Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes Thin Film Deposition with the Help of Symmetric Focused Surface Acoustic Wave Atomizers

Abstract

Thin MWCNTs films were obtained by deposition of the atomized single droplet of a suspension of MWCNTs in N-Methylpyr- rolidone (NMP) on the silicon substrate. Symmetric focused surface acoustic wave (SAW) atomizers with focal line and focal point were used to atomize the droplet. Atomizers were fabricated on 128o YX-cut of LiNbO3. Atomization frequency was 27.4 MHz. Their effectiveness was experimentally estimated and it was found that the atomizers with focal point have the maximum atomization effectiveness. It was experimentally shown that the film thickness is proportional to the number of single droplet atomizations. Using the developed method, we deposited thin uniform MWCNTs films through the small window on the substrate surface, covering an area of just a few square millimeters. This technique can be used in digital chemistry applications, where microliter volumes of reacting substances are used, and for fabrication of nanomaterial-based sensitive films for SAW sensors.