R&D Profile: Nantero’s Microelectronic Grade Carbon Nanotube Formulation for Memory (NRAM™) and Other Applications: Abstract and Next Steps
Dr. Rahul Sen, Manager, Materials R&D at Nantero, provides Nano World News with an exclusive overview of his upcoming presentation at Nanotech 2008 in Boston in June.
After their discovery in 1991, the properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were investigated by academic and corporate research groups around the world. The results, both measured and modeled, led scientists to envision a myriad of applications.
In 2001, Nantero was incorporated with the goal of developing a universal memory, NRAM™, using CNTs as the switching element. NRAM™ incorporates all the positive attributes of currently available memory chips such as DRAM, SRAM and Flash. To enable development and production of the CNT-based memory, Nantero had to envision and implement a process which used the existing tools in production fabs.
Towards this goal, Nantero was successful in developing a CNT-based liquid formulation that meets microelectronics industry requirements such as high purity, stability and consistency. The formulation was qualified for use in two production fabs, and was integrated with other materials and tools to develop NRAM prototypes.
This presentation will introduce the properties of the microelectronics grade CNT formulation developed by Nantero. It will describe the characterization methods and processes used to integrate the CNTs in the manufacturing fab. Existing and potential products that can be developed using Nantero’s CNT formulation will also be discussed.
Technology Image: CNT films with tunable resistance and Patterned CNT line
Next Steps
Nantero has developed a technology platform that enables the industrial scale
manufacturing of consistent liquid CNT product. Nantero has successfully integrated this
liquid CNT formulation into a semiconductor manufacturing process through proprietary
coating and patterning techniques using standard equipment and tools available in a
semiconductor foundry. Integration of CNTs into a semiconductor manufacturing process
has opened a gateway to realize numerous applications of CNTs that were not practicable
before. In addition to NRAM™, other applications of CNTs such as Logic, Sensors, and
Photovoltaics can now be explored in a manufacturing environment.
