Template synthesis of nanomaterials

Issue		Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. Volume 29, Number 1, January 2005


Page(s)		3 - 22
Section		Review Article
DOI		10.1051/epjap:2005001
Published online		18 January 2005

Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 29, 3-22 (2005)
DOI: 10.1051/epjap:2005001

T.L. Wade and J.-E. Wegrowe

LSI, École Polytechnique, CNRS-UMR 7642 & CEA/DSM/DRECAM, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex, France

travis.wade@polytechnique.fr

(Received: 6 October 2004 / Accepted: 15 November 2004 / Published online: 18 January 2005)

Abstract
We present an overview of template synthesis as it applies to our nanomaterials research. This bottom-up approach is motivated by our desire to find an alternative to the big, top-down approaches to nanoscience, such as clean-rooms and X-ray lithography. Using universally available templates and materials, and very modest synthesis techniques, we have created a variety of interesting and useful structures. Starting with homogeneous ferromagnetic nanowires, we were able to study and manipulate spin-dependent transport. Next, we branched into multi-layer GMR and spin-valve structures for spintronics. As a side trip, we put carbon-encapsulated fullerene nanoparticles into nanopores for ballistic magnetoresistance studies. Carbon nanotube molecules were grown in templates by CVD self assembly. The carbon nanotubes grown using a cobalt catalyzer show spin-valve, ballistic transport, and Coulomb blockade effects. Very recently, we have started to study templated semiconductor nanorods with the amazing result that their behaviour is very similar to that of the carbon nanotubes and can be reduced to a scaling law. Essentially, the template acts as a skeleton for the nanoscale synthesis and macroscale contact of an infinite variety of materials and structures. It is our hope that by the following examples we demonstrate that high quality nanoscience research is available to everybody.

PACS
73.23.Ad - Ballistic transport.
73.23.Hk - Coulomb blockade; single-electron tunneling.
75.75.+a - Magnetic properties of nanostructures.
81.16.-c - Methods of nanofabrication and processing.
81.16.Be - Chemical synthesis methods.
81.16.Dn - Self-assembly.

© EDP Sciences 2005

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