Nantero, Inc.

Other

Darren K Brock

Thomas Rueckes

Brent M Segal

Claude Louis Bertin

Venkatachalam C Jaiprakash

Bernhard Vogeli

Ramesh Sivarajan

Jonathan Wesley Ward

Eliodor G Ghenciu

Mitchell Meinhold

X M Henry Huang

Steven L Konsek

Bernard Vogeli

Under one aspect, a method of making a nanotube switch includes: providing a substrate having a first conductive terminal; depositing a multilayer nanotube fabric over the first conductive terminal; and depositing a second conductive terminal over the multilayer nanotube fabric, the nanotube fabric having a thickness, density, and composition selected to prevent direct physical and electrical contact between the first and second conductive terminals. In some embodiments, the first and second conductive terminals and the multilayer nanotube fabric are lithographically patterned so as to each have substantially the same lateral dimensions, e.g., to each have a substantially circular or rectangular lateral shape. In some embodiments, the multilayer nanotube fabric has a thickness from 10 nm to 200 nm, e.g., 10 nm to 50 nm. The structure may include an addressable diode provided under the first conductive terminal or deposited over the second terminal.

Nonvolatile nanotube diodes and nonvolatile nanotube blocks and systems using same and methods of making same

Physical neural networks based nanotechnology include dendrite circuits that comprise non-volatile nanotube switches. A first terminal of the non-volatile nanotube switches is able to receive an electrical signal and a second terminal of the non-volatile nanotube switches is coupled to a common node that sums any electrical signals at the first terminals of the nanotube switches. The neural networks further includes transfer circuits to propagate the electrical signal, synapse circuits, and axon circuits.

Carbon nanotube-based neural networks and methods of making and using same

Under one aspect, a non-volatile nanotube diode device includes first and second terminals; a semiconductor element including a cathode and an anode, and capable of forming a conductive pathway between the cathode and anode in response to electrical stimulus applied to the first conductive terminal; and a nanotube switching element including a nanotube fabric article in electrical communication with the semiconductive element, the nanotube fabric article disposed between and capable of forming a conductive pathway between the semiconductor element and the second terminal, wherein electrical stimuli on the first and second terminals causes a plurality of logic states.

Sensor platforms and methods of making them are described. A platform having a non-horizontally oriented sensor element comprising one or more nanostructures such as nanotubes is described. Under certain embodiments, a sensor element has or is made to have an affinity for an analyte. Under certain embodiments, such a sensor element comprises one or more pristine nanotubes. Under certain embodiments, the sensor element comprises derivatized or functionalized nanotubes. Under certain embodiments, a sensor is made by providing a support structure; providing one or more nanotubes on the structure to provide material for a sensor element; and providing circuitry to electrically sense the sensor element's electrical characterization. Under certain embodiments, the sensor element comprises pre-derivatized or pre-functionalized nanotubes. Under other embodiments, sensor material is derivatized or functionalized after provision on the structure or after patterning. Under certain embodiments, a large-scale array of sensor platforms includes a plurality of sensor elements.

Method of making sensor platform using a non-horizontally oriented nanotube element

Sensor platforms and methods of making them are described, and include platforms having horizontally oriented sensor elements comprising nanotubes or other nanostructures, such as nanowires. Under certain embodiments, a sensor element has an affinity for an analyte. Under certain embodiments, such a sensor element comprises one or more pristine nanotubes, and, under certain embodiments, it comprises derivatized or functionalized nanotubes. Under certain embodiments, a sensor is made by providing a support structure; providing a collection of nanotubes on the structure; defining a pattern within the nanotube collection; removing part of the collection so that a patterned collection remains to form a sensor element; and providing circuitry to electrically sense the sensor's electrical characterization. Under certain embodiments, the sensor element comprises pre-derivatized or pre-functionalized nanotubes. Under certain embodiments, sensor material is derivatized or functionalized after provision on the structure or after patterning. Under certain embodiments, a large-scale array includes multiple sensors.

Sensor platform using a horizontally oriented nanotube element

Under one aspect, a non-volatile nanotube switch includes a first terminal; a nanotube block including a multilayer nanotube fabric, at least a portion of which is positioned over and in contact with at least a portion of the first terminal; a second terminal, at least a portion of which is positioned over and in contact with at least a portion of the nanotube block, wherein the nanotube block is constructed and arranged to prevent direct physical and electrical contact between the first and second terminals; and control circuitry capable of applying electrical stimulus to the first and second terminals. The nanotube block can switch between a plurality of electronic states in response to a plurality of electrical stimuli applied by the control circuitry to the first and second terminals. For each different electronic state, the nanotube block provides an electrical pathway of different resistance between the first and second terminals.

