Vertical Carbon Nanotube Devices With Nanoscale Lengths Controlled Without Lithography

Aaron D. Franklin, Birck Nanotechnology Center and School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University
Robert A. Sayer, Birck Nanotechnology Center and School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University
Timothy D. Sands, Purdue University
David B. Janes, Purdue University
Timothy Fisher, Birck Nanotechnology Center and School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University

Abstract

Vertical single-walled carbon nanotubes (vSWCNTs) are synthesized within highly ordered porous anodic alumina (PAA) templates supported on Si substrates. A process for obtaining thin-film PAA with long-range ordered nanopores is presented in this paper. Each nanopore contains at most one v-SWCNT that is supported by a dielectric and addressed by electrochemically formed Pd nanowire source contacts and evaporated Pd drain contacts. Characteristics of these completely vertical, two-terminal nanotube devices are presented. Control of the v-SWCNT length is demonstrated using a straightforward etching process with lengths of less than 100 nm achieved without the need for complex/expensive lithography. This effective nanoscale length control of highly ordered v-SWCNTs provides a practical basis for the realization of CNT-based nanoelectronics.

Discipline(s)

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology