US Patent 7244499 - Polymer wrapped CNT stucture bonded to second structure

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7244499.html

In order to form electronic devices using multiple nanotubes several configurations have been proposed including patterning nanotube films on arrangements of electrode arrays and growing bent nanotubes from catalytic particles placed on electrodes. This patent proposes one interesting configuration that uses polymer wrapped nanotubes combined with specific interacting molecules (such as antigen/antibody) to facilitate interconnection between nanotubes or between a nanotube and substrate. Claim 1 reads:

1. A bonded structure comprising: a first structure which is a carbon nanotube-based structure including a carbon nanotube and a polymer layer wrapping a rounded surface thereof; a second structure bonded with said carbon nanotube-based structure; and a bonding material between said polymer and said second structure to be bonded therewith, wherein said carbon nanotube-based structure and said second structure are bonded via said polymer, wherein said bonding material comprises a set of molecules with a specific interaction, and wherein said set of molecules with a specific interaction includes a combination of a ligand and a receptor, or a combination of an antigen and an antibody.