"Carbon Nanotubes Invlsi Technology": Ajay. G Vlsi Design & Embedded Systems

“Carbon Nanotubes inVLSI
Technology”
Ajay. G
VLSI design & Embedded systems
Carbon Nanotubes
Carbon Nanotubes -- CNT
CNT
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SEM images. Diameter range: 5nm - 15 nm

What is a Carbon Nanotube?
CNT is a tubular form of carbon with diameter as small as 1nm.
Length: few nm to microns.
CNT is configurationally equivalent to a two dimensional graphene

sheet rolled into a tube.
A CNT is characterized by its Chiral Vector: Ch = n â1 + m â2,

  Chiral Angle with respect to the zigzag axis.
Armchair (n,m) = (5,5)
 = 30
Zig Zag (n,m) = (9,0)

 = 0
Chiral (n,m) = (10,5)

0 < < 30
How do CNTs form ?
Carbon Graphite (Ambient conditions)
sp2 hybridization: planar
Diamond (High temperature and pressure)

sp3 hybridization: cubic
Nanotube/Fullerene (certain growth conditions)

sp2 + sp3 character: cylindrical
Finite size of graphene layer has dangling bonds. These dangling

bonds correspond to high energy states.
Eliminates dangling bonds
Nanotube formation + Total Energy
Increases Strain Energy decreases
Types of CNTs
• Single Wall CNT (SWCNT)
• Multiple Wall CNT (MWCNT)
• Can be metallic or semiconducting depending
on their geometry.
CNT Properties
CNT Properties (cont.)
CNT: Implications for electronics
• Carrier transport is 1-D.

• All chemical bonds are
satisfied  CNT Electronics not bound to use SiO2 as an
insulator.
• High mechanical and thermal stability and resistance to
electromigration  Current densities upto 109 A/cm2 can be
sustained.
• Diameter controlled by chemistry, not fabrication.
• Both active devices and interconnects can be made from
semiconducting and metallic nanotubes.
CNFET structure
Performance Prediction:CNFETS
• CNTs can be arranged in parallel to
achieve a MOSFET with a high μ
channel.
• Higher Ion for same Ioff
• Symmetric PMOS and NMOS makes
transistor sizing simpler.
• Arranged parallel CNTs (1.4nm dia) in

the channel of a 50nm long MOSFET.
• Oxide capacitance and overlap lengths
were kept constant.
• The first order (top of the barrier) model
shows CNFETs can be more than 4 times
faster than MOSFETs in the 50nm
technology generation.
CNT as Interconnects
• An all CNT design

• Parasitics will play an important role as the
intrinsic gate capacitance is extremely small
• Ultra-small and high reliability
• Cu can handle a max. current density of ~106
A/cm2 whereas CNTs can handle more than 108
A/cm2
• Mechanically strong and no electromigration
effects
CNT Interconnects
CNT Interconnects
CNT advantages:
 Small diameter
 Highly conductive along
the axis
 High mechanical strength
Modeling CNT Interconnects
Developed an RLC Model for CNT Interconnects:
• Incorporates quantum as well as electrostatic capacitances
• Models the kinetic (or self) inductance

Modeling Resistance
Non Linear Resistance Model has been verified

with experimental data*
*Ji-Yong, et. al., condmat/0309641,
Sept. 28
Limitations of CNT Interconnects
• CNT interconnects are severely limited by the

contact resistances and kinetic inductance.
• High current densities do not result in high
performance.
• Can only be used in relatively slower circuits
where the device resistances are high.
Nanotube as a 1-D Nanoconductor
• The wave propagation is slowed down by the kinetic
inductance
• Below 100 GHz, the propagation is RC-limited
anyway: the series R (~ 10 kOhm/um) overwhelms
the inductance
• The series resistance is much larger than that of
conventional macroscopic interconnect
• “A single nanotube will be SLOW as an interconnect
in general” (Ref: [Sayeef05])
Bundles of CNT as High-Speed
Interconnects
• If enough CNTs
are used, the
performance
may be better
than copper
• “nanotube
bundles can be
80% faster than
copper for the
45-nm node”
Ref: [Naeemi05
Major Technological Challenges
• 1. Control of chirality (yield ~90%
• with PECVD).
• 2. Direction of growth has to be
• controlled and gate material
• deposited on the CNT only.
• 3. Arrange CNTs in parallel in
• arrays to make effective
• transistors.
• 4. Nano-contacts with low
• parasitics need to be made.
• 5. Air stable chemical doping of
• CNTs necessary for making
• MOS CNFETs.
• 6. Make better metal-nanotube
• contacts free from tunneling
• barriers.

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“Carbon Nanotubes inVLSI

SEM images. Diameter range: 5nm - 15 nm

CNT is configurationally equivalent to a two dimensional graphene

A CNT is characterized by its Chiral Vector: Ch = n â1 + m â2,

Zig Zag (n,m) = (9,0)

Chiral (n,m) = (10,5)

Diamond (High temperature and pressure)

Nanotube/Fullerene (certain growth conditions)

Finite size of graphene layer has dangling bonds. These dangling

• Carrier transport is 1-D.

• Arranged parallel CNTs (1.4nm dia) in

• An all CNT design

Developed an RLC Model for CNT Interconnects:

• Incorporates quantum as well as electrostatic capacitances

• Models the kinetic (or self) inductance

Non Linear Resistance Model has been verified

• CNT interconnects are severely limited by the

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