Micro- and nanoscale capacitors that incorporate an array of conductive elements having elongated bodies

• US 9,406,442 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Manohara, Harish, Del Castillo, Linda Y., Mojarradi, Mohammed M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Norris, Jeremy C
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILAKOVICH, NATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US13/804,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20130250479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 361/313, 361/311, 361/321.5, 361/524
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/01 Form of self-supporting electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/1209 characterised by the ceramic dielectric material H01G4/1272, H01G4/1281 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/14 Organic dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/232 electrically connecting two or more layers of a stacked or rolled capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/242 the capacitive element surrounding the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/30 Stacked capacitors H01G4/33 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/33 Thin- or thick-film capacitors thin- or thick-film circuits H01L27/00; capacitors without a potential-jump or surface barrier specially adapted for integrated circuits, details thereof, multistep manufacturing processes therefor H01L28/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/38 Multiple capacitors, i.e. structural combinations of fixed capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/60 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/86 having horizontal extensions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/90 having vertical extensions

Abstract

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention implement micro- and nanoscale capacitors that incorporate a conductive element that conforms to the shape of an array elongated bodies. In one embodiment, a capacitor that incorporates a conductive element that conforms to the shape of an array of elongated bodies includes: a first conductive element that conforms to the shape of an array of elongated bodies; a second conductive element that conforms to the shape of an array of elongated bodies; and a dielectric material disposed in between the first conductive element and the second conductive element, and thereby physically separates them.

Claims

1. A capacitor that incorporates a conductive element that conforms to the shape of an array of elongated bodies comprising:

a first conductive element that conforms to the shape of an array of elongated bodies;

a second conductive element that conforms to the shape of an array of elongated bodies; and

a dielectric material that is disposed in between the first conductive element and the second conductive element, and thereby physically separates them;

wherein each of a plurality of elongated bodies defined by either the first conductive element or the second conductive element extend into the dielectric material such that the end of a respective elongated body that extends into the dielectric material is surrounded on all sides by the dielectric material

wherein the dielectric material comprises Polybenzimidazole.

2. The capacitor of claim 1, wherein:

the first conductive element and the second conductive element are distinct structures that are configured to interdigitate, but not physically contact one another.

3. The capacitor of claim 2, wherein the inter-electrode gap is less than approximately 10 μ

m.

4. The capacitor of claim 2, wherein the first conductive element and the second conductive element each conform to the shape of an array of cylinders.

5. The capacitor of claim 2, wherein the first conductive element and the second conductive element each conform to the shape of an array of hexagonal elongated bodies.

6. The capacitor of claim 2, wherein the first conductive element and the second conductive element each constitute an array of elongated bodies.

7. The capacitor of claim 1, wherein the first conductive element and the second conductive element each constitute a coating deposited onto an array of elongated bodies.

8. The capacitor of claim 1, wherein:

the first conductive element is a layer disposed onto an array of elongated bodies;

the dielectric material is a layer that is disposed onto the first conductive element; and

the second conductive element is a layer that is disposed onto the dielectric material.

9. The capacitor of claim 8, wherein the array of elongated bodies comprises conductive silicon.

10. The capacitor of claim 9, wherein the array of elongated bodies comprises a layer of dielectric material disposed onto the conductive silicon.

11. The capacitor of claim 10, wherein the first conductive element and the second conductive element each comprise TiN.

12. The capacitor of claim 11, wherein the dielectric material comprises Al₂O₃.

13. The capacitor of claim 8, wherein the array of elongated bodies comprises carbon nanotubes.

14. The capacitor of claim 13, wherein the array of elongated bodies comprises a silicon oxide layered onto the carbon nanotubes.

15. The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the first conductive element and the second conductive element each comprise TiN.

16. The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the dielectric material comprises Al₂O₃.

17. The capacitor of claim 16, further comprising:

a second dielectric material;

a third conductive element;

a third dielectric material;

a fourth conductive element;

a fourth dielectric material; and

a fifth conductive element;

wherein;

the second dielectric material is a layer disposed onto the second conductive element;

the third conductive element is a layer ha is disposed onto the second dielectric material;

the third dielectric material is a layer disposed onto the third conductive element;

the fourth conductive element is a layer that is disposed onto the third dielectric material;

the fourth dielectric material is a layer that is disposed on the fourth conductive element; and

the fifth conductive element is a layer that is disposed onto the fourth dielectric material.

18. The capacitor of claim 1, wherein the first conductive element, the second conductive element, and the dielectric material have similar coefficients of thermal expansion.

19. The capacitor of claim 1, wherein the first conductive element, the second conductive element, and the dielectric material allow the capacitor to operate at within a temperature range from approximately 20°

C. to 360°

C.

20. The capacitor of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material further comprises polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

21. The capacitor of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material comprises one of:

Celazole U-60;

Celazole U-60SD;

Celazole U-60ESD;

Celazole TU-60;

Celazole TF-60C;

Celazole TF-60B; and

Celazole TL-60.