WO2013011399A1 - Vaccum nano electronic switching and circuit elements. - Google Patents

Vaccum nano electronic switching and circuit elements. Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013011399A1
WO2013011399A1 PCT/IB2012/053328 IB2012053328W WO2013011399A1 WO 2013011399 A1 WO2013011399 A1 WO 2013011399A1 IB 2012053328 W IB2012053328 W IB 2012053328W WO 2013011399 A1 WO2013011399 A1 WO 2013011399A1
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Prior art keywords
nano
tube
nano tube
semiconducting
vacuum
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PCT/IB2012/053328
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French (fr)
Inventor
Georg Friedrich Gaertner
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Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Philips Intellectual Property & Standards Gmbh
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Publication of WO2013011399A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013011399A1/en

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C13/00—Digital stores characterised by the use of storage elements not covered by groups G11C11/00, G11C23/00, or G11C25/00
    • G11C13/02—Digital stores characterised by the use of storage elements not covered by groups G11C11/00, G11C23/00, or G11C25/00 using elements whose operation depends upon chemical change
    • G11C13/025—Digital stores characterised by the use of storage elements not covered by groups G11C11/00, G11C23/00, or G11C25/00 using elements whose operation depends upon chemical change using fullerenes, e.g. C60, or nanotubes, e.g. carbon or silicon nanotubes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B82—NANOTECHNOLOGY
    • B82Y—SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
    • B82Y10/00—Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10K—ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K85/00—Organic materials used in the body or electrodes of devices covered by this subclass
    • H10K85/20—Carbon compounds, e.g. carbon nanotubes or fullerenes
    • H10K85/221—Carbon nanotubes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching, or capacitors or resistors with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. PN junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof  ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/02—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/06—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor characterised by their shape; characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions ; characterised by the concentration or distribution of impurities within semiconductor regions
    • H01L29/0657—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor characterised by their shape; characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions ; characterised by the concentration or distribution of impurities within semiconductor regions characterised by the shape of the body
    • H01L29/0665—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor characterised by their shape; characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions ; characterised by the concentration or distribution of impurities within semiconductor regions characterised by the shape of the body the shape of the body defining a nanostructure
    • H01L29/0669—Nanowires or nanotubes
    • H01L29/0676—Nanowires or nanotubes oriented perpendicular or at an angle to a substrate
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching, or capacitors or resistors with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. PN junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof  ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/40—Electrodes ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/41—Electrodes ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor characterised by their shape, relative sizes or dispositions
    • H01L29/413—Nanosized electrodes, e.g. nanowire electrodes comprising one or a plurality of nanowires
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching, or capacitors or resistors with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. PN junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof  ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/66—Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/68—Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor controllable by only the electric current supplied, or only the electric potential applied, to an electrode which does not carry the current to be rectified, amplified or switched
    • H01L29/76—Unipolar devices, e.g. field effect transistors
    • H01L29/772—Field effect transistors
    • H01L29/775—Field effect transistors with one dimensional charge carrier gas channel, e.g. quantum wire FET

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a switching or circuit element for solid state integrated circuits, such as ultra large scale integration (ULSI) circuits.
  • ULSI ultra large scale integration
  • Nano tubes are members of the fullerene structural family, which also includes the spherical buckyballs. Their name is derived from their size, since the diameter of a nano tube is on the order of a few nanometers.
  • Nano tubes are categorized as single-walled nano tubes (SWNTs) and multi-walled nano tubes (MWNTs). MWNTs consist of multiple rolled layers (concentric tubes) of graphite.
  • Carbon nano tubes (CNTs) are allotropes of carbon with a cylindrical nano structure. These cylindrical carbon molecules have novel properties, making them potentially useful in many applications in nanotechnology, electronics, optics, and other fields of materials science, as well as potential uses in architectural fields.
  • the structure of a SWNT can be conceptualized by wrapping a one-atom-thick layer of graphite called graphene into a seamless cylinder.
  • the way the graphene sheet is wrapped is represented by a pair of indices (n,m) called the chiral vector.