One-time programmable, non-volatile field effect devices and methods of making same. Under one embodiment, a one-time-programmable, non-volatile field effect device includes a source, drain and gate with a field-modulatable channel between the source and drain. Each of the source, drain, and gate has a corresponding terminal. An electromechanically-deflectable, nanotube switching element is electrically coupled to one of the source, drain and gate and has an electromechanically-deflectable nanotube element that is positioned to be deflectable in response to electrical stimulation to form a non-volatile closed electrical state between the one of the source, drain and gate and its corresponding terminal.

One-time programmable, non-volatile field effect devices and methods of making same

A memory system having electromechanical memory cells and decoders is disclosed. A decoder circuit selects at least one of the memory cells of an array of such cells. Each cell in the array is a crossbar junction at least one element of which is a nanotube or a nanotube ribbon. The decoder circuit is constructed of crossbar junctions at least one element of each junction being a nanotube or a nanotube ribbon.

Device selection circuitry constructed with nanotube ribbon technology

Electromechanical circuits, such as memory cells, and methods for making same are disclosed. The circuits include a structure having electrically conductive traces and supports extending from a surface of the substrate, and nanotube ribbons suspended by the supports that cross the electrically conductive traces, wherein each ribbon comprises one or more nanotubes. The electro-mechanical circuit elements are made by providing a structure having electrically conductive traces and supports, in which the supports extend from a surface of the substrate. A layer of nanotubes is provided over the supports, and portions of the layer of nanotubes are selectively removed to form ribbons of nanotubes that cross the electrically conductive traces. Each ribbon includes one or more nanotubes.

Electromechanical memory array using nanotube ribbons and method for making same

Under one aspect, a nonvolatile nanotube diode includes: a substrate; a semiconductor element disposed over the substrate, the semiconductor element having an anode and a cathode and capable of forming an electrically conductive pathway between the anode and the cathode; a nanotube switching element disposed over the semiconductor element, the nanotube switching element including a conductive contact and a nanotube fabric element capable of a plurality of resistance states; and a conductive terminal disposed in spaced relation to the conductive contact, wherein the nanotube fabric element is interposed between and in electrical communication with the conductive contact and the conductive contact is in electrical communication with the cathode, and wherein in response to electrical stimuli applied to the anode and the conductive terminal, the nonvolatile nanotube diode is capable of forming an electrically conductive pathway between the anode and the conductive terminal.

Under one aspect, a field effect device includes a gate, a source, and a drain, with a conductive channel between the source and the drain; and a nanotube switch having a corresponding control terminal, said nanotube switch being positioned to control electrical conduction through said conductive channel. Under another aspect, a field effect device includes a gate having a corresponding gate terminal; a source having a corresponding source terminal; a drain having a corresponding drain terminal; a control terminal; and a nanotube switching element positioned between one of the gate, source, and drain and its corresponding terminal and switchable, in response to electrical stimuli at the control terminal and at least one of the gate, source, and drain terminals, between a first non-volatile state that enables current flow between the source and the drain and a second non-volatile state that disables current flow between the source and the drain.

Non-volatile electromechanical field effect devices and circuits using same and methods of forming same

Methods of producing an electromechanical circuit element are described. A lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element is provided. A nanotube ribbon (or other electromechanically responsive element) is formed on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures. An upper structure is provided over the nanotube ribbon. The upper structure includes upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element. In some arrangements, the upper and lower electrically conductive elements are in vertical alignment, but in some arrangements they are not.

Methods of making electromechanical three-trace junction devices

Under one aspect, non-volatile transistor device includes a source and drain with a channel in between; a gate structure made of a semiconductive or conductive material disposed over an insulator over the channel; a control gate made of a semiconductive or conductive material; and an electromechanically-deflectable nanotube switching element in fixed contact with one of the gate structure and the control gate structure and is not in fixed contact with the other of the gate structure and the control gate structure. The device has a network of inherent capacitances, including an inherent capacitance of an undeflected nanotube switching element in relation to the gate structure. The network is such that the nanotube switching element is deflectable into contact with the other of the gate structure and the control gate structure in response to signals being applied to the control gate and one of the source region and drain region.

Nanotube-on-gate FET structures and applications

A hybrid memory system having electromechanical memory cells is discussed. A memory cell core circuit has an array of electromechanical memory cells, in which each cell is a crossbar junction at least one element of which is a nanotube or a nanotube ribbon. An access circuit provides array addresses to the memory cell core circuit to select at least one corresponding cell. The access circuit is constructed of semiconductor circuit elements.

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Woburn, MA, United States of America

Darren K Brock