Carbon nanotubes field effect transistors: A review

RamBabu.B1, Dr.Y.Srinivasa Rao2, P.Swapna3, K.Kalyan Babu4

1
Department of Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, Sir.C.R.R.College of Engineering, Eluru.
2,3
Department of Instrument Technology, Andhra University, India
4
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, GITAM University, Vizag.
 rams1315@gmail.com1, srinniwasarau@gmail.com
   2
 the other hand, annealing a device may operate in
Abstract- Carbon Nanotube CNTFET in vacuum ballistic regime.
Field Effect Transistors promotes electron conduction ▪ The nanotube conducts
(CNTFET) are promising
nano-scaled devices for via a completely different essentially on its surface
implementing high mechanism: the presence of where all the chemical bonds
performance very dense and atmospheric oxygen near the are saturated and stable. In
low power circuits. A Carbon metal/nanotube contacts other words, there are no
Nanotube Field Effect affects the local bending of dangling bonds which form
Transistor refers to a FET the conduction and valence interface states. Therefore,
that utilizes a single CNT or
an array of CNT’s as the
bands in the nanotube by way there is no need for careful
channel material instead of of charge transfer, and the passivation of the interface
bulk silicon in the traditional Fig 1: Early CNTFET structure. Fermi level is pinned close to between the nanotube
MOSFET structure. The core the valence band, making it channel and the gate
of a CNTFET is a carbon Following these easier for injection of holes. dielectric, i.e. there is no
nanotube. In this paper, the initial CNTFET results When the oxygen is desorbed equivalent of the
review of CNTFETs is
advances in CNTFET device at high temperatures, the silicon/silicon dioxide
presented. The structure,
operation and the structures and processing Fermi level may line up interface.
characteristics of different yielded improvements in closer to the conduction ▪ The Schottkey barrier at the
types of CNTFET’s have been their electrical characteristics. band, allowing injection of metal-nanotube contact is the
discussed. The operation, dc Rather than laying the electrons. Contrary to the active switching element in
characteristics of CNTFETs nanotube down upon the case of bulk doping, there is an intrinsic nanotube device.
have been presented and no threshold voltage shift
analysis of the performance of
source and drain electrodes,
various characteristics. relying on weak vander walls when going from p-type to n- With these unique
forces for contact, the type by thermal annealing. In features CNTFET becomes a
Keywords—CNTFET, Carbon
electrodes were patterned on addition, it is possible to device of special interest.
nanotubes, Field effect
transistors, Nanoelectronics,  top of previously laid down achieve an intermediate state,
characteristics   CNs. In addition to Au, Ti in which both electron and 1.1 Type of CNTFET
and CO were used, with a hole injection are allowed, The field effect
I. INTRODUCTION thermal annealing step to resulting in ambipolar transistors made of carbon
improve the metal/nanotube conduction. nanotubes so far can be
The first carbon nanotube
contact. In the case of Ti, the classified into:
field-effect transistors were
thermal processing leads to Carbon nanotube a) Back gate CNTFET
reported in 1998. These were
the formation of TiC at the field effect transistor b) Top gate CNTFET
simple devices fabricated by
metal/nanotube interface, (CNTFETs) uses semi c) Wrap-around gate
depositing single-wall CNTs
resulting in a significant conducting carbon nanotube CNTFETs
(synthesized by laser
reduction in the contact as the channel. Both p- d) Suspended CNTFETs
ablation) from solution onto
resistance from several MΩ channel and n-channel
oxidized Si wafers which had
to 30 kΩ. On state currents devices can be made from Other then this 4
been prepattemed with gold
~1μA were easured, with nanotubes. The physical biggest classes, some
or platinum electrodes. The semiconductor company have
transconductance - 0.3 μS. structure of CNTFETs is very
electrodes served as source been proposed their own
All early CNTFET similar to that of
and drain, connected via the new/next generation Carbon
were p-type, i.e., hole MOSFETs and their I-V
nanotube channel, and the Nanotube FET such as Infineon
conductors. Whether this was characteristics and transfer introduced their vertical carbon
doped Si substrate served as
due to contact doping or characteristics are also very nanotube FET (VCNTFET)
the gate. A schematic of such
doping by the adsorption of promising and they suggest concept in year 2003.