  • intramolecular field effect transistors The fabrication of carbon nano tube field effect transistors has been described in T. Yamada, Phys. Rev. B 69, 125408, 2004. Furthermore, P.K. Bachmann, Z. Chen et al : "Nanotechnology” 17 (2006) 1062-1066 discloses a formation of sandwich interconnects between CNTs. Production of the first intramolecular logic gate using SWNT FETs has recently become possible as well. To create a logic gate, both a p-FET and an n-FET are needed. Because SWNTs are p-FETs when exposed to oxygen and n-FETs otherwise, it is possible to protect half of an SWNT from oxygen exposure, while exposing the other half to oxygen. This results in a single SWNT that acts as a NOT logic gate with both p and n-type FETs within the same molecule.
  • CNTs have advantageous properties including high thermal conductivity and high current-density tolerance, while graphene is known for its high electron mobility.
  • electron mobility relates the drift velocity of electrons " 3 ⁇ 4 to an applied electric field E across a material, according to the formula:
  • Typical electron mobility for Si at room temperature (300 K) is 1400 cm2/ (V-s) and the hole mobility is around 450 cm2/ (V-s).
  • the evacuator may comprises a vacuum tube surrounding the semiconducting nano tube and having a vacuum pump or getter, wherein the semiconducting nano tube may be a half tube or a tube with a slit in order to provide the vacuum path by the vacuum tube.
  • the nano emitter may comprise an emitting material spot of low work function inside the semiconducting nano tube. This ensures that an electron current can be easily generated and guided through the vacuum path inside the nano tube.
  • the emitting material spot may be made of barium (Ba) or of a Ba mono layer on an iron (Fe) or nickel (Ni) catalyst nano particle, or of a scandate complex on a catalyst particle. These materials are suitable to provide a low work function.
  • the semiconducting nano tube may comprise a zigzag carbon nano tube.
  • zigzag type nano tube By selecting a zig zag type nano tube the desired semiconducting behaviour of the nano tube can be provided..
  • the nano collector may comprise a collecting conducting nano tube. This ensures a good guidance of the electron current towards the nano collector.
  • a conducting nano tube or graphene sheet sector may be provided for providing an interconnection at side portions of the semiconducting nano tube.
  • the Figure shows a schematic view of an example of a section of a nano vacuum integrated circuit with vacuum switching elements according to an embodiment.
  • a vacuum network or switching element is obtained by providing a vacuumized semiconducting nano tube, e.g. carbon nano tube, with a small emitting material spot (e.g. Ba) inside, e.g. at the bottom, interconnect it at the sides with a conducting nano tube and connect to a collecting conducting nano tube.
  • a vacuumized semiconducting nano tube e.g. carbon nano tube
  • a small emitting material spot e.g. Ba
  • semiconducting nano tubes are used, which possess a much lower electrical conductivity, but can be used a nano-building blocks for nano-ICs.
  • vacuum nano electronic switching and circuit elements are provided based on hollow evacuated electron conductors, which can overcome some basic limitations of solid state (ULSI) integrated circuits.
  • the proposed concept is based on nano structures, where the electron current is moving through vacuum, from a nano emitter to a nano collector. These vacuum paths are provided by an evacuator or evacuation element or evacuation structure and can be repeated in sequence several times. They can be realized e.g. by using a semiconducting e.g. carbon nano tube with a small emitting material spot (e.g. Ba) of very low work function inside at the bottom.
  • the work function is the minimum energy (usually measured in electron volts) needed to remove an electron from a solid to a point immediately outside the solid surface (or energy needed to move an electron from the Fermi level into vacuum).
  • "immediately” means that the final electron position is far from the surface on the atomic scale but still close to the solid on the macroscopic scale.
  • the work function is a characteristic property for any solid face of a substance with a conduction band (whether empty or partly filled).
  • connections at the side of a semiconducting nano tube can be made and a whole network of vacuum nano ICs can be designed.
  • the vacuum path can be generated by a vacuum tube or box surrounding the nano tubes.
  • Interconnects at the sides of carbon nano tubes can also be made by graphene sheet sectors. Also micro- to nano amounts of local getters can be applied and distributed to provide (sustain) for the required vacuum.
  • Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of an example of a section of a nano vacuum integrated circuit with vacuum switching elements according to an embodiment.
  • Zigzag semiconducting carbon nano tubes 60 are oriented in the vertical direction and connected to terminal portions 10. Side interconnects of graphene sectors or stripes 20, 80, 90 or conducting (armchair) nano tubes 40 are arranged in the horizontal direction.
  • low work function nano emitters 50 and nano collector metals 70 are provided, where both could also be identical materials or structures.
  • the low work function nano emitters 50 could consist of Ba, or could be a Ba monolayer on a Fe or Ni catalyst nano particle, or could be a Scandate complex on a catalyst particle.
  • the right outermost upper carbon nano tube 60 is also interconnected it at its side portion with a conducting nano tube 40 so as to connect to a collecting conducting nano tube 72 which may function as another nano collector.
  • the carbon nano tubes 60 could be half tubes or tubes with a slit, in order to be under vacuum provided by the vacuum (mini-) tube 30 surrounding it, which also has some pumping means, or getters (not shown).
  • the high surface conductivity of the nano structures can be used, when exposed to vacuum, e.g. within a surrounding vacuum box or the like.
  • the selection of semiconducting nano tubes can be achieved e.g. via conductivity, where a current is passed through the lawn of carbon nano tubes and a magnetic field is applied from the side to exert a mechanical force in order to remove the conducting carbon nano tubes.
  • other known means can be applied for selection of semiconducting carbon nano tubes.
  • Manufacturing of the proposed vacuum circuit or switching elements can be based on patterned catalyst seeded sandwich growth and self-assembly. It can be started with single circuit elements, which can be extended to arrays. Then, the arrays can be restructured according to the circuitry needed.
  • vacuum nano electronic switching and circuit elements based on hollow electron conductors evacuated by an evacuating pump have been described, which can overcome some basic limitations of solid state (ULSI) integrated circuits.
  • This can be realized by using a semiconducting nano tube, e.g. carbon nano tube, with a small emitting material spot inside, interconnect it at the sides with a conducting nano tube and connect to a collecting conducting nano tube.
  • multiple connections at the side of a semiconducting nano tube can be made and a whole network of vacuum nano ICs can be designed.
  • the vacuum nano electric switching or circuit elements can also be connected to metallic conductors.
  • a combination with solid state ULSI circuitry can be made.
  • micro to nano amounts of local getters can be applied and distributed.
  • the typical vacuum will be an ultrahigh vacuum of about 10 "8 to 10 "10 mbar pressure.
  • the vacuum nano electronic circuitry may be contained in a small evacuated and sealed box or tube. As another option, several of these elements may be contained in a larger evacuated box with getter material, which will be sealed and the getter activated after pumping down.

Abstract

The present invention relates to vacuum nano electronic switching and circuit elements based on hollow electron conductors evacuated by an evacuator, which can overcome some basic limitations of solid state (ULSI) integrated circuits. This can be realized by using a semiconducting nano tube (60), e.g. carbon nano tube,with a small emitting material spot inside, interconnect it at the sides with a conducting nano tube (40) and connect to a collecting conducting nano tube (72). Also multiple connections at the side of a semiconducting nano tube (60) can be made and a whole network of vacuum nano ICs can be designed.

Description

VACUUM NANO ELECTRONIC SWITCHING AND CIRCUIT ELEMENTS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a switching or circuit element for solid state integrated circuits, such as ultra large scale integration (ULSI) circuits. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Despite the bright perspectives of Moore's law, boosting also the performance of computers in the last decades, in the last years also limitations of solid state electronics and a possible flattening from Moore's law due to approaching physical limits showed up. Among these limitations are the cost and the physical limitations of further sizing down, increasing power dissipation with scaling down, and limited solid state electron mobility.
In order to overcome these limitations, several approaches also on nano-scaled structures have been followed. For instance researchers at the University of California, Riverside have shown for the first time that carbon nano tubes in a vacuum show excellent conductivity and can be very effective infrared detectors because of their high sensitivity to light. The findings are published in a paper titled "Bolometric Infrared Photoresponse of Suspended Single- Walled Carbon Nano tube Films", in Science, by Robert Haddon et al.
