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.
