Use of Top-down and Bottom-up Approach in Nanofabrication (Essay Sample)

Use of Top-down and Bottom-up Approach in Nanofabrication
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Use of top-down and bottom-up approach in nanofabrication
Carbon nanotubes are carbon allotropes that are made up of carbon that is a hybrid and have been wrapped up into structures that are cylindrical. Carbon nanotubes are strong materials exceeding the strength of steel. There are several types of carbon nanotubes that have different properties. Some are metallic which are of higher density than copper, while others are semiconductors that vary with specific diameters (Hornyak, Dutta et al, 2015).
Carbon nanotubes are therefore applied in the field of energy, for sensors application and also the field of electronics. These carbon nanotubes can also produce light in different wavelengths and all these depends on their structures. Fabricating carbon nanotubes using a bottom-up methods is very advantageous than fabricating the same carbon nanotubes using the top-down method this is because carbon nanotubes are fabricated using bottom up methods because the bottom up method is used to grow a structure from a single atom to form the big structure (Hornyak, Dutta et al, 2015).
The bottom up approach uses physical or chemical forces to assemble the small units of carbons into carbon nanotubes. Top-down approaches can not be used to fabricate the carbon nanotubes because it does not involve biological processes and systems to create the complex carbon nanotubes. Nature is involved in bottom up processes and carbon is occurring naturally with a single atom (Hornyak, Dutta et al, 2015).
A bottom-up approach is needed because it allows a smaller geometry than in photolithography. It is also more economical than top down methods for it does not waste any material by etching. Bottom up approach also undergoes self assembly, which is independent entities coordinating so that they can produce a large structure, carbon nanotubes can be assembled using bottom-up approach hence saving a lot of processes (Hornyak, Dutta et al, 2015).
Integrated circuits are defined as arrangements of electronic circuits in a small platform or plate that is a semi conductor made up of silicon. They are normally used on all electronic equipment including home appliances, mobile phones and computers. The integrated circuits are fabricated using the top-down process. Top-down processing in the integrated circuit is more dominant than the bottom up method because the parts involved in top-down approach are patterned and are also built in place hence no need for the assembling process. Also, top-down fabrication techniques are well established and because they use sili...