High Linearity RF Amplifiers from Carbon Nanotubes

The Key to further improving the data rate in data communication while minimizing the power consumption is to improve the linearity of a power amplifiers in the system. Carbon Nanotube (CNT) offer intrinsically linear behavior, but to realize advanced linearity in a practical device requires high quality CNT material, and a fabrication process that can take the full advantage of the superior properties of CNTs. Carbon Technology, Inc has already made significant progress in CNT material synthesis and device fabrication process development suitable for such amplifiers. In this project, CNT transistors will be fabricated using high quality, semiconductor enriched, CVD grown material using a new fabrication process developed specifically to optimize linearity. The dielectric layer in FETs is critical in realizing the superior linearity possible from CNT devices where the doping profile is critical for the performance. The Company will expand upon techniques pioneered by Prof. Franklin's group at Duke where carefully controlled dielectric film deposition is used to engineer the specific Schottky barrier height needed to deliver linear operation. The goal of this project is to demonstrate CNT transistors with higher linearity than any existing technology while developing a process which can be readily adapted for volume manufacturing.