Carbon nano tube Litz wire for low loss inductors and resonators
View Patent ↗An upper frequency-range circuit ( 160 ) includes a load element ( 168 ) exhibiting a capacitive load impedance. A first matching network ( 166 ) includes at least one nano-scale Litz wire ( 100 ) inductor. The first matching network ( 166 ) exhibits an inductive impedance that nominally matches the capacitive load impedance. An electrical conductor for providing connections for radio-frequency signals includes a plurality of nano-scale conductors ( 120 ) that are arranged in the form of a Litz wire ( 100 ). In one method of making a Litz wire ( 142 ), a plurality of carbon nanotubes ( 144 ) is placed on a substrate ( 146 ). The carbon nanotubes ( 144 ) are woven according to a predefined scheme so as to form a Litz wire ( 142 ). An inductor may be formed by manipulating the Litz wire ( 100 ) to form a coil ( 150 ).
1. An electrical conductor for providing connections for radio-frequency signals, comprising:
(a) a first plurality of individual nano scale conductors that have been helically interwoven so as to form a first primary strand;
(b) a second plurality of individual nano scale conductors that have been helically interwoven so as to form a second primary strand; and
(c) at least a third plurality of individual nano scale conductors that have been helically interwoven so as to form a third primary strand,
wherein the first primary strand, the second primary strand and the third primary strand are interwoven so as to form a Litz wire.
2. The conductor of claim 1 , wherein the nano-scale conductors comprise carbon nanotubes.
3. The conductor of claim 2 , wherein the carbon nanotubes comprise single-walled nanotubes.
4. The conductor of claim 2 , wherein the carbon nanotubes comprise multi-walled nanotubes.
5. The conductor of claim 1 , wherein the nano-scale conductors comprise metal oxide nanorods.
6. The conductor of claim 1 , wherein the Litz wire is formed into a coil.
7. An inductor comprising:
(a) a first plurality of individual nano scale conductors that have been interwoven so as to form a first primary strand;
(b) a second plurality of individual nano scale conductors that have been interwoven so as to form a second primary strand; and
(c) at least a third plurality of individual nano scale conductors that have been interwoven so as to form a third primary strand,
wherein the first primary strand, the second primary strand and the third primary strand are interwoven so as to form a Litz wire and wherein the Litz wire is formed as a coil.
8. The inductor of claim 7 , wherein the Litz wire comprises a helically woven Litz wire.
9. The inductor of claim 7 , wherein the Litz wire comprises a rectangular woven Litz wire.
10. The inductor of claim 7 , wherein the carbon nanotubes comprise single-walled nanotubes.
11. The inductor of claim 7 , wherein the carbon nanotubes comprise multi-walled nanotubes.
12. A method of making a conductor for transmitting radio-frequency signals, comprising the steps of:
(a) placing a plurality of carbon nanotubes on a substrate; and
(b) interweaving a first plurality of individual nano scale conductors into a first primary strand;
(c) interweaving a second plurality of individual nano scale conductors into a second primary strand;
(d) interweaving a third plurality of individual nano scale conductors into a third primary strand; and
(e) interweaving the first primary strand, the second primary strand and the third primary strand so as to form a Litz wire into a Litz wire.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the weaving step is accomplished by moving the carbon nanotubes with a probe tip at the end of a cantilever.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of forming the Litz wire into a coil.