Exploring Carbon Nanotubes for 3D Power Delivery Networks
Abstract
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) due their unique mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties are being investigated as promising candidate material for on-chip and off-chip interconnects. The attractive mechanical properties of CNTs, including high Young’s modulus, resiliency, and low thermal expansion coefficient offer great advantage for reliable and strong interconnects, and even more so for 3D integration. Through-Silicon-Vias (TSVs) enable 3D integration and implementation of denser, faster, and heterogeneous circuits, which also lead to excessive power densities and elevated temperatures. Due to their unique properties, CNTs present an opportunity to address these challenges and provide solutions for reliable power delivery networks in 2D and 3D integration. In this chapter, we perform detailed analyses of horizontally aligned CNTs and report on their efficiency to be exploited for both 2D and 3D power delivery networks.