Department of Materials Science, University of Patras, 26504 Rio Patras, Greece, Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vass. Constantinou Avenue, 116 35 Athens, Greece, Institut de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, UPR9021 CNRS, Immunologie et Chimie Therapeutiques, 67084 Strasbourg, France, and Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Universita di Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy

Chemistry of Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hold the promise of delivering exceptional mechanical properties and multi-functional characteristics. Ever-increasing interest in applying CNTs in many different fields has led to continued efforts to develop dispersion and functionalization techniques. To employ CNTs as effective reinforcement in polymer nanocomposites, proper dispersion and appropriate interfacial adhesion between the CNTs and polymer matrix have to be guaranteed. This paper reviews the current understanding of CNTs and CNT/polymer nanocomposites with two particular topics: (i) the principles and techniques for CNT dispersion and functionalization and (ii) the effects of CNT dispersion and functionalization on the properties of CNT/polymer nanocomposites. The fabrication techniques and potential applications of CNT/polymer nanocomposites are also highlighted.

Dispersion and functionalization of carbon nanotubes for polymer-based nanocomposites: a review

The semiconductor industry has been able to improve the performance of electronic systems for more than four decades by making ever-smaller devices. However, this approach will soon encounter both scientific and technical limits, which is why the industry is exploring a number of alternative device technologies. Here we review the progress that has been made with carbon nanotubes and, more recently, graphene layers and nanoribbons. Field-effect transistors based on semiconductor nanotubes and graphene nanoribbons have already been demonstrated, and metallic nanotubes could be used as high-performance interconnects. Moreover, owing to the excellent optical properties of nanotubes it could be possible to make both electronic and optoelectronic devices from the same material.

Carbon-based electronics.

An object is to provide a semiconductor device of which a manufacturing process is not complicated and by which cost can be suppressed, by forming a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor film typified by zinc oxide, and a manufacturing method thereof. For the semiconductor device, a gate electrode is formed over a substrate; a gate insulating film is formed covering the gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor film is formed over the gate insulating film; and a first conductive film and a second conductive film are formed over the oxide semiconductor film. The oxide semiconductor film has at least a crystallized region in a channel region.

Semiconductor device, and manufacturing method thereof

The present invention provides device components geometries and fabrication strategies for enhancing the electronic performance of electronic devices based on thin films of randomly oriented or partially aligned semiconducting nanotubes. In certain aspects, devices and methods of the present invention incorporate a patterned layer of randomly oriented or partially aligned carbon nanotubes, such as one or more interconnected SWNT networks, providing a semiconductor channel exhibiting improved electronic properties relative to conventional nanotubes-based electronic systems.

Medium scale carbon nanotube thin film integrated circuits on flexible plastic substrates

Carbon-based materials like nanotubes and graphene are heavily investigated as future CMOS-like devices and in interconnect applications. While much of the interest has been devoted to the device aspects in competition to conventional CMOS transistors, the paper here will focus on some less known applications of carbon. Proposed and demonstrated are interconnect applications like highly conductive electrodes for capacitors, gate material or through-silicon vias (TSV), novel non-volatile memories, carbon-silicon Schottky diodes or superior sensors.

Carbon-based Materials as Key-enabler for More Than Moore

Eine Vielzahl von ersten Nanorohren und eine Vielzahl von zweiten Nanorohren sind zueinander windschief oder einander kreuzend angeordnet. Die Anordnung der Nanorohren erfolgt derart, dass eine elektrische Kopplung zwischen zumindest einem Teil der ersten Nanorohren und zumindest einem Teil der zweiten Nanorohren moglich ist in einer Weise, dass unterscheidbar ist, ob die ersten Nanorohren und die zweiten Nanorohren an ihren jeweiligen Kreuzungsstellen miteinander elektrisch gekoppelt sind oder nicht.

Elektronisches Speicherelement und Verfahren zum Herstellen eines elektronischen Speicherelements

Carbon-based materials are heavily investigated as future CMOS-like devices and in interconnect applications. While much of the interest has been devoted to the device aspects in competition to conventional CMOS transistors, the talk here will focus on some less known applications of carbon. Proposed are interconnect applications like on-chip and DRAM capacitors, gate material or through-silicon vias (TSV), novel non-volatile memories, sensors or superior diodes. The quality and resistivity of the carbon layer depends on the deposition method, precursor and temperature, but optimum conditions can be found to achieve a benefit over competing materials in terms of temperature budget, resistivity, stress and ease of integration . The mere properties of the carbon layer is as important as their interaction with different interfacing materials like high-k materials, semiconductors and metals. Some important question which needs to be answered are, is there diffusion of carbon or from the interfacing materials? How does this impair breakdown behaviours? What are the effective work-functions for different interface materials? The answers to these questions will lead us to applications of graphene-like layers in MIM capacitor structures, DRAM capacitors and mid-gap gate-material, attractive for low power CMOS. The question on how these graphene-like layers interface with silicon will give us in the end powerful low-barrier Schottky diodes which can deal with the high temperature requirements of a front-end process. Therefore, for the first time, carbon-silicon Schottky-diodes can be incorporated in a CMOS flow. Stress, built during deposition of the many layers during a process has serious impact on the integration. Thin layers of carbon can reduce the overall stress and can ease the integration. For through-silicon vias the most economic approach of “via-first” was limited up to now to c-Si or poly-Si approach due to the high temperature requirement. Carbon layers can fill very high aspect ratio vias (up to 400) and offer a much better alternative to Si in terms of resistivity, stress and cost. If modifications of the carbon layers can be achieved at reasonable temperatures the overall resistivity can be dropped down to 10 uOhmcm which makes it already attractive for competition with W and Cu wiring. The study of maximum possible current densities in the carbon layers results in the finding of a new non-volatile memory based on the conductivity of different carbon configurations. This will not only enable cross-point memory architectures but could also be implemented in configuring FPGAs. Finally, the spin transport properties of carbon may be beneficial to solve the problems of the high current densities in spin-torque magnetic memories and for the ubiquitous GMR sensors where Neel coupling limits the sensitivity. Overall, the properties of carbon promise applications in a wide range of possible “More than Moore” scenarios for microelectronics.

Carbon-based Materials as Key-enabler for ``More Than Moore"

The performance of a detection system is defined by the interaction of scintillator, detector and readout electronics. KETEK silicon photomultipliers in combination with PETsys TOFPET-ASICs provide a high-performance detection chain, which will be studied in combination with 3x3x5 mm³ LYSO, GFAG and GAGG crystals. As a detector, a 3x3 mm² timing-optimized KETEK PM3350T silicon photomultiplier with 50 µm cell pitch was used. The TOFPET-ASIC provides 64 channels, each with 25 ps r.m.s intrinsic time resolution and 300 pC dynamic range. First measurements with LYSO yield a CTR of 294 ps FWHM in a temperature stabilized setup environment at 18°C. The studies with GFAG amd GAGG showed, that the time-over-threshold principle is sensitive towards the longer decay time constants and therefore different pulse shapes of GFAG and GAGG. A CTR of 660 ps FWHM for GFAG and 743 ps FWHM for GAGG could be achieved, which has been benchmarked on a dedicated reference setup to be 329 ps for GFAG and 663 ps for GAGG. Both materials could not fully exploit their intrinsic performance. The first results of this setup are very promising, as the performance for LYSO with 294 ps FWHM is close to the reference measurements with 248 ps FWHM. Forthcoming work will utilize a new generation ASIC and temperature stabilized setup environment, which overcomes the current limitations to handle any scintillator at maximum performance.

Study on Coincidence Time Resolution with SiPM and TOFPET-ASIC Utilizing LYSO, GAGG and GFAG

A process for producing a carbon layer with a specific resistance less than 1mOhmcm and a hardness of 2-9Gpa, comprises precipitating the carbon layer. The substrate is in a hydrogen atmosphere with a pressure of 1-4 hectopascals and a temperature of 600-1000o>C. A gas containing carbon is added to form the carbon layer.

Carbon layer formation, comprises precipitating a layer by introducing a carbon containing gas to a hydrogen atmosphere at high pressure and temperature

Franz Kreupl

Papers

Carbon-based Materials as Key-enabler for More Than Moore

Elektronisches Speicherelement und Verfahren zum Herstellen eines elektronischen Speicherelements

Carbon-based Materials as Key-enabler for ``More Than Moore"

Study on Coincidence Time Resolution with SiPM and TOFPET-ASIC Utilizing LYSO, GAGG and GFAG

Carbon layer formation, comprises precipitating a layer by introducing a carbon containing gas to a hydrogen atmosphere at high pressure and temperature