A bi-weekly event to present and discuss issues related to developments, applications and commercialization of nanotechnology.

CNTs for Electronic Applications?

Speaker: Dr. Bill Milne, Director,
Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE)

(VIDEO CONFERENCED FROM CAMBRIDGE, U.K.)

Abstract: Over the past several years Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have been touted as being one of the most promising material systems for future electronic applications. CNTs are a unique form of carbon filament/fibre in which sheets of sp2 bonded graphite with no surface broken bonds roll up to form tubes. Single wall CNTs (SWCNTs) can exhibit either metallic-like or semiconductor-like properties and multiwall CNTs (MWCNTs) have non-semiconducting (i.e semi-metallic like graphite) properties but both have been investigated for use in electronic devices and circuits. Their future application in the electronics industry is based upon several unique properties which the CNTs possess, e.g. they have the highest thermal conductivity, they can exhibit ballistic electron transport and do not suffer from electron migration. To date there have been e.g. numerous reports of CNTs used for vias and interconnects [1,2], FETs [3], diodes [4], simple logic circuits [5] and various sensing applications [6]. Also when mixed with polymers, they can be used in transparent conductors [7], solar cells [8] and in semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) [9]. However there are still major problems to be overcome before CNTs can be truly viewed as the answer for future devices and circuits. The two major problems that must be addressed are the control of chirality and their selective growth.

CNTs can be grown in a variety of ways and this presentation will cover these growth methods, CNT characterisation and potential applications of both SWCNTs and MWCNTs. I will also attempt to provide a realistic appraisal of their future in the electronic industry.

References:

1. B. O. Boskovic J. Robertson, Chapter 7, "3-D Nanoelectronic Computer Architecture and Implementation" by Crawley, Nikolic and Forshaw, published by IOP, (2005)
2. W.Hoenlein, Jpn J.Appl Phys. 41, 4370 ( 2002)
3. S.J.Tans, A.R.M. Verschueren and C.Dekker, Nature ( London) 393, 49 ( 1998)
4. M.H. Yang, K.B.K. Teo, W.I. Milne, and D.G. Hasko, Applied Physics Letters 87, 253116 (2006)
5. A. Javey, Q.Wang, A. Ural, Y.M Lim and H.J.Dai, Nanoletters 2, p 929, (2002)
6. Y.Lin, F.Yu, Y.Tu and Z.Ren, Nanoletters, 4 (2), 191 -195, (2004)
7. Eikos Web page - www.eikos.com
8. E. Kymakis and G.A.J.Amaratunga, Reviews on Adv. Materials Science, 10 (4): 300-305, (2005)
9. O.Wada , New Journal of Physics, 6, p 183, (2004)

Bio: Bill Milne FREng is Director of the Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE) and has been Head of Electrical Engineering at Cambridge University since 1999. He was appointed to the ‘‘1944 Chair in Electrical Engineering’ in 1996’. His research interests include large area Si and carbon based electronics, thin film materials and, most recently, MEMS and carbon nanotubes and other 1-D structures for electronic applications. He collaborates with various companies including Dow-Corning, ALPS, Thales, Advance Nanotech, Philips and FEI and is also currently involved in 5 EU projects and several UK Government funded EPSRC projects and has recently become involved in a major collaboration with ETRI (South Korea) for work on biosensors. He has published/presented ~ 550 papers in these areas, of which > 100 were invited.

He is the Chairman of Cambridge Nano-Instruments an SME based in Cambridge, sits on the Advisory Board for IGNIS, a Canadian start-up company and he also sits on the Board of Dataslide as a Non Executive Director.

VENUE: You may attend the presentation from any one of these law offices of Winstead Sechrest & Minick P.C. or from UT Dallas

Event Coordinators:
Richard Fink 512-339-5020x130 dfink@appliednanotech.net
Max Roundhill 512-339-5020x120 mroundhill@appliednanotech.net

Chairman: Dr. Zvi Yaniv

Registration deadline is Friday, September 29 at 5:00 PM Central.

To register, please send an email to Deepika Misra dmisra@winstead.com with your preferred attendance location.