US Patent 7528060 - E-beam induced growth of branched nanostructures

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7528060.html

This patent from the University of Puerto Rico teaches a new methodology for forming branched silicon nanostructures which may provide enhanced surface/volume ratios for higher efficiency sensors. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of growing branched nanostructures comprising the steps of:

providing a porous substrate;

directing an electron beam at the porous substrate; and

growing a branched nanostructure from the porous substrate as a consequence of directing said electron beam at the porous substrate.