Method of forming a carbon nanotube-based contact to semiconductor
US7563711B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 21, 2007 |
| Grant date | Jul 21, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 15, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/31678
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Manufacturers encounter limitations in forming low resistance ohmic electrical contact to semiconductor material P-type Gallium Nitride (p-GaN), commonly used in photonic applications, such that the contact is highly transparent to the light emission of the device. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can address this problem due to their combined metallic and semiconducting characteristics in conjunction with the fact that a fabric of CNTs has high optical transparency. The physical structure of the contact scheme is broken down into three components, a) the GaN, b) an interface material and c) the metallic conductor. The role of the interface material is to make suitable contact to both the GaN and the metal so that the GaN, in turn, will make good electrical contact to the metallic conductor that interfaces the device to external circuitry. A method of fabricating contact to GaN using CNTs and metal while maintaining protection of the GaN surface is provided.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.