a device is shown in Fig.1.
oxygen from the atmosphere that CNTFETs have the
Clear p-type transistor action
was initially unclear. N-type potential to be a successful a) Back-gated CNTFET’s
was observed, with gate
conduction was achieved by replacement of MOSFETs in
voltage modulation of the
doping from an alkali nanoscale electronics. Of The earliest
drain current over several
(electron donor) gas and by course, there are some techniques for fabricating
orders of magnitude. The
thermal annealing in vacuum. distinct properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) field-
devices displayed high on-
Doping by exposure to an CNTFETs, such as: effect transistors involved
state resistance of several
alkali gas involves charge ▪ The carbon nanotube is one- pre-patterning parallel strips
MQ, low transconductance (-
transfer within the bulk of the dimensional, which greatly of metal across a silicon
Ins) and no current
nanotube, analogous to reduces the scattering dioxide substrate, and then
saturation, and they required
doping in conventional probability. As a result the depositing the CNTs on top
high gate voltages (several
volts) to turn them on. semiconductor materials. On in a random pattern [1]. The
semiconducting CNTs that CNTFET employing metallic Wrap-around gate transferring them onto a
happened to fall across two Co or TiC contacts. CNTFETs, also known as substrate and then under-
metal strips meet all the b) Top-gated CNTFET’s gate-all-around CNTFETs etching the dielectric beneath
requirements necessary for a were developed in 2008 [7], and transfer-printing onto
rudimentary field-effect Eventually, [3],and are a further a trenched substrate [6].
transistor. One metal strip is researchers migrated from the improvement upon the top-
the “source” contact while back-gate approach to a more gate device geometry. In this
the other is the “drain” advanced top-gate fabrication device, instead of gating just
contact. The silicon oxide process [2]. In the first step, the part of the CNT that is
substrate can be used as the single-walled carbon closer to the metal gate
gate oxide and adding a metal nanotubes are solution contact, the entire
contact on the back makes deposited onto a silicon oxide circumference of the
Fig 4: Suspended CNTFET device.
the semiconducting CNT substrate. Individual nanotube is gated. This
gateable. nanotubes are then located should ideally improve the
electrical performance of the The main problem
via atomic force microscope
CNTFET, reducing leakage suffered by suspended
or scanning electron
current and improving the CNTFETs is that they have
microscope. After an
device on/off ratio. very limited material options
individual tube is isolated,
for use as a gate dielectric
source and drain contacts are
(generally air or vacuum),
defined and patterned using
and applying a gate bias has
high resolution electron beam
the effect of pulling the
lithography. A high
nanotube closer to the gate,
temperature anneal step
which places an upper limit
reduces the contact resistance
Fig 3: Sheathed CNT on how much the nanotube
by improving adhesion
Device fabrication begins by can be gated. This technique
between the contacts and
Fig 2: Top and side view of carbon first wrapping CNTs in a gate will also only work for
CNT. A thin top-gate
nanotubes deposited on a silicon dielectric and gate contact via shorter nanotubes, as longer
oxide substrate pre-patterned with dielectric is then deposited on
atomic layer deposition [4]. tubes will flex in the middle
source and drain contacts. top of the nanotube, either
These wrapped nanotubes are and droop towards the gate,
via evaporation or atomic
then solution-deposited on an possibly making touching the
The types of back layer deposition. Finally, the
insulating substrate, where metal contact and shorting
gate CNTFETs discussed so top gate contact is deposited
the wrappings are partially the device. In general,
far have high contact on the gate dielectric,
etched off, exposing the ends suspended CNTFETs are not
resistances (≥1 MΩ), which completing the process.
of the nanotube. The source, practical for commercial
led to a low transconductance
drain, and gate contacts are applications, but they can be
gm (=dI/dVG) of about 10 Arrays of top-gated
then deposited onto the CNT useful for studying the
-9A/V. This large contact CNTFETs can be fabricated
ends and the metallic outer intrinsic properties of clean
resistance results from the on the same wafer, since the
gate wrapping. nanotubes.
