Applicator liquid for use in electronic manufacturing processes

• US 7,504,051 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Silverman; Stanley
• Assistant Examiner(s): VIJAYAKUMAR, KALLAMBELLA M
• Application Number:
  US10/860,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20050269553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• Field of Search: 252/500, 252/502, 977/742, 977/750, 977/753, 423/445.B, 423/460, 423/447.1, 427/122, 106/31.13, 428/373, 428/408
• US Class Current: 252/502
• 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. An applicator liquid for use in an electronics manufacturing process, comprising:

an electronics-grade solvent and a plurality of nanotubes, wherein

the applicator liquid is free of polymers and is free of surfactant,

wherein the nanotubes are at a concentration of greater than or equal to 10 mg/L,

wherein the nanotubes are separated from one another and are distributed in the solvent without precipitation or flocculation and can remain separated for about at least one week;

wherein the nanotubes are pretreated to reduce a level of metal impurities to less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³, and

wherein said applicator liquid is free of particulates having a diameter greater than about 500 nm.

2. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the solvent is selected for compatibility with the electronics manufacturing process.

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

4. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the applicator liquid is compatible with a semiconductor manufacturing process.

5. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the nanotubes are at a concentration of greater than 100 mg/L.

6. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the nanotubes are at a concentration of greater than 1000 mg/L.

7. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the solvent is a non-halogen solvent.

8. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the solvent is a non-aqueous solvent.

9. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the solvent comprises ethyl lactate.

10. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the nanotubes are single-walled nanotubes.

11. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the applicator liquid is free of particulate impurities having a diameter greater than about 200 nm.

12. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the applicator liquid is free of particulate impurities having a diameter greater than about 100 nm.

13. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the applicator liquid is free of particulate impurities having a diameter greater than about 45 nm.

14. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the applicator liquid comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of transition metal impurities.

15. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the applicator liquid comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of heavy metal impurities.

16. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the applicator liquid comprises less than about 1×

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

17. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the applicator liquid comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ of metal impurities.

18. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the applicator liquid comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ of transition metal impurities.

19. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the applicator liquid comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ of heavy metal impurities.

20. The applicator liquid of claim 1, wherein the applicator liquid comprises less than about 15×

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