page_title: Carbon nanotube field-effect transistor
section_title: Introduction and background
hierarchical_section_title: Carbon nanotube field-effect transistor / Introduction and background
caption_attribution_description: English: A schematic animations of a carbon nanotube that can be formed by rolling up a graphene
context_page_description: A carbon nanotube field-effect transistor refers to a field-effect transistor that utilizes a single carbon nanotube or an array of carbon nanotubes as the channel material instead of bulk silicon in the traditional MOSFET structure. First demonstrated in 1998, there have been major developments in CNTFETs since.
context_section_description: According to Moore's law, the dimensions of individual devices in an integrated circuit have been decreased by a factor of approximately two every two years. This scaling down of devices has been the driving force in technological advances since the late 20th century. However, as noted by ITRS 2009 edition, further scaling down has faced serious limits related to fabrication technology and device performances as the critical dimension shrunk down to sub-22 nm range. The limits involve electron tunneling through short channels and thin insulator films, the associated leakage currents, passive power dissipation, short channel effects, and variations in device structure and doping. These limits can be overcome to some extent and facilitate further scaling down of device dimensions by modifying the channel material in the traditional bulk MOSFET structure with a single carbon nanotube or an array of carbon nanotubes.
caption: A diagram showing that a carbon nanotube is essentially rolled up graphene
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