Radial Carbon Nanotube Capacitor Electrode Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of semiconductor devices has led to a decrease in storage node area, making it difficult to obtain sensing margin, and conventional carbon nanotube-based capacitors have an undesirably small electrode surface area due to their bundled structure.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device is designed with a lower electrode comprising a plurality of tubes or wires that radiate outwardly from a central point, with a dielectric layer on top and an upper electrode, where the tubes or wires are charged with the same electrical charge to increase separation and surface area, utilizing carbon nanotubes, silicon nanowires, or GaAs nanowires, and a method involving catalytic particles and bias application for growth and charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If carbon nanotubes are used in a bundled structure for the lower electrode, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the electrode surface area becomes undesirably small
Solution Approach 1:
The lower electrode is segmented into multiple individual carbon nanotubes instead of a bundled structure. Each nanotube is separated and positioned radially outward from a central point, creating multiple discrete electrode surfaces that collectively provide greater total surface area while maintaining ease of manufacturing through standardized placement processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The carbon nanotubes are arranged in a radial configuration extending outward from a central point in the lower electrode. This three-dimensional radial arrangement maximizes the surface area utilization within the capacitor structure, allowing each nanotube to contribute its surface area without being obscured by bundled neighbors, thereby increasing the effective electrode surface area.
2Productivity
If the storage node area is decreased to increase integration, then device integration improves, but sensing margin becomes harder to obtain
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitance parameters are enhanced by increasing the electrode surface area through the radial nanotube configuration and using high dielectric constant materials. This allows the capacitor to maintain or improve sensing margin even as the storage node area is reduced for higher device integration, effectively decoupling the trade-off between integration and reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration increases the surface area of the capacitor, allowing for easier dielectric layer deposition and enhanced capacitance, addressing the challenge of small electrode areas in conventional designs.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of tubes or wires may be charged with the same type of electrical charge so that the plurality of tubes or wires radiate outwardly from each other centering on the lower portion of the plurality of tubes or wires due to the electrical repulsive force.
Implementation Method 2
Charging the surface of the plurality of tubes or wires with the same type of electrical charge may include applying a DC bias or an AC bias to the semiconductor substrate.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device, for example, a semiconductor device using carbon nanotubes or nanowires as lower electrodes of a capacitor, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device may include a lower electrode including a plurality of tubes or wires on a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer on the surface of the lower electrode, and an upper electrode on the surface of the dielectric layer, wherein the plurality of tubes or wires radiate outwardly from each other centering on the lower portion of the plurality of tubes or wires. Thus, the off current of the capacitor may be increased by increasing the surface area of the lower electrodes of the capacitor.