Nano tubes are members of the fullerene structural family, which also includes the spherical buckyballs. Their name is derived from their size, since the diameter of a nano tube is on the order of a few nanometers. Nano tubes are categorized as single-walled nano tubes (SWNTs) and multi-walled nano tubes (MWNTs). MWNTs consist of multiple rolled layers (concentric tubes) of graphite. Carbon nano tubes (CNTs) are allotropes of carbon with a cylindrical nano structure. These cylindrical carbon molecules have novel properties, making them potentially useful in many applications in nanotechnology, electronics, optics, and other fields of materials science, as well as potential uses in architectural fields.
The structure of a SWNT can be conceptualized by wrapping a one-atom-thick layer of graphite called graphene into a seamless cylinder. The way the graphene sheet is wrapped is represented by a pair of indices (n,m) called the chiral vector. The integers n and m denote the number of unit vectors along two directions in the honeycomb crystal lattice of graphene. If m = 0, the nano tubes are called zigzag. If n = m, the nano tubes are called armchair. Otherwise, they are called chiral.
Because of the symmetry and unique electronic structure of graphene, the structure of a nano tube strongly affects its electrical properties. For a given (n,m) nano tube, if n = m, the nano tube is metallic; if n - m is a multiple of 3, then the nano tube is semiconducting with a very small band gap, otherwise the nano tube is a moderate semiconductor. Thus all armchair (n = m) nano tubes are metallic, and nano tubes (6,4), (9, 1), etc. are semiconducting. Therefore, SWNTs are the most likely candidate for miniaturizing electronics beyond the micro electromechanical scale currently used in electronics. The most basic building block of these systems is the electric wire, and SWNTs can be excellent conductors. One useful application of SWNTs is in the development of the first
intramolecular field effect transistors (FET). The fabrication of carbon nano tube field effect transistors has been described in T. Yamada, Phys. Rev. B 69, 125408, 2004. Furthermore, P.K. Bachmann, Z. Chen et al : "Nanotechnology" 17 (2006) 1062-1066 discloses a formation of sandwich interconnects between CNTs. Production of the first intramolecular logic gate using SWNT FETs has recently become possible as well. To create a logic gate, both a p-FET and an n-FET are needed. Because SWNTs are p-FETs when exposed to oxygen and n-FETs otherwise, it is possible to protect half of an SWNT from oxygen exposure, while exposing the other half to oxygen. This results in a single SWNT that acts as a NOT logic gate with both p and n-type FETs within the same molecule.
Recently, a nanoscale carbon composite featuring a self-organizing structure has been developed by combining carbon nano tubes and graphene. CNTs have advantageous properties including high thermal conductivity and high current-density tolerance, while graphene is known for its high electron mobility. In physics, electron mobility relates the drift velocity of electrons "¾ to an applied electric field E across a material, according to the formula:
% - μΕ where ¾ is the drift velocity in m/s , E is the applied electric field in V/m and μ is the mobility in m2/(V-s).
Electron mobility μ is related to electrical conductivity σ via the relation: σ = ηβμ , where e is the charge and n be the number density of electrons. Typical electron mobility for Si at room temperature (300 K) is 1400 cm2/ (V-s) and the hole mobility is around 450 cm2/ (V-s).
As pointed out above, very high mobility has been found in several low- dimensional material systems, such as carbon nano tubes (100,000 cm2/ V-s at room temperature) and more recently, graphene (200,000 cm2/ V-s at low temperature). Organic semiconductors (polymer, oligomer) developed thus far have carrier mobilities below 10 cm2/(V-s), and usually much lower.
However, solid state electronics (SSE) limitations are related to the fact, that with shrinking dimensions below 43 nm and further down and limited solid state electron mobility heat dissipation is massively growing and hence more and more efficient cooling is needed. Despite concepts such as depressed collectors and design improvements, the principal problem can be reduced a bit, but cannot completely be solved. Also from energy saving needs a new approach is needed in following Moore's Law.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new approach for nano structures to overcome SSE limitations.
