摘要:
Nanotube ESD protective devices and corresponding nonvolatile and volatile nanotube switches. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for protecting a protected circuit is coupled to an input pad. The ESD circuit includes a nanotube switch electrically having a control. The switch is coupled to the protected circuit and to a discharge path. The nanotube switch is controllable, in response to electrical stimulation of the control, between a de-activated state and an activated state. The activated state creates a current path so that a signal on the input pad flows to the discharge path to cause the signal at the input pad to remain within a predefined operable range for the protected circuit. The nanotube switch, the input pad, and the protected circuit may be on a semiconductor chip. The nanotube switch may be on a chip carrier. The deactivated and activated states may be volatile or non-volatile depending on the embodiment. The ESD circuit may be repeatedly programmed between the activated and deactivated states so as to repeatedly activate and deactivate ESD protection of the protected circuit. The nanotube switch provides protection based on the magnitude of the signal on the input pad.
摘要:
Sensor platforms and methods of making them are described. A platform having a non-horizontally oriented sensor element comprising one or more nanostructures such as nanotubes is described. Under certain embodiments, a sensor element has or is made to have an affinity for an analyte. Under certain embodiments, such a sensor element comprises one or more pristine nanotubes. Under certain embodiments, the sensor element comprises derivatized or functionalized nanotubes. Under certain embodiments, a sensor is made by providing a support structure; providing one or more nanotubes on the structure to provide material for a sensor element; and providing circuitry to electrically sense the sensor element's electrical characterization. Under certain embodiments, the sensor element comprises pre-derivatized or pre-functionalized nanotubes. Under other embodiments, sensor material is derivatized or functionalized after provision on the structure or after patterning. Under certain embodiments, a large-scale array of sensor platforms includes a plurality of sensor elements.
摘要:
EEPROMS Using Carbon Nanotubes for Cell Storage. An electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) cell includes cell selection circuitry and a storage cell for storing the informational state of the cell. The storage cell is an electro-mechanical data retention cell in which the physical positional state of a storage cell element represents the informational state of the cell. The storage cell element is a carbon nanotube switching element. The storage is writable with supply voltages used by said cell selection circuitry. The storage is writable and readable via said selection circuitry with write times and read times being within an order of magnitude. The write times and read times are substantially the same. The storage has no charge storage or no charge trapping.
摘要:
Nanotube-based switching elements and logic circuits. Under one aspect, a switching element includes an input node; an output node; a nanotube channel element comprising a ribbon of nanotube fabric; and a control electrode disposed in relation to the nanotube channel element to form an electrically conductive channel between the input node and the output node, wherein the electrically conductive channel at least includes the nanotube channel element. Under another aspect, a switching element includes an input node; an output node; a nanotube channel element comprising at least one electrically conductive nanotube, the nanotube being clamped at both ends by a clamping structure; and a control electrode disposed in relation to the nanotube channel element to form an electrically conductive channel between the input node and the output node, wherein the electrically conductive channel at least includes the nanotube channel element.
摘要:
One-time programmable, non-volatile field effect devices and methods of making same. Under one embodiment, a one-time-programmable, non-volatile field effect device includes a source, drain and gate with a field-modulatable channel between the source and drain. Each of the source, drain, and gate has a corresponding terminal. An electromechanically-deflectable, nanotube switching element is electrically coupled to one of the source, drain and gate and has an electromechanically-deflectable nanotube element that is positioned to be deflectable in response to electrical stimulation to form a non-volatile closed electrical state between the one of the source, drain and gate and its corresponding terminal.
