Spin-coatable liquid for use in electronic fabrication processes

• US 20050269553A1
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZEON Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nantero Incorporated
• Inventors: Sivarajan, Ramesh, Segal, Brent M., Rueckes, Thomas, Sen, Rahul
• Granted Patent: US 7,504,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/500
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/0652 containing carbon or carbides
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/12 using liquid deposition, e.g. spin coating
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/311 Purifying organic semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/221 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/742 Carbon nanotubes, CNTs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/743 having specified tube end structure, e.g. close-ended shell or open-ended tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/753 with polymeric or organic binder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/29 Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand, strand portion, rod, filament, macroscopic fiber or mass thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/30 Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer

Abstract

Certain spin-coatable liquids and application techniques are described, which can be used to form nanotube films or fabrics of controlled properties. A spin-coatable liquid containing nanotubes for use in an electronics fabrication process includes a solvent containing a plurality of nanotubes. The nanotubes are at a concentration of greater than 1 mg/L. The nanotubes are pretreated to reduce the level of metallic and particulate impurities to a preselected level, and the preselected metal and particulate impurities levels are selected to be compatible with an electronics manufacturing process. The solvent also is selected for compatibility with an electronics manufacturing process.

Claims

1. A spin-coatable liquid containing nanotubes for use in an electronics fabrication process, comprising:

a solvent containing a plurality of nanotubes wherein the nanotubes are at a concentration of greater than 1 mg/L, wherein the nanotubes are pretreated to reduce the level of metallic and particulate impurities to a preselected level, and wherein the preselected metal and particulate impurities levels are selected to satisfy a criteria of an electronics manufacturing process.

2. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the solvent is selected for compatibility with an electronics manufacturing process.

3. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the solvent is selected for compatibility with a semiconductor manufacturing process.

4. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the preselected metal and particulate impurities levels are selected to be compatible with a semiconducting manufacturing process.

5. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the nanotubes are substantially separated from one another and are distributed in the solvent without substantial precipitation or flocculation.

6. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the nanotubes are at a concentration of greater than 100 mg/L.

7. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the nanotubes are at a concentration of greater than 1000 mg/L.

8. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the solvent is a non-halogen solvent.

9. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the solvent is a non-aqueous solvent.

10. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the solvent comprises ethyl lactate.

11. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the spin-coatable liquid is surfactant-free.

12. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the nanotubes are single-walled nanotubes.

13. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter greater than about 500 nm.

14. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter greater than about 200 nm.

15. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter greater than about 100 nm.

16. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter greater than about 45 nm.

17. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of metallic impurities.

18. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of transition metal impurities.

19. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of heavy metal impurities.

20. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of group I and group II element impurities.

21. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ of metallic impurities.

22. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ of transition metal impurities.

23. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ of heavy metal impurities.

24. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ of group I and group II element impurities.

25. A spin-coatable liquid containing nanotubes for use in an electronics fabrication process, comprising:

a solvent containing a plurality of nanotubes, wherein the nanotubes are pretreated to reduce the level of metal and particulate impurities to a preselected level, wherein the nanotubes are substantially separated from one another and are distributed in the solvent without precipitation or flocculation, and wherein the solvent is selected for compatibility with an electronics manufacturing process.

26. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 25, wherein the preselected metal and particulate impurities levels are selected to be compatible with an electronics manufacturing process.

27. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the solvent is selected for compatibility with a semiconductor manufacturing process.

28. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the solvent is a non-halogen solvent.

29. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the solvent is a non-aqueous solvent.

30. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the solvent comprises ethyl lactate.

31. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition is surfactant-free.

32. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the nanotubes are at a concentration of greater than 100 mg/L.

33. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the nanotubes are at a concentration of greater than 1000 mg/L.

34. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the nanotubes are single-walled nanotubes.

35. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter greater than about 500 nm.

36. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter greater than about 300 nm.

37. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter greater than about 100 nm.

38. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter greater than about 45 nm.

39. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ of metallic impurities.

40. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ of transition metal impurities.

41. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ of heavy metal impurities.

42. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ of group I and group II element impurities.

43. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of metallic impurities.

44. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of transition metal impurities.

45. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of heavy metal impurities.

46. The spin-coatable liquid of claim 26, wherein the composition comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of group I and group II element impurities.