Methods of making electromechanical three-trace junction devices
First Claim
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1. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
- providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element.
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Abstract
Methods of producing an electromechanical circuit element are described. A lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element is provided. A nanotube ribbon (or other electromechanically responsive element) is formed on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures. An upper structure is provided over the nanotube ribbon. The upper structure includes upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element. In some arrangements, the upper and lower electrically conductive elements are in vertical alignment, but in some arrangements they are not.
406 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element;
wherein lower structure is provided with a sacrificial layer of material, and wherein the nanotube ribbon is formed over the sacrificial layer, and wherein the upper structure is provided with a sacrificial layer of material and wherein the method further includes removing the sacrificial layers of the upper and lower structures to suspend the nanotube ribbon between the upper and lower support structures. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element;
wherein the nanotube ribbon is made from selectively removing material from a non-woven fabric of nanotubes;
wherein the non-woven fabric of nanotubes is patterned and then etched to selectively remove material from the non-woven fabric and to define nanotube ribbons.
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21. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element;
wherein a non-woven fabric is grown on the upper surface of the lower structure and portions are removed therefrom to form the nanotube ribbon. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element;
wherein the upper structure is formed by adding a sacrificial layer over the nanotube ribbon;
adding doped silicon over the sacrificial layer;
etching the doped silicon and sacrificial layer to form the upper electrically conductive elements with a sacrificial layer adjacent thereto;
providing insulating material over and around the etched, doped silicon and sacrificial layer;
backetching the insulating material to form the upper support structures;
providing a gate dielectric layer over the upper support structures; and
providing an electrical ground layer over the gate dielectric layer. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element;
wherein the upper structure is formed by selectively adding a sacrificial layer over the nanotube ribbon;
adding insulating material over and around the selectively added sacrificial layer;
processing the insulating material to define the upper support structures;
adding doped silicon between adjacent upper support structures to form the upper electrically conductive element;
providing a gate dielectric layer over the upper support structures; and
providing an electrical ground layer over the gate dielectric layer. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element;
wherein the upper support structure is formed by selectively adding a sacrificial layer over the nanotube ribbon;
adding doped silicon over and around the selectively added sacrificial layer;
processing the doped silicon to define the upper electrically conductive element and to define cavities adjacent thereto;
providing insulating material to the cavities to form the upper support structures;
providing a gate dielectric layer over the upper support structures; and
providing an electrical ground layer over the gate dielectric layer. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element;
wherein the upper structure is formed by providing upper support structures in alignment with the lower support structures;
providing sacrificial material in alignment with the lower electrically conductive element;
providing the upper electrically conductive element over a portion of an upper support structure and over a portion of the sacrificial material. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
forming a layer of support material over the nanotube ribbons; patterning and selectively removing support material from the layer to define the upper support structures and to define cavities therebetween.
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33. The method of claim 32 wherein the sacrificial material is provided by defining the cavities to be in alignment with the lower electrically conductive element and by filling the cavities with sacrificial material.
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35. The method of claim 30 wherein sacrificial material is provided by
forming a layer of sacrificial material over the nanotube ribbons; selectively removing sacrificial material so that the remaining material is in alignment with the lower electrically conductive element and to define cavities on either side of the remaining sacrificial material.
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36. The method of claim 35 wherein the upper support structures are provided by filling the cavities with insulating material.
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37. The method of claim 36 wherein the upper electrically conductive element is provided by
depositing doped silicon over the sacrificial material and over the upper support structures; selectively removing portions of the doped silicon to define the upper electrically conductive element.
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38. The method of claim 30 wherein the upper support structure is formed by
selectively growing insulating material in vertical alignment with the lower support structures to define upper support structures and to define cavities therebetween. -
39. The method of claim 38 wherein insulating material is selectively grown using a selective CVD process.
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40. The method of claim 30 wherein sacrificial material is provided by selectively depositing sacrificial material in vertical alignment with the lower electrically conductive element.
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34. The method of 33 wherein the upper electrically conductive element is provided by
depositing doped silicon over the sacrificial material and over the upper support structures; selectively removing portions of the doped silicon to define the upper electrically conductive element.
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41. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element;
wherein the upper structure is formed by depositing a layer of sacrificial material over the nanotube ribbon and lower structure;
depositing a layer of doped silicon over the layer of sacrificial material;
patterning and selectively removing portions of the doped silicon to form the upper electrically conductive element;
removing a portion of the sacrificial material that is in vertical alignment with the lower electrically conductive element. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element;
wherein the lower structure includes a first type of sacrificial material and wherein the upper support structure is formed by providing a layer of a second type of sacrificial material over the nanotube ribbon and the lower support structure;
providing a layer of doped silicon over the layer of the second type of sacrificial material;
selectively removing a portion of the doped silicon to define the upper electrically conductive element and to expose a portion of the layer of the second type of sacrificial material;
removing the exposed portion of the layer of the second type of sacrificial material;
removing the first type of sacrificial material in the lower structure;
removing a remaining portion of the layer of the second type of sacrificial material that is in vertical alignment with the lower electrically conductive element. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon, the upper structure including upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element.
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46. A method of producing an electromechanical circuit element, comprising:
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providing a lower structure;
forming a nanotube ribbon on an upper surface of the lower structure;
forming an upper structure over the nanotube ribbon;
wherein at least one of the lower and upper structures includes a region having sacrificial material in contact with the nanotube ribbon and wherein the method includes the removal of such sacrificial material. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification