Determination of the effective Young's modulus of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays: a simple nanotube-based varactor.

The electromechanical properties of arrays of vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes were studied in a parallel plate capacitor geometry. The electrostatic actuation was visualized using both optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and highly reproducible behaviour was achieved for actuation voltages below the pull-in voltage. The walls of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes behave as solid cohesive units. The effective Young's modulus for the carbon nanotube arrays was determined by comparing the actuation results with the results of electrostatic simulations and was found to be exceptionally low, of the order of 1-10 MPa. The capacitance change and Q-factor were determined by measuring the frequency dependence of the radio-frequency transmission. Capacitance changes of over 20% and Q-factors in the range 100-10 were achieved for a frequency range of 0.2-1.5 GHz.

Through silicon vias filled with planarized carbon nanotube bundles.

The feasibility of using carbon nanotube (CNT) bundles as the fillers of through silicon vias (TSVs) has been demonstrated. CNT bundles are synthesized directly inside TSVs by thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD). The growth of CNTs in vias is found to be highly dependent on the geometric dimensions and arrangement patterns of the vias at atmospheric pressure. The CNT-Si structure is planarized by a combined lapping and polishing process to achieve both a high removal rate and a fine surface finish. Electrical tests of the CNT TSVs have been performed and their electrical resistance was found to be in the few hundred ohms range. The reasons for the high electrical resistance have been discussed and possible methods to decrease the electrical resistance have been proposed.