US Patent 7785415 - Nanostructure growth via localized heating

http://ip.com/patent/US7785415

The manufacture of nanostructures such as silicon nanowires or carbon nanotubes often require a high temperature furnace which makes it difficult to integrate nanostructures with microelectronics. This patent from the Regents of the University of California teaches a clever alternative of using localized heating provided by resistive microstructures so that the fabrication chamber may be maintained in room temperature during nanostructure growth. Claim 1 reads:
1. An apparatus for generating synthesis of a nanostructure in a room temperature environment, comprising:

a resistive microstructure;

wherein the microstructure is configured to allow current to pass through the microstructure to generate a localized heating at a location on the microstructure; and

wherein said localized heating results in growth of one or more nanostructures.