Fabrication technology points to carbon nanotubes

NEC claimes to have developed a stable fabrication technology for carbon nanotube transistors.

NEC claimes to have developed a stable fabrication technology for carbon nanotube transistors.

Through this development NEC verified that CNT transistors produced by using this fabrication technology attain more than 10 times greater transconductance than silicon MOS transistors.

This result was achieved through the development of the following key technologies.

First, the development of chemical vapour deposition using a catalyst method that creates CNT growth from the position of the catalyst on the silicon substrate enables control of the CNT position on the silicon substrate whereas conventional fabrication processes cannot.

Secondly, the development of a process for the formation of electrodes which realises low contact resistance between the electrodes and the CNT dramatically reduces the electric resistance between the CNT and the electrode contact parts.

Through the development of these two key technologies stable fabrication of CNT transistors has been demonstrated.

From the characterisation of these transistors, it was also ascertained that it would be possible to achieve as much as 20 times greater transconductance as compared with silicon MOS transistors by removing the parasitic resistance between the electrodes (source and drain).

The results of this research hold great potential for CNT transistors as high-performance electrical devices supporting a future ubiquitous IT society.

NEC will continue to work on advancements in CNT control technology, electric characteristic control, device structure design, and fabrication process development with the aim of realising a CNT transistor by 2010.

Back to top