MIXED CNT BUNDLE STRUCTURE AND INTERCONNECT ANALYSIS

Abstract

International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductor (ITRS) realizes the fact that Cu interconnect does not hold properties required to match the coming era of nano-technology. A new interconnect material is required that can hold current density of 33x 106 A/cm2 as per ITRS. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) during the research phase proved to be the best material suited for VLSI interconnect technology. It has unmatched electrical, mechanical, thermal and chemical properties. CNTs are classified as single and multi-walled CNTs that can be deployed as single or bundled arrangement. Bundled CNT is preferred as it decreases the contact resistance to a great extent as compared to single CNT, offering a great improvement in performances. Realizing a pure SWCNT or pure MWNCT bundle is a difficult task due to the limitation involved in process control techniques and fabrication technology. 1-lowever, a CNT bundle having different diameter CNTs is more appreciated from the fabrication point of view. In fact, mixed CNT bundle (MCB) is the natural bundle available post fabrication wherein outer diameter of CNTs follows Gaussian distribution. MCB is yet to be researched for its unparalleled performance in terms of propagation delay, power dissipation and crosstalk delay. Advancement in technology results in shrinking of device dimension that causes densely packed ICs. Therefore, it becomes increasingly difficult to fabricate a nanoscale IC with exact geometry. It results in considerable deviations of their performance. This deviation can cause logic failure that is caused by uncertainties in propagation delay from its mean value. In this dissertation report monte carlo simulations method is implemented on different CNT bundles to analyse the process induced variation on interconnect parameters as delay, crosstalk and power dissipation.