Abstract

Introducing biomolecules into cells is an important process in the field of gene therapy and in developing cures for debilitating illnesses such as HIV and cancer. However, the currently used methods for cellular transfection are slow, inefficient and expensive, causing them to be restrictive. A solution to this problem would be the carbon nanotube (CNT) array devices developed by our research group, which have been shown to be highly efficient at transporting biomolecules into cells. In the current manufacturing process, a sacrificial template with vertically aligned nanopores is used to deposit carbon in, the template then is etched away to expose the CNT tips. Exposing the CNT array’s tips involves using reactive ion etching (RIE), which is causing a bottle neck in the process as previously used standard RIE tools require long etch times. A more efficient process, the inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICP RIE) tool is proposed as a solution to this problem. ICP RIE produces a high-density plasma that has been studied in this thesis parametrically focusing on carrier wafer, ICP, bias powers and etch time to attempt to produce CNT arrays devices with exposed tips. The tool parameters were varied for experiments and the etched devices imaged and analyzed to establish a process to recreate the CNT arrays previously produced. Discoveries on the effects of carrier wafer material, altering ICP powers, reducing bias power and increasing etch times were found to change CNT array pore diameters. Bulbous protrusions were formed on the device’s surface the size of which varied based on the parameters of the etch, the size and growth of these features was characterized.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Carbon nanotubes--Synthesis; Inductively coupled plasma spectrometry

Publication Date

11-3-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Mechanical Engineering (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Mechanical Engineering

College

Kate Gleason College of Engineering

Advisor

Michael G. Schrlau

Advisor/Committee Member

Robert Pearson

Advisor/Committee Member

Michael J. Schertzer

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

MECE-MS

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