weak van der Waals coupling gate contacts are electrically
of the devices to the noble isolated from each other,
metal electrodes in the ‘side- unlike in the back-gated case. d) Suspended CNTFET’s 1.2 Other CNTFET
bonding’ configuration used. Also, due to the thinness of
Here the SWNT is dispersed the gate dielectric, a larger CNTFET device The CNTFET
on top of the SiO2 film, and electric field can be geometry involves technology is at an early
then source and drain generated with respect to the suspending the nanotube over stage; devices structures are
electrodes made of transition nanotube using a lower gate a trench to reduce contact still primitive and the devices
metals compatible with voltage. These advantages with the substrate and gate physic still relatively
silicon technology, such as Ti mean top-gated devices are oxide [5]. This technique has unexplored. So, other the
or Co, are fabricated on generally preferred over the advantage of reduced most popular Back Gate and
SWNT. Subsequent anneals back-gated CNTFETs, scattering at the CNT- Top Gate structures, some of
at 400º C (Co) and, or at 820º despite their more complex substrate interface, improving the researcher also proposed
C (Ti) in an inert ambient, fabrication process. device performance [5] [6] their own structure such as
form low resistance Co [7]. There are many methods N-Type, AMBIPOLAR
contacts or TiC contacts at c) Wrap-around gate used to fabricate suspended CNTFET, Vertical Gate, and
the source and drain CNTFET’s CNTFETs, ranging from etc. to prove the performance
electrodes. Fig shows I-V growing them over trenches of the transistor is better after
characteristics of p-type using catalyst particles [5], the channel of the transistor
replaced by CNT. Below are keeps the n-type devices 1.2.3 Vertical The current voltage
several examples of the stable. CNTFET curve can be divided into two
differences structure of regions: linear and saturation.
CNTFET. If a CNTFET with This vertical Carbon Drain current in the linear
SiO2 protective film is Nanotube FET has been region of CNTFET can be
1.2.1 N-Type and annealed in vacuum or in proposed by the researcher in described as follows:
AMBIPOLAR CNTFET inert atmosphere, the initial Infineon Technology. The
p-type device is gradually concept is totally difference
The capability to transformed into an compared to traditional
produce n-type transistors is ambipolar FET, i.e., the MOSFET vertical gate
important technologically, as device, depending on the sign configuration. Fig.6 showed Or
it allows the fabrication of of the gate voltage VG, can the first draft of the Vertical
CNT-based complementary operate as switches for CNTFET proposed by
logic devices and circuits. A electrons and holes. These Infineon in year 2003. [10]
back gated n-type nanotube ambipolar transistors are Where Kn is conductance of
transistor can be obtained by stable in air and show ohmic CNTFET, W is the width of
doping the nanotube with I-VDS curves in both the CNTFET, L is the length of
potassium vapor. The strong hole accumulation and CNTFET, μ is mobility of
mechanism is that electron inversion (electron carriers, Cox is gate
transfer from adsorbed accumulation) regimes. This capacitance.
potassium atoms to the behaviour suggests that the
nanotube can shift the Fermi effective contact barriers for We can also obtain
level of the tube from the both electron and hole saturation current of
valence-band edge to the transport are very small. CNTFET by replacing Vds(sat)
conduction band edge, thus = Vgs – VT. Then the
reverting the doping from p- 1.2.2 Multi WALL Fig .6: Vertical CNTFET expression of saturation
to n-type. [8] Fig.5 shows the CNTFET current of CNTFET can be
schematic of setup for doping written:
and the resulting I-V The complexity of
characteristics. structure of multi wall 2.0 Characteristics of
nanotube (MWNT) has CNTFET’s
discouraged their detailed
study and use. In principle, The drain I-V
each of its carbon shells can characteristics in 2D are shown
in fig 7. The saturation current at 2.1 I-V characteristics
be metallic or
VGS = 0.5 V is around 6 μA,
semiconducting with which is not inconsistent with
Fig 5: Schematic diagram of the different chiralities. Also, values emerging from recent
potassium doping setup. these shells can interact. It experimental work [9].
