US Patent 7432217 - Formation of uniform length nanotubes using organic film planarization

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7432217.html

This patent from Samsung teaches a method of forming a uniform length carbon nanotube array for FED applications by planarization of an organic film. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of achieving uniform lengths of Carbon NanoTubes (CNTs), the method comprising:

forming CNTs of varying lengths on a predetermined material layer;

coating an organic film to cover the CNTs formed on the predetermined material layer;

etching the organic film to a predetermined depth to remove projected portions of the CNTs; and

removing the organic film to leave CNTs of uniform length.

One pertinent prior art patent that was overlooked during examination is US Patent 6,283,812 (see Fig. 4A-4D).