摘要:
Non-volatile field effect devices and circuits using same. A non-volatile field effect device includes a source, drain and gate with a field-modulatable channel between the source and drain. Each of the source, drain, and gate have a corresponding terminal. An electromechanically-deflectable, nanotube switching element is electrically positioned between one of the source, drain and gate and its corresponding terminal. The others of the source, drain and gate are directly connected to their corresponding terminals. The nanotube switching element is electromechanically-deflectable in response to electrical stimulation at two control terminals to create one of a non-volatile open and non-volatile closed electrical communication state between the one of the source, drain and gate and its corresponding terminal. Under one embodiment, one of the two control terminals has a dielectric surface for contact with the nanotube switching element when creating a non-volatile open state. Under one embodiment, the source, drain and gate may be stimulated at any voltage level from ground to supply voltage, and wherein the two control terminals are stimulated at any voltage level from ground to a switching threshold voltage larger in magnitude than the supply voltage. Under one embodiment, the nanotube switching element includes an article made from nanofabric that is positioned between the two control terminals. Under one embodiment, one of the two control terminals is a release electrode for electrostatically pulling the nanotube article out of contact with the one of the source, drain and gate so as to form a non-volatile open state. Under one embodiment, the other of the two control terminals is a set electrode for electrostatically pulling the nanotube article into contact with the one of the source, drain and gate so as to form a non-volatile closed state.
摘要:
Field effect devices having a drain controlled via a nanotube switching element. Under one embodiment, a field effect device includes a source region and a drain region of a first semiconductor type and a channel region disposed therebetween of a second semiconductor type. The source region is connected to a corresponding terminal. A gate structure is disposed over the channel region and connected to a corresponding terminal. A nanotube switching element is responsive to a first control terminal and a second control terminal and is electrically positioned in series between the drain region and a terminal corresponding to the drain region. The nanotube switching element is electromechanically operable to one of an open and closed state to thereby open or close an electrical communication path between the drain region and its corresponding terminal. When the nanotube switching element is in the closed state, the channel conductivity and operation of the device is responsive to electrical stimulus at the terminals corresponding to the source and drain regions and the gate structure.
摘要:
Nanowire articles and methods of making the same are disclosed. A conductive article includes a plurality of inter-contacting nanowire segments that define a plurality of conductive pathways along the article. The nanowire segments may be semiconducting nanowires, metallic nanowires, nanotubes, single walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, or nanowires entangled with nanotubes. The various segments may have different lengths and may include segments having a length shorter than the length of the article. A strapping material may be positioned to contact a portion of the plurality of nanowire segments. The strapping material may be patterned to create the shape of a frame with an opening that exposes an area of the nanowire fabric. Such a strapping layer may also be used for making electrical contact to the nanowire fabric especially for electrical stitching to lower the overall resistance of the fabric.
摘要:
Under one aspect, a field effect device includes a gate, a source, and a drain, with a conductive channel between the source and the drain; and a nanotube switch having a corresponding control terminal, said nanotube switch being positioned to control electrical conduction through said conductive channel. Under another aspect, a field effect device includes a gate having a corresponding gate terminal; a source having a corresponding source terminal; a drain having a corresponding drain terminal; a control terminal; and a nanotube switching element positioned between one of the gate, source, and drain and its corresponding terminal and switchable, in response to electrical stimuli at the control terminal and at least one of the gate, source, and drain terminals, between a first non-volatile state that enables current flow between the source and the drain and a second non-volatile state that disables current flow between the source and the drain.
摘要:
Nanotube ESD protective devices and corresponding nonvolatile and volatile nanotube switches. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for protecting a protected circuit is coupled to an input pad. The ESD circuit includes a nanotube switch electrically having a control. The switch is coupled to the protected circuit and to a discharge path. The nanotube switch is controllable, in response to electrical stimulation of the control, between a de-activated state and an activated state. The activated state creates a current path so that a signal on the input pad flows to the discharge path to cause the signal at the input pad to remain within a predefined operable range for the protected circuit. The nanotube switch, the input pad, and the protected circuit may be on a semiconductor chip. The nanotube switch may be on a chip carrier. The deactivated and activated states may be volatile or non-volatile depending on the embodiment. The ESD circuit may be repeatedly programmed between the activated and deactivated states so as to repeatedly activate and deactivate ESD protection of the protected circuit. The nanotube switch provides protection based on the magnitude of the signal on the input pad.