Application of static light to a fluid flow of CNTs for purposes of sorting the CNTs

Abstract

A method is described that comprises sorting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) within a fluidic flow for a targeted subset of the CNTs. The sorting comprises attracting at least a portion of the CNTs within the fluidic flow in a direction of increasing intensity of an electric field component of a substantially stationary beam of light. The electric field component has a frequency that is less than one or more resonant frequencies of the CNTs within the portion.

1 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a) a first fluidic flow channel to guide a first fluidic flow;    b) a second fluidic flow channel to guide a second fluidic flow that carries carbon nanotubes (CNTs);    c) a third fluidic flow channel coupled to said first and second fluidic flow channels, said third fluidic flow channel to guide said first fluidic flow and said second fluid flow along side one another; and,    d) a substantially stationary lens to focus substantially stationary light to a spot within said third fluidic flow channel, said lens positioned to place said spot such that said second fluidic flow flows: 
 along or off to a side of said spot and not along or off to another side of said spot that is opposite of said side.  
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a series of lenses to form a plurality of beams of light that are each focused to a spot within said third fluidic flow channel so as to form a series of focused spots within said third fluidic flow channel.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said series of lenses are positioned to recede said spots into said first fluidic flow.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a fourth fluidic flow channel coupled to said third fluidic flow channel, said fourth fluidic flow channel to transport at least a portion of said CNTs that were attracted into at least a portion of said first fluidic flow because an electric field component of said light had a frequency that was less than the one or more resonant frequencies of those CNTs within said portion of said CNTs.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a fifth fluidic flow channel coupled to said third fluidic flow channel, said fifth fluidic flow channel to transport at least a second portion of said CNTs that were repelled toward a fluidic flow that flows through said fifth fluidic flow channel because an electric field component of said light had a frequency that was greater than the one or more resonant frequencies of those CNTs within said second portion of said CNTs.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising: 
 a sixth fluidic flow channel downstream from said fourth fluidic flow channel;    a lens to focus second light within said sixth fluidic flow channel.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the frequency of the electric field component of said second light is less than the frequency of the electric field component of said light.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the frequency of the electric field component of said second light is greater than the frequency of the electric field component of said light.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the frequency of the electric field component of said second light is less than the one or more resonant frequencies of those CNTs within said portion of said CNTs.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 a seventh fluidic flow channel downstream from said fifth fluidic flow channel;    a lens to focus third light within said seventh fluidic flow channel.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the frequency of the electric field component of said third light is less than the frequency of the electric field component of said light.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the frequency of the electric field component of said third light is greater than the frequency of the electric field component of said light.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising: 
 a sixth fluidic flow channel downstream from said fifth fluidic flow channel;    a lens to focus second light within said sixth fluidic flow channel.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the frequency of the electric field component of said second light is less than the frequency of the electric field component of said light.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the frequency of the electric field component of said second light is greater than the frequency of the electric field component of said light.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the frequency of the electric field component of said second light is greater than the one or more resonant frequencies of those CNTs within said portion of said CNTs.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a) fluidic flow channels to run first a second fluidic flows alongside one another; and,    b) one or more lenses and a laser light source arranged to create substantially stationary focused laser light that forms a gradient of electric field intensity within at least one of said fluid flows, said gradient of electric field intensity and the frequency of said laser light's electric field component to cause CNTs, as a consequence of their one or more resonant frequencies relative to said frequency, to leave said first fluidic flow and enter said second fluidic flow.    
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said first second fluidic flows run along different vertical planes.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said second fluid flow runs above said first fluidic flow.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said CNTs have a resonant frequency that is less than the frequency of the electric field component of said laser light.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said CNTs are targeted CNTs  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said CNTs have a resonant frequency that is greater than the frequency of the electric field component of said laser light.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein said CNTs are targeted CNTs.