Novel approach to fabricating carbon nanotube via interconnects using size-controlled catalyst nanoparticles

We propose a new approach to fabricating carbon nanotube (CNT) vias, which uses preformed catalyst nanoparticles to grow CNTs. A newly-designed impactor provided size-classified catalyst particles, and a new deposition system injected them into via holes down to 40 nm in diameter. The resultant CNT-via resistance was 0.59 Omega for 2-mum vias, which is the lowest ever reported, improved from the previous studies using catalyst films. The improvement resulted from higher-density CNTs grown in the via holes by employing the nanoparticle catalyst