Patent ID: 7455757

Claim:
A method of depositing a pattern of nanostructure-containing material onto a substrate, the method comprising: (i) forming a suspension containing pre-formed carbon nanotubes and adhesion promoting materials in an alcohol-based liquid medium, wherein the adhesion promoting materials are selected from the group consisting of glass frits, binders, metal particles and combinations thereof; (ii) depositing a release layer on the surface of the substrate, depositing a layer of epoxy-based photoresist on the release layer, masking the photoresist with a mask having openings which expose the underlying photoresist to UV light and forming a pattern of openings in the photoresist by UV photolithography; (iii) immersing electrodes in the suspension, wherein at least one of the electrodes comprises the substrate or is electrically connected to the substrate; (iv) applying a direct or alternating current to the immersed electrodes thereby creating an electrical field between the electrodes; whereby the carbon nanotubes are caused to migrate toward, and attach to, areas of the substrate exposed by the patterned photoresist; and (v) activating the deposited carbon nanotubes, wherein the activation is selected from the group consisting of sonication, rubbing, tapping, brushing, blowing, plasma treatment, application of an electrical field in a vacuum, application of an electrical field under a partial oxygen pressure, and combinations thereof.