Patent ID: 7416634

Claim:
An apparatus for growing and/or etching at least one nanoscopic structure, said apparatus comprising: a. a process cell comprising a first and a second plate positioned in a substantially parallel arrangement, wherein at least one of the plates is provided with at least one electrode and optionally at least one prefabricated localized structure facing the other plate; b. a deformable material joining the first and second plate, said material forming a seal between the first and second plate while facilitating movement of the plates relative to each other; c. means for inserting and removing a growth and/or etching medium between the two plates; d. an energy source for applying electric pulses to individual electrodes, to form one or more electron-emitting tips thereby inducing nanoscopic growth and/or nanoscopic etching; e. a nanoscopic moving means for moving at least one of the plates in a nanometric scale motion in three dimensions.