Georgia Tech pushes nanotech research with low-temp carbon nanotube tool
As ICs increase in density and functionality, speeds go up and heat increases. Georgia Tech has purchased a new tool to produce carbon nanotube heatsink structures for heat conduction and dissipation.
By Gail Flower, Contributing Editor -- EDN, March 4, 2009
Planning to push its nanotechnology research forward, Georgia Tech has ordered a nanomaterial growth tool, the NanoGrowth 1000n, from Surrey NanoSystems for the production of precision carbon nanotubes and related nanomaterials to be grown at 350ºC.
A leader in nanoscience and nanotechnology research, this is not the first tool for growing carbon nanotubes on substrates at Georgia Tech, with others in individual labs and customized for the research done in each particular lab. It is rather the first commercial system for the new Marcus Nanotechnology Building on campus, finished in November 2008, and is located in a 30,000-sq-ft. clean room.
At Georgia Tech, the schools of chemistry, chemical and bimolecular engineering, electrical and computer engineering, materials science and engineering, and physics and the Georgia Tech Research Institute are collectively involved in interdisciplinary research in nanoscience.
Nanotubes are hollow fibers of carbon molecules. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes made by the pure carbon arc method are carbon crystals that form inside drops of glass-coated liquid carbon. Getting nanotubes out of the research lab and into electronics applications represents the next step. Once produced, carbon nanotubes can be used as an interface material, dissipating heat on a silicon die or on top of a heat spreader to reduce resistance in transferring energy.
The lowered temperature of the new tool helps researchers grow nanotubes on a wide range of substrates including active silicon devices and flexible substrates. NanoGrowth has both CVD (chemical vapor deposition) and PCVD (plasma-enhanced CVD) processing capability and can be used for carbon nanotube growth in a wide range of temperatures ranging from 350ºC to 1000ºC. According to the company, the NanoGrowth tool can grow material across substrates as large as 4 inches (100 mm).
Baratunde Cola, an assistant professor at the George W Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, specified the equipment after comparing it to the capability of other tools.
“I just established a research group called NEST– NanoEngineered Systems and Transport Research Group–at Georgia Tech, and this will be one of NEST’s first tools,” said Cola.
Noting that there are not many manufacturers specifically for this field, Cola said he went to Surrey University to test samples in Surrey NanoSystems' R&D lab.
"For years now most people used systems not designed for growing nanotubes specifically, and this one has thermal control, easy interface with the user, and it’s scalable," Cola said. "Our focus is on energy management using nanotube heatsinks on materials between the chip and the package. NEST is also working on solar energy conversion too, based on nanotubes.”
Cola expects the NanoGrowth 1000n tool to be delivered at Georgia Tech’s user facility this summer. The price paid for the tool was not disclosed.
