Patent ID: 7608147

Claim:
A method for producing a structure including at least one nanowhisker on a substrate, the method comprising: providing the substrate of a predetermined material, providing at least one mass of a catalytic material on a surface of the substrate at a predetermined position on the surface, applying heat and introducing at least one material in gaseous form such as to create a catalytic seed particle from each said mass, and to grow, from the catalytic seed particle, epitaxially, a nanowhisker of a predetermined material, wherein each said mass is such that during the formation of the catalytic seed particle, forces causing the mass to migrate across said surface are less than a holding force across a wetted interface on the substrate surface, wherein each said mass comprises a first region of a catalytic material, and a second region of an alloying material for forming said catalytic seed particle; and wherein the mass comprises first and third layers of said catalytic material, with an intervening second layer of said alloying material.