Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Circuits Better with Purer Nanotubes

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the now-that's-good-nanotube dept.

Mark_Uplanguage writes "PhysicsWeb has an article on improving techniques for the use of carbon nanotubes in electronic circuits. From the article, 'Physicists in the US have developed a new method for making electronic circuits with carbon nanotubes. The technique involves dipping semiconductor chips into a purified solution of nanotubes, rather than the conventional method of growing the nanotubes directly onto the chips. The resulting devices are much better than those produced by other approaches.'"

4 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. Any More? by irokie · · Score: 5, Interesting

    does any one have a link to an article that's more than just a blurb? What are the applications? How long before we can built Logic out of these chips? According to TFA, all they've managed to create so far is an FET...

    --
    and if you see me strut, remind me of what left this outlaw torn...
  2. Interesting Chips Debate by fruey · · Score: 5, Funny

    The technique involves dipping your chips into a purified solution of ketchup, rather than the conventional method of throwing the ketchup directly onto the chips.

    So, are you a dipper or do you cover them with sauce first? Science have proved that the dippers are using a superior technique...

    chips: n. [British] Fried potatoes cut into thick rectangular strips. see fries [American].

    --
    Conversion Rate Optimisation French / English consultant
  3. Clarification... by wikdwarlock · · Score: 5, Informative

    These are not "purer nanotubes". They are more nanotubes and less other junk. Nanotubes grown on a surface will tend to also create other carbon molecules like ash, diamond crystalites, and even buckyballs. The purified stuff is simple this same mix of materials, but filtered to only have the tubes. They're still the same quality of tubes, just not dilluted w/ other crud.

    --

    "I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer." -Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear
  4. What is new in here ? by karvind · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I am sure researchers working on CNT (carbon nanotubes) will back me up on this. But what is new in here ?

    (a) No, these transistors are no better. If you check the nature article, the contacts to the transistors are still lousy (technically, they are still schottky and not ohmic). And contact resistance is too high.

    (b) No, they don't really get the nanotubes where they want as claimed in the article. The alignment using this technique is still worse (will require substantial effort to make it better).

    (c) One of the bigger drawbacks which was conveniently ignored was the fact that they still cannnot control the number of tubes between the two contacts. So it can be 1 or 2 or 5 and so your current or other properties will vary that much. This technique doesn't make this problem any better.

    (d) Last but not the least, no comment about the role of oxygen. All other researchers struggle due to hysteresis behavior, these devices look similar to them.