Methods for passivating a carbonic nanolayer

• US 9,502,675 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZEON Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nantero Incorporated
• Inventors: Sen, Rahul Jr., Rueckes, Thomas, Manning, H. Montgomery
• Primary Examiner(s): KUSUMAKAR, KAREN M
• Application Number:
  US15/061,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20160190496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• 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: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02203 the layer being porous
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02527 Carbon, e.g. diamond-like carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02606 Nanotubes carbon nanotubes H10K85/211
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02628 using solutions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0665 the shape of the body defining a nanostructure nanotechnology per se B82B
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0669 Nanowires or nanotubes carbon nanotubes as material of solid-state device active part H10K85/211
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1029 of field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1606 Graphene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/50 Bistable switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/88 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/12 using liquid deposition, e.g. spin coating
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/15 characterised by the solvent used
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/221 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/021 Formation of switching materials, e.g. deposition of layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/826 adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8845 Carbon or carbides
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/842 for carbon nanotubes or fullerenes

Abstract

Methods for passivating a nanotube fabric layer within a nanotube switching device to prevent or otherwise limit the encroachment of an adjacent material layer are disclosed. In some embodiments, a sacrificial material is implanted within a porous nanotube fabric layer to fill in the voids within the porous nanotube fabric layer while one or more other material layers are applied adjacent to the nanotube fabric layer. Once the other material layers are in place, the sacrificial material is removed. In other embodiments, a non-sacrificial filler material (selected and deposited in such a way as to not impair the switching function of the nanotube fabric layer) is used to form a barrier layer within a nanotube fabric layer. In other embodiments, individual nanotube elements are combined with and nanoscopic particles to limit the porosity of a nanotube fabric layer.

Claims

1. A method for forming a passivated nanotube fabric layer, comprising:

forming a nanotube fabric layer, said nanotube fabric layer comprising a plurality of individual nanotube elements, over a substrate element; and

applying a porous dielectric material over said nanotube fabric layer such that said porous dielectric material substantially permeates the entire nanotube fabric layer while leaving the surface of said nanotube fabric layer at least partially exposed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said nanotube fabric layer is comprised of substantially all carbon nanotubes.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said porous dielectric material is silicon dioxide aerogel.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said porous dielectric material is porous silica.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said porous dielectric material includes at least one void wherein at least two of said individual nanotube elements meet.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said porous dielectric material provides structural support to said nanotube fabric layer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said porous dielectric material prevents an adjacent material layer from fully penetrating through said nanotube fabric layer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein porous dielectric material does not adversely affect the switching function of the carbon nanotube layer.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising etching away excess porous dielectric material in order to expose the top layer of said nanotube fabric layer.