Aligned carbon nanotubes for nanoelectronics

We discuss the central issues to be addressed for realizing carbon nanotube (CNT) nanoelectronics. We focus on selective growth, electron energy bandgap engineering and device integration. We have introduced a nanotemplate to control the selective growth, length and diameter of CNTs. Vertically aligned CNTs are synthesized for developing a vertical CNT-field effect transistor (FET). The ohmic contact of the CNT/metal interface is formed by rapid thermal annealing. Diameter control, synthesis of Y-shaped CNTs and surface modification of CNTs open up the possibility for energy bandgap modulation. The concepts of an ultra-high density transistor based on the vertical-CNT array and a nonvolatile memory based on the top gate structure with an oxide-nitride-oxide charge trap are also presented. We suggest that the deposited memory film can be used for the quantum dot storage due to the localized electric field created by a nano scale CNT-electron channel.