has been found that in
An n-type top gate MWNTs side-bonded to
device as shown in Fig 3.9 metal electrodes, effectively
(a) can be obtained by an in only the outer shell
situ annealing step prior to contributes to electrical
the deposition of the gate transport. One would
dielectric film. Thermal therefore expect that MWNTs
treatment in an inert with semiconducting outer
atmosphere drive off the shell can be used to fabricate Fig 8: Output characteristics of n-
adsorbed oxygen from the CNTFETs. However, since Fig 7: Drain current-voltage
type CNTFET
source and drain contact the bandgap in characteristics of planar CNTFET.
regions, shifts the Fermi level semiconducting CNTs is
at the contacts and effectively inversely proportional to the Drain I-V characteristics
lowers the barrier for electron tube diameter, only small exhibited dependence of
injection, which results in an diameters MWNTs are saturation drain current on
n-type behaviour. The oxide expected to exemplify FET temperature. When CNTFET
film protects the nanotube characteristics at room is cooled, drain saturation
from the ambient gases and temperature. [9] currents were lightly
decreased.
Fig 9: Output Characteristics for a p- reflect a similar scenario. For this limit, all the other curves process variation should be
type top gated CNTFET
an applied drain voltage, the representing the higher focused for this moment.
current increases almost values of Vds are almost
As the voltage quadratically as soon as a merged. The electron current 4 REFERENCES
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 devices". Applied India. He is having 15+years of research papers in the National
Physics Letters 93: teaching and research experience Conferences. His present
113112.FLEXChip and published more than 50 research focuses on Carbon
research papers in the Nanotube Electronics including
Signal Processor
International journals and modelling, Simulation Design
(MC68175/D), presented few of them in the and Fabrication of Carbon
Motorola, 1996. International Conferences. He Nanotube on flexible Electronic
[7] Lin, Yu-Ming; Tsang, will be an Visiting Researcher, devices. He is a life member of
James C; Freitag, EEE Department, Nanyang ISTE.
Marcus; Avouris, Technological University,
Phaedon (2007). Singapore in 2012. He had
"Impact of oxide received “Emerald Literati
substrate on electrical Network 2008 Outstanding
Paper Award (UK)”, three
and optical properties
“Best Paper Awards” (one in
of carbon nanotube 2011 and twice in 2007),
devices". “Vignan Pratibha Award –
Nanotechnology 18: 2006” from Andhra University
295202. and selected as “Science
[8] R. Martel et al., Researcher” for Asia – Pacific
“Ambipolar Electrical region in 2005 by UNESCO and
Transport in Australian Expert group in
Semiconducting Single- Industry Studies (AEGIS) at the
University of Western Sydney
Wall Carbon (UWS) and received “Young
Nanotubes,” Phys. Rev. Scientist Award” from
Lett. (2001). Department of Science and
[9] R. Martel, T. Schmidt, Technology, Govt. of India in
H.R. Shea, T. Hertel, 2002. He is acting as Reviewer
and Ph. Avouris, for several International and
Single- and Multi- National Journals. His present
wall Carbon Nanotube research focuses on Carbon
Nanotube Electronics including
Field-effect Transistors,
modelling, Simulation Design
Applied Physics Letters, and Fabrication of Ambipolar
October 1998. Carbon Nanotube Transistors
[10] S. J. Wind et al., and Ambipolar electronic
Vertical scaling of devices and also Thick and Thin
carbon Nanotube film devices. He is a life member
Field-effect transistors of ISTE and member of IMAPS
using top gate electrodes, (USA and India).
Applied
Physics Letters, May
2002.

Ram Babu. B received his

M.Tech in Electrical and
Instrumentation Engineering
Dr.Y.Srinivasa Rao received his
from Punjab Technical
Ph.D in Electrical
University in 2007. At present,
Communication Engineering
he is an Assistant Professor in
from Indian Institute of Science
Electronics and Instrumentation
Bangalore in 1998. At present,
Department, Sir.C.R.R.College
he is an Associate Professor in
of Engineering, Eluru, Andhra
Instrument Technology
University, India. He is having
Department, AU College of
4+years of teaching and research
Engineering (A), Andhra
experience and presented four
University, Visakhapatnam, AP,