising a defect controlled nanotube providing a change in electrical characteristic responsive to at least one of a physical and chemical quantity.

2 . The sensor of claim 1 comprising a circuit containing the defect controlled nanotube as a resistive device, said defect controlled nanotube being included in the circuit so that change of resistive properties of the resistive device is related to the change in electrical characteristic responsive to at least one of a physical and chemical quantity.

3 . The sensor of claim 1 comprising a circuit containing the defect controlled nanotube as a capacitive device, said defect controlled nanotube being included in the circuit so that change of capacitive properties of the capacitive device is related to the change in electrical characteristic responsive to at least one of a physical and chemical quantity.

4 . The sensor of claim 1 comprising a circuit containing the defect controlled nanotube as a transistor device, said defect controlled nanotube being included in the circuit so that change of drain to source conductance of the transistor device is related to the change in electrical characteristic responsive to at least one of a physical and chemical quantity.

5 . The sensor of claim 3 wherein the capacitor is constructed with each electrode spaced from the defect controlled nanotube, and said defect controlled nanotube is included in the circuit as a polarizable material.

6 . The sensor according to claim 5 wherein the circuit is constructed and arranged to apply an electric field parallel or perpendicular to the nanotube.

7 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the sensor is capable of detecting at least one of humidity, light, temperature and strain.

8 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a deformation sensor, the defect controlled nanotube being associated and deformable with a deformable support.

9 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of at least 1 μm, and comprises at least one section along the length of the nanotube that has a density of defects of at least 2 defects per 100 nm.

10 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of at least 1 μm, and comprises at least one section along the length of the nanotube that has a density of defects of at least 2 defects per 10 nm.

11 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of at least 1 μm, and comprises at least one section along the length of the nanotube that has a density of defects of at least 2 defects per 1 nm.

12 . The sensor according to claim 10 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of at least 1 μm, and comprises at least 50 defects along at least one 1 μm length of the nanotube.

13 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of at least 1 μm, and comprises at least 100 defects along at least one 1 μm length of the nanotube.

14 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of at least 1 μm, and comprises at least 500 defects along at least one 1 μm length of the nanotube.

15 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the defect controlled nanotube has a length less than 1 μm, and a 30% section, when normalized to a 1 μm section, comprises at least 50 defects.

16 . The sensor according to claim 12 wherein the at least one 1 μm length of the nanotube comprises substantially any 1 μm length of the nanotube.

17 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of at least 1 μm, and the defect controlled nanotube includes one type of defect along at least one 1 μm section of the nanotube at a number of at least 5 times an average number of other defects in a same section of the nanotube.

18 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of at least 1 μm, and the defect controlled nanotube includes one type of defect along at least one 1 μm section of the nanotube at a number of at least 100 times an average number of other defects in a same section of the nanotube.

19 . The sensor according to claim 12 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of at least 1 μm, and the defect controlled nanotube includes one type of defect along at least one 1 μm section of the nanotube at a density of at least 100 times an average number of other defects in a same section of the nanotube.

20 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of less than 1 μm, and the defect controlled nanotube includes one type of defect along at least one 30% section of the nanotube at a density of at least 5 times an average number of other defects in a same section of the nanotube.

21 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of less than 1 μm, and the defect controlled nanotube includes one type of defect along at least one 30% section of the nanotube at a number of at least 100 times an average number of other defects in a same section of the nanotube.

22 . The sensor according to claim 15 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a nanotube having a length of less than 1 μm, and the defect controlled nanotube includes one type of defect along at least one 30% section of the nanotube at a number of at least 5 times an average number of other defects in a same section of the nanotube.

23 . The sensor according to claim 1 having a measurable response when the nanotube is subjected to a strain of 0.01%.

24 . The sensor according to claim 23 wherein the sensor has a gauge factor of at least 100 when the nanotube is subjected to a strain of 0.01%.

25 . The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the defect controlled nanotube comprises a post treated nanotube, and the sensor has an increased sensitivity compared to a sensor only being different in that a nanotube included therein is not post treated.

26 . The sensor according to claim 25 wherein the sensor has a gauge factor of at least 100 when the nanotube is subjected to a strain of 0.01%.

27 . The sensor according to claim 1 including electrodes, and said defect controlled nanotube is spaced from at least one of said electrodes.

28 . The sensor according to claim 1 including electrodes, and said defect controlled nanotube is spaced from each of the electrodes.

29 . A sensor for detecting at least one of a physical and chemical quantity, comprising at least one post treated nanotube modified with sufficient energy to modify at least one of density and type of defects in the nanotube, and said nanotube being associated with a circuit capable of providing an output signal based upon change of electrical characteristic of said nanotube in response to stimulus of the nanotube by at least one of a physical and chemical quantity.

30 . A method of producing a sensor comprising post treating a nanotube with sufficient energy to modify at least one of density and type of defects in the nanotube, and associating the nanotube with a circuit capable of providing an output signal based upon change of electrical characteristic of the nanotube in response to stimulus of the nanotube.

31 . The method according to claim 30 wherein the sensor is capable of detecting at least one of humidity, light, temperature and strain.

32 . The method according to claim 30 wherein the post treatment comprises treatment with electromagnetic radiation.

33 . The method according to claim 30 wherein the post treatment comprises treatment with UV radiation.

34 . A sensor produced by the method of claim 30.