Complementary symmetry nanowire logic circuits: experimental demonstrations and in silico optimizations.

Complementary symmetry (CS) Boolean logic utilizes both p- and n-type field-effect transistors (FETs) so that an input logic voltage signal will turn one or more p- or n-type FETs on, while turning an equal number of n- or p-type FETs off. The voltage powering the circuit is prevented from having a direct pathway to ground, making the circuit energy efficient. CS circuits are thus attractive for nanowire logic, although they are challenging to implement.

A 160-kilobit molecular electronic memory patterned at 10(11) bits per square centimetre.

The primary metric for gauging progress in the various semiconductor integrated circuit technologies is the spacing, or pitch, between the most closely spaced wires within a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) circuit. Modern DRAM circuits have 140 nm pitch wires and a memory cell size of 0.0408 mum(2).

Silicon p-FETs from ultrahigh density nanowire arrays.

Statistical numbers of field-effect transistors (FETs) were fabricated from a circuit of 17-nm-wide, 34-nm-pitch Si nanowires boron doped at a level of 10(18) cm-3. Top-gated 4-microm-wide Si nanowire p-FETs yielded low off-currents (approximately 10(-12) A), high on/off ratios (10(5)-10(6)), good on current values (30 microA/microm), high mobilities (approximately 100 cm2/V-s), and low subthreshold swing values (approximately 80 mV/decade between 10(-12) and 10(-10) A increasing to 200 mV/decade between 10(-10)-10(-8) A).

Circuit fabrication at 17 nm half-pitch by nanoimprint lithography.

High density metal cross bars at 17 nm half-pitch were fabricated by nanoimprint lithography. Utilizing the superlattice nanowire pattern transfer technique, a 300-layer GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice was employed to produce an array of 150 Si nanowires (15 nm wide at 34 nm pitch) as an imprinting mold. A successful reproduction of the Si nanowire pattern was demonstrated.

Nanoscale patterning of alkyl monolayers on silicon using the atomic force microscope.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 1-alkenes on hydrogen-passivated silicon substrates were successfully patterned on the nanometer scale using an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe tip. Nanoshaving experiments on alkyl monolayers formed on H-Si(111) not only demonstrate the flexibility of this technique but also show that patterning with an AFM probe is a viable method for creating well-defined, nanoscale features in a monolayer matrix in a reproducible and controlled manner. Features of varying depths (2-15 nm) were created in the alkyl monolayers by controlling the applied load and the number of etching scans made at high applied loads.