High-conductivity bonding of metal nanowire arrays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016372438-A1
Application number	US-201615249535-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 29, 2016
Priority date	Feb 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A thermally-conductive and mechanically-robust bonding method for attaching a metal nanowire (MNW) array to an adjacent surface includes the steps of: removing a template membrane from the MNW; infiltrating the MNW with a bonding material; placing the bonding material on the adjacent surface; bringing an adjacent surface into contact with a top surface of the MNW while the bonding material is bondable; and allowing the bonding material to cool and form a solid bond between the MNW and the adjacent surface. A thermally-conductive and mechanically-robust bonding method for attaching a metal nanowire (MNW) array to an adjacent surface includes the steps of: choosing a bonding material based on a desired bonding process; and without removing the MNW from a template membrane that fills an interstitial volume of the MNW, depositing the bonding material onto a tip of the MNW.

First claim

1 . A thermally-conductive and mechanically-robust bonding method for attaching a metal nanowire (MNW) array to an adjacent surface, comprising the steps of:
removing a template membrane from the MNW; infiltrating the MNW with a bonding material; placing the bonding material on the adjacent surface; bringing an adjacent surface into contact with a top surface of the MNW while the bonding material is bondable; and allowing the bonding material to form a solid bond between the MNW and the adjacent surface.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising an additional step, performed after the placing step and before the bringing step, of:
wetting the bonding material to the adjacent surface.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of infiltrating comprises heating the bonding material so that it becomes one or more of softened and molten.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of infiltrating comprises chemically treating a composite material so as to create a bonding material.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of bringing comprises bringing the adjacent surface into contact with the top surface while the bonding material is one or more of softened and molten.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bonding material comprises one or more of a fusible metal and an alloy.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bonding material comprises one or more of tin and gold.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of bringing further comprises:
compressing one or more of the bonding material and the MNW array against the adjacent surface.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the infiltrating step further comprises wicking the bonding material into the interstitial volume of the MNW array.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the wicking is done by capillary forces.

11 - 14 . (canceled)

15 . A thermally-conductive and mechanically-robust bonding method for attaching a metal nanowire (MNW) array to an adjacent surface, comprising the steps of:
choosing a bonding material based on a desired bonding process; and without removing the MNW from a template membrane that fills an interstitial volume of the MNW array, depositing the bonding material onto a tip of the MNW, wherein the MNW array is substantially filled to the thickness of the template membrane
wherein the step of depositing comprises depositing caps of bonding material onto tips of the MNWs.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of depositing is performed before the MNWs grow to the top of the template membrane.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of depositing forms a compound, segmented MNW.

18 . A thermally-conductive and mechanically-robust bonding method for attaching a metal nanowire (MNW) array to an adjacent surface, comprising the steps of:
choosing a bonding material based on a desired bonding process; and without removing the MNW from a template membrane that fills an interstitial volume of the MNW, depositing the bonding material onto a tip of the MNW array, wherein the MNW array is substantially filled to the thickness of the template membrane wherein the depositing step continues until a continuous overplating layer comprising an amount of bonding material covers the template membrane.

19 . A thermally-conductive and mechanically-robust bonding method for attaching a metal nanowire (MNW) array to an adjacent surface, comprising the steps of:
choosing a bonding material based on a desired bonding process; and without removing the MNW from a template membrane that fills an interstitial volume of the MNW array, depositing the bonding material onto a tip of the MNW, wherein an amount of bonding material is deposited onto one or more of the surface of the MNW array and the template membrane to form a continuous film of bonding material.

20 - 29 . (canceled)

30 . A metal nanowire (MNW) array attached at the MNW tips to an adjacent surface by mushroom-like caps of thermally-conductive and mechanically-robust bonding material.

31 . A metal nanowire (MNW) array attached at the MNW tips to a continuous overplating layer of bonding material covering a template membrane.

Assignees

• Northrop Grumman Systems Corp
• Univ Leland Stanford Junior

Inventors

• Starkovich John A
• Silverman Edward M
• Tice Jesse B
• Peng Hsiao-Hu
• Barako Michael T
• Goodson Kenneth E

Classifications

• H10W72/07332

  Compression bonding, e.g. thermocompression bonding · CPC title

• H10W72/07331

  Connecting techniques · CPC title

• H10W72/01335

  by plating, e.g. electroless plating or electroplating · CPC title

• H10W72/01331

  using blanket deposition · CPC title

• H10W72/352

  comprising metals or metalloids, e.g. solders · CPC title