Nanostructure arrays

Abstract

A nanostructure array including a nanoporous template and a masking material disposed on the nanoporous template such that a first number of the plurality of nanopores are fully coated while a second number of the plurality of nanopores are not-fully coated by the masking material is provided. The array includes forming nanostructures within the plurality of nanopores that are not-fully coated by the masking material.

1 . A nanostructure array comprising:
 a substrate;   a template disposed on the substrate and comprising a plurality of nanopores;   a masking material disposed on the template to form a plurality of masked nanopores and a plurality of unmasked nanopores; and   a plurality of nanostructures in the plurality of unmasked nanopores.   
     
     
         2 . The nanostructure array of  claim 1 , wherein the template comprises anodic aluminum oxide, or titanium oxide, or porous silicon, or nanoporous glass, or track etched mica, or track etched polyester, or track etched polycarbonate, or track etched polymer, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The nanostructure array of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanopores is uniformly arranged in the template. 
     
     
         4 . The nanostructure array of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanopores is arranged substantially perpendicular to a plane of the template. 
     
     
         5 . The nanostructure array of  claim 1 , wherein the masking material comprises silanes, or alkyl silane coated titania particles, or polymers, or thiols, or monosilanes, or trichlorosilanes, or octadecyl trichlorosilane, or dichlorosilanes, or monochlorosilanes, or trimethoxy silanes, or dimethoxysilanes, or monomethoxysilanes, or triethoxysilanes, or diethoxysilanes, or monoethoxysilanes, or alkylsilanes, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The nanostructure array of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures comprises nanorods, or nanotubes, or nanowires, or nanoparticles, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The nanostructure array of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures comprises metals, or semiconductors, or thermoelectric materials, or oxides, or carbides, or nitrides, or silicides, or conductive polymers, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The nanostructure array of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures comprises a catalytic material, or an electrical conductor, or a thermal conductor, or a magnetic material, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The nanostructure array of  claim 1 , wherein a pitch between each of the plurality of nanostructures is greater than about 1 micrometer. 
     
     
         10 . The nanostructure array of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures has a diameter in a range of about 10 nm to about 500 nm. 
     
     
         11 . The nanostructure array of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures has a height in a range of about 20 nanometers to about 20 micrometers. 
     
     
         12 . The nanostructure array of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure array is a component of a device. 
     
     
         13 . The nanostructure array of  claim 12 , wherein the device comprises a field emitter, or a thermoelectric device, or a heat sink, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A nanostructure array comprising:
 a template disposed comprising a plurality of nanopores;   a masking material disposed on the template such that a first number of the plurality of nanopores are fully coated by the masking material and a second number of the plurality of nanopores are not-fully coated by the masking material; and   a plurality of nanostructures in the second number of the plurality of nanopores and not in the first number of the plurality of nanopores.   
     
     
         15 . The nanostructure array of  claim 14 , wherein a pitch between each of the plurality of nanostructures is in a range of about 1 micrometer to about 100 micrometers. 
     
     
         16 . The nanostructure array of  claim 14 , wherein the template comprises anodic aluminum oxide. 
     
     
         17 . The nanostructure array of  claim 14 , wherein the masking material comprises a photosensitive material. 
     
     
         18 . A nanostructure array, comprising:
 a template;   a first plurality of nanopores formed through the template, wherein the first plurality of nanopores is fully coated with a material;   a second plurality of nanopores formed through the template, wherein the second plurality of nanopores is not fully coated with a material; and   a plurality of nanostructures formed in only the first plurality of nanopores.   
     
     
         19 . The nanostructure array of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures comprises nanorods, or nanotubes, or nanowires, or nanoparticles, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The nanostructure array of  claim 18 , wherein the material comprises a hydrophobic material.