This object is achieved by a circuit element as claimed in claim 1 and an integrated circuit as claimed in claim 8.
Accordingly, unlimited mobility of electrons in vacuum can be provided in combination with nano structures or inside less conducting nano structures. This enables new possibilities for fast switching and nanoscale integrated circuits (ICs) with very low power dissipation. The proposed vacuum nano electronic switching and circuit elements based on hollow evacuated electron conductors can thus overcome or at least mitigate the above limitations of solid state (ULSI) integrated circuits.
According to a first aspect, the evacuator may comprises a vacuum tube surrounding the semiconducting nano tube and having a vacuum pump or getter, wherein the semiconducting nano tube may be a half tube or a tube with a slit in order to provide the vacuum path by the vacuum tube. Thereby, good integration on minimum space can be achieved.
According to a second aspect which can be combined with the first aspect, the nano emitter may comprise an emitting material spot of low work function inside the semiconducting nano tube. This ensures that an electron current can be easily generated and guided through the vacuum path inside the nano tube.
According to a third aspect which can be combined with the first or second aspect, the emitting material spot may be made of barium (Ba) or of a Ba mono layer on an iron (Fe) or nickel (Ni) catalyst nano particle, or of a scandate complex on a catalyst particle. These materials are suitable to provide a low work function.
According to a fourth aspect which can be combined with at least one of the first to third aspects, the semiconducting nano tube may comprise a zigzag carbon nano tube. By selecting a zig zag type nano tube the desired semiconducting behaviour of the nano tube can be provided..
According to a fifth aspect which can be combined with at least one of the first to fourth aspects, the nano collector may comprise a collecting conducting nano tube. This ensures a good guidance of the electron current towards the nano collector.
According to a sixth aspect which can be combined with at least one of the first to fifth aspects, a conducting nano tube or graphene sheet sector may be provided for providing an interconnection at side portions of the semiconducting nano tube. Thereby, interconnections may easily be established to design whole networks of vacuum nano ICs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter. The Figure shows a schematic view of an example of a section of a nano vacuum integrated circuit with vacuum switching elements according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
In the following embodiments, a vacuum network or switching element is obtained by providing a vacuumized semiconducting nano tube, e.g. carbon nano tube, with a small emitting material spot (e.g. Ba) inside, e.g. at the bottom, interconnect it at the sides with a conducting nano tube and connect to a collecting conducting nano tube.
According to some embodiments, semiconducting nano tubes are used, which possess a much lower electrical conductivity, but can be used a nano-building blocks for nano-ICs. More specifically, vacuum nano electronic switching and circuit elements are provided based on hollow evacuated electron conductors, which can overcome some basic limitations of solid state (ULSI) integrated circuits. The proposed concept is based on nano structures, where the electron current is moving through vacuum, from a nano emitter to a nano collector. These vacuum paths are provided by an evacuator or evacuation element or evacuation structure and can be repeated in sequence several times. They can be realized e.g. by using a semiconducting e.g. carbon nano tube with a small emitting material spot (e.g. Ba) of very low work function inside at the bottom. In solid state physics, the work function is the minimum energy (usually measured in electron volts) needed to remove an electron from a solid to a point immediately outside the solid surface (or energy needed to move an electron from the Fermi level into vacuum). Here "immediately" means that the final electron position is far from the surface on the atomic scale but still close to the solid on the macroscopic scale. The work function is a characteristic property for any solid face of a substance with a conduction band (whether empty or partly filled).
Multiple connections at the side of a semiconducting nano tube can be made and a whole network of vacuum nano ICs can be designed. The vacuum path can be generated by a vacuum tube or box surrounding the nano tubes. Interconnects at the sides of carbon nano tubes can also be made by graphene sheet sectors. Also micro- to nano amounts of local getters can be applied and distributed to provide (sustain) for the required vacuum.
Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of an example of a section of a nano vacuum integrated circuit with vacuum switching elements according to an embodiment. Zigzag semiconducting carbon nano tubes 60 are oriented in the vertical direction and connected to terminal portions 10. Side interconnects of graphene sectors or stripes 20, 80, 90 or conducting (armchair) nano tubes 40 are arranged in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, low work function nano emitters 50 and nano collector metals 70 are provided, where both could also be identical materials or structures. The low work function nano emitters 50 could consist of Ba, or could be a Ba monolayer on a Fe or Ni catalyst nano particle, or could be a Scandate complex on a catalyst particle. The right outermost upper carbon nano tube 60 is also interconnected it at its side portion with a conducting nano tube 40 so as to connect to a collecting conducting nano tube 72 which may function as another nano collector.
Furthermore, the carbon nano tubes 60 could be half tubes or tubes with a slit, in order to be under vacuum provided by the vacuum (mini-) tube 30 surrounding it, which also has some pumping means, or getters (not shown).
In a further embodiment also the high surface conductivity of the nano structures can be used, when exposed to vacuum, e.g. within a surrounding vacuum box or the like. The selection of semiconducting nano tubes can be achieved e.g. via conductivity, where a current is passed through the lawn of carbon nano tubes and a magnetic field is applied from the side to exert a mechanical force in order to remove the conducting carbon nano tubes. As an alternative, other known means can be applied for selection of semiconducting carbon nano tubes.
Manufacturing of the proposed vacuum circuit or switching elements can be based on patterned catalyst seeded sandwich growth and self-assembly. It can be started with single circuit elements, which can be extended to arrays. Then, the arrays can be restructured according to the circuitry needed.
In summary, vacuum nano electronic switching and circuit elements based on hollow electron conductors evacuated by an evacuating pump have been described, which can overcome some basic limitations of solid state (ULSI) integrated circuits. This can be realized by using a semiconducting nano tube, e.g. carbon nano tube, with a small emitting material spot inside, interconnect it at the sides with a conducting nano tube and connect to a collecting conducting nano tube. Also multiple connections at the side of a semiconducting nano tube can be made and a whole network of vacuum nano ICs can be designed.
The vacuum nano electric switching or circuit elements can also be connected to metallic conductors. A combination with solid state ULSI circuitry can be made. Also micro to nano amounts of local getters can be applied and distributed. The typical vacuum will be an ultrahigh vacuum of about 10"8 to 10"10 mbar pressure. The vacuum nano electronic circuitry may be contained in a small evacuated and sealed box or tube. As another option, several of these elements may be contained in a larger evacuated box with getter material, which will be sealed and the getter activated after pumping down.
Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.
In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor, sensing unit or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.
Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. A circuit element comprising:
a. a nano emitter (50)
b. a nano collector (70, 72);
c. a semiconducting nano tube (60); and
d. an evacuator (30) for evacuating at least a portion of said circuit element to provide a vacum path for an electron current from said nano emitter (50) to said nano collector (70) through said semiconducting nano tube (60).
2. The circuit element according to claim 1, wherein said evacuator comprises a vacuum tube (30) surrounding said semiconducting nano tube (60) and having a vacuum pump or getter, and wherein said semiconducting nano tube (60) is a half tube or a tube with a slit in order to provide said vacuum path by said vacuum tube (30).
3. The circuit element according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said nano emitter (50) comprises an emitting material spot of low work function inside said semiconducting nano tube (60).
4. The circuit element according to claim 3, wherein emitting material spot is made of Ba or of a Ba mono layer on a Fe or Ni catalyst nano particle, or of a Scandate complex on a catalyst particle.
5. The circuit element according to claim 1, wherein said semiconducting nano tube (60) comprises a zigzag carbon nano tube.
6. The circuit element according to claim 1, wherein said nano collector comprises collecting conducting nano tube (72).
7. The circuit element according to claim 1, further comprising a conducting nano tube (40) or graphene sheet sector (20, 90) for providing an interconnection at side portions of said semiconducting nano tube (60).
8. An integrated circuit comprising a plurality of circuit elements according to claim 6, interconnected by said interconnection.
PCT/IB2012/053328 2011-07-20 2012-06-29 Vaccum nano electronic switching and circuit elements. WO2013011399A1 (en)

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