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Carbon nanotube based transistor device (Yeda)

Summary

Production of carbon nanotube based transistors through a process comprised of identification, selection, and placement of pristine carbon nanotubes in conjunction with standard electrical circuitry.
Semiconductor devices are vital to everyday life, however conventional semiconducting materials are quickly approaching their limitations. As devices transition from the microscale to the nanoscale, new techniques for their assembly and testing of their properties must be created. Controllable nanofabrication methods are of increasing importance across a wide field of electronics in everything from energy efficient LEDs in flat-screen monitors to transistors for ultra-powerful computers. Our process presents a novel method for producing high quality nanoscale carbon nanotube based transistors. These methods will be of the utmost importance in the forthcoming nano-revolution.The principle behind this technology is two-fold: 1) Synthesis and selection method of flawless carbon nanotubes, and 2) their combination with nanoscale electric circuitry to form fully controlled composite nanoscale electronic device.
Selection of the carbon nanotube(s) is assisted by a scanning probe microscope (SPM). A composite electronic device is assembled from two separated chips; a nanotube chip where nanotubes are grown over wide trenches, and a standard circuit chip with electrode contacts surrounding the gates to be measured. The nano-assembly is achieved by inserting an SPM cantilever into a trench on the nanotube chip and placing the circuit chip over a suitable nanotube. Once in place, the nanotube is cut locally by passing a strong current between the electrode contacts, and the composite chip is formed.
This composite electronic device can be used to map electronic potentials with high resolution of 100 nm, high sensitivity of 1microV/Hz1/2, at frequencies of 100 MHz and more and all this at room temperature.

Technology Benefits

Single electron transistor (SET) nanoscale imaging
Novel nano-electromechanical devices

Technology Application

Produce flawless carbon nanotubes
Identify, select, and position nanotubes with precision
Room temperature operation
High sensitivity
High resolution

ID No.

1730

Country/Region

Israel