1. A method of fabricating nanometer-thickness wires, comprising:
providing a working surface of a superlattice having alternating layers of a first conductive material and one or more other materials, the working surface comprising exposed edges of the alternating layers, the exposed edges having a thickness and a length;
treating the working surface to cause the exposed edges of the other materials to be non-conductive; and
exposing the working surface to
ions of a second conductive material and electrochemically depositing the ions on or near the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers to create wires made of the second conductive material,
charged molecules or charged nano-objects and electro-phoretically depositing the charged molecules or charged nano-objects on or near the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers to ornate wires made of the molecules or nano-objects, andor
a bath of water having a dissolved chemical and inducing a chemical reaction between the dissolved chemical and water to induce electrolytically depositing a reaction product of the reaction on or near the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers to create wires made of the reaction product.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the working surface comprises oxidizing the working surface to oxidize the exposed edges of the other materials to be non-conductive.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising etching the working surface to erode the exposed edges of the first conductive material to be a distance away from the working surface along a depth perpendicular to the length and the thickness.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising etching the working surface to erode the exposed edges of the first conductive material to be a distance away from the exposed edges of the other materials along a depth perpendicular to the thickness and the length, and wherein the depositing is performed until the wires fill up the distance between the exposed edges of the first conductive material and the working surface.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrochemically depositing includes creating a voltage difference between the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers and a bath containing the ions.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrochemically depositing includes:
creating a voltage difference between the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers and a bath containing the ions, and wherein the creating the voltage difference includes:
creating a connecting surface and connecting the connecting surface to a first voltage source; and
connecting a second voltage source to the bath containing the ions.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the charged molecules or charged nano-objects include ionized inorganic molecules, ionized organic molecules, ionized biological molecules, ionized polymers, charged metal, semiconductor or insulating nanoparticles.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the reaction product includes oxides and ceramics.
9. A method of fabricating nanometer-thickness wires, comprising:
providing a working surface of a superlattice having alternating layers of a first conductive material and one or more other materials, the working surface comprising exposed edges of the alternating layers, the exposed edges having a thickness and a length;
applying a thin, low-adhesion layer to the working surface that does not substantially interfere with a conductive property of the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers; and
exposing the working surface to
ions of a second conductive material and electrochemically depositing the ions on or near the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers to create wires made of the second conductive material,
charged molecules or charged nano-objects and electro-phoretically depositing the charged molecules or charged nano-objects on or near the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers to create wires made of the molecules or nano-objects, andor
a bath of water having a dissolved chemical and inducing a chemical reaction between the dissolved chemical and water to induce electrolytically depositing a reaction product of the reaction on or near the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers to create wires made of the reaction product.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
providing a substrate having a high-adhesion layer;
contacting the wires that are on the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers onto the high-adhesion layer; and
removing the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers to release the wires from the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
providing a substrate having a high-adhesion layer;
contacting the wires that are on the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers onto the high-adhesion layer; and
removing the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers to leave the wires on the high-adhesion layer of the substrate.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
providing a substrate having a second adhesion layer, the second adhesion layer having a higher coefficient of adhesion with respect to the wires than the first adhesion layer;
contacting the wires that are on the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers onto the second adhesion layer; and
removing the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers to leave the wires on the second adhesion layer.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising treating the working surface to cause the exposed edges of the other materials to be non-conductive.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising etching the working surface to erode the exposed edges of the first conductive material to be a distance away from the working surface along a depth perpendicular to the length and the thickness.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising etching the working surface to erode the exposed edges of the first conductive material to be a distance away from the exposed edges of the other materials along a depth perpendicular to the thickness and the length, and wherein the depositing is performed until the wires fill up the distance between the exposed edges of the first conductive material and the working surface.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein the electrochemically depositing includes creating a voltage difference between the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers and a bath containing the ions.
17. The method of claim 9, wherein the electrochemically depositing includes:
creating a voltage difference between the exposed edges of the first conductive material layers and a bath containing the ions, and wherein the creating the voltage difference includes:
creating a connecting surface and connecting the connecting surface to a first voltage source; and
connecting a second voltage source to the bath containing the ions.
18. The method of claim 9, wherein the charged molecules or charged nano-objects include ionized inorganic molecules, ionized organic molecules, ionized biological molecules, ionized polymers, charged metal, semiconductor or insulating nanoparticles.
19. The method of claim 9, wherein the reaction product includes oxides and ceramics.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A print assembly adapted for use with a print head comprising:
a platen operable to move in a first plane; and
a vacuum source in fluid communication with the platen to provide a vacuum communication path to draw air through the platen such that a sheet of media arranged on the platen is biased towards it;
characterised by
a movable aperture in the vacuum communication path between the vacuum source and the platen, the movable aperture being arranged to move with the platen.
2. A printer assembly according to claim 1 wherein the movable aperture is provided by a hollow profile and a carriage which is movable on the hollow profile.
3. A printer assembly according to claim 2 wherein the carriage is movable with the platen and arranged to create the movable aperture as it moves on the hollow profile.
4. A printer assembly according to claim 3 wherein the hollow profile has an elongate opening having a band to close it at least partially, the carriage operable to separate the band from the hollow profile to provide the movable aperture.
5. A printer assembly according to claim 4 and further including a gasket between the carriage and the hollow profile.
6. A printer assembly according to claim 4 wherein the carriage is provided with at least one bearing to reduce friction when the carriage moves on the hollow profile.
7. A printer assembly according to claim 6 wherein at least one bearing constrains the carriage in a lateral direction relative to the hollow profile.
8. A printer assembly according to claim 6 wherein at least one bearing constrains the carriage from rotating relative to the hollow profile.
9. A printer assembly according to claim 4 wherein the carriage is further provided with at least one band roller which contacts the band.
10. A printer assembly according to claim 9 wherein at least one band roller is arranged to separate the band from the hollow profile to provide the movable aperture.
11. A printer assembly according to claim 9 wherein at least one band roller is arranged to urge the band against the hollow profile.
12. A printer assembly according to claim 1 and further including a print head adapted to move in a transverse direction relative to the platen.
13. A printer assembly according to claim 1 and further including a fixed print head substantially the same length as the width of the platen.
14. A method of supporting and holding media to be printed upon using a printer having a platen which is operable to move in a first plane, the method comprising:
applying a vacuum to create a vacuum communication path to draw air through the platen such that a sheet of media arranged on the platen is biased towards it;
characterised in that the method includes:
moving the platen to generate a movable aperture in the vacuum communication path, the movable aperture being arranged to move with the platen.
15. A method according to claim 14 and further comprising;
generating the movable aperture using a hollow profile and a carriage.
16. A method according to claim 15 and further comprising;
moving the carriage on the hollow profile to create the movable aperture.
17. A method according to claim 16 and further including using an elongate opening in the hollow profile which is at least partially closed by a band; and
separating the band from the hollow profile to generate the movable aperture.
18. A method according to claim 15 and further including constraining the carriage to move relative to the hollow profile using at least one bearing.
19. A method according to claim 17 and further including urging the band against the hollow profile.
20. A method of printing comprising supporting media according to claim 14 and further including printing on the media using a print head.
21. A method of printing using a printer having a platen which is operable to move in a first plane, the method comprising:
applying a vacuum to create a vacuum communication path to draw air through the platen; and
printing on the media whilst it is held in position on the platen by the vacuum;
characterised in that the method includes:
moving the platen to generate a movable aperture in the vacuum communication path, the movable aperture being arranged to move with the platen.
22. Use of a hollow profile and a carriage in a printer to generate a movable aperture for communicating a vacuum from a vacuum source to a platen of the printer.