US Patent 8136551 - CNT-based gas valve

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8136551.html

For molecular and atomic layer deposition processes it is necessary to precisely control gas delivery at low concentrations and low pressures. This patent from Applied Materials teaches a carbon nanotube based valve structure to achieve this type of control. Claim 1 reads:

1. A valve for controlling flow of a gas, comprising:

a valve housing;

a block of aligned carbon nanotubes, said block and said valve housing being configured to direct said gas through the carbon nanotubes in said block; and

a device for applying a force to compress said block of aligned carbon nanotubes, wherein said block of aligned carbon nanotubes is compressed perpendicular to the walls of the carbon nanotubes in said block;

whereby the application of said force to said walls restricts the flow of said gas through said valve.