Deletable nanotube circuit
View Patent ↗Carbon nanotube template arrays may be edited to form connections between proximate nanotubes and/or to delete undesired nanotubes or nanotube junctions.
1. A method of constructing a circuit, comprising:
providing an array of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) comprising a plurality of segments, at least a subset of the segments intersecting to form electrically responsive junctions; and
selectively inactivating at least one segment or junction, wherein inactivating at least one segment or junction includes chemically attacking the at least one segment or junction, wherein chemically attacking the at least one segment or junction includes:
applying an activatable composition to the at least one segment or junction, and
selectively activating the activatable composition, and
wherein the activatable composition includes a nucleotide.
2. A method of constructing a circuit, comprising:
providing an array of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) comprising a plurality of segments, at least a subset of the segments intersecting to form electrically responsive junctions; and
selectively inactivating at least one segment or junction, wherein inactivating at least one segment or junction includes chemically attacking the at least one segment or junction, wherein chemically attacking the at least one segment or junction includes:
applying an activatable composition to the at least one segment or junction, and
selectively activating the activatable composition, and
wherein the activatable composition is an enzyme.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CNTs are arranged in a rectilinear array.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CNTs are arranged in a hexagonal pattern.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CNTs are arranged in a three-dimensional pattern.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CNTs include at least one junction connecting at least three segments.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CNTs include at least one junction connecting exactly three segments.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the array of CNTs comprises growing the CNTs along selected paths.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CNTs comprise at least one semiconducting CNT.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CNTs comprise at least one metallic CNT.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring an electrical property of at least segment or one junction.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein inactivating at least one segment or junction comprises selecting the at least one segment or junction in response to the measured electrical property.