It’s Only Common Sense: The Importance of Setting Realistic Expectations
Marcy’s Musings: The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Do/Start'
Mass Production of New Class of Semiconductors Closer to Reality
February 14, 2018 | University of WaterlooEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Two Waterloo chemists have made it easier for manufacturers to produce a new class of faster and cheaper semiconductors.
The chemists have found a way to simultaneously control the orientation and select the size of single-walled carbon nanotubes deposited on a surface. That means the developers of semiconductors can use carbon as opposed to silicon, which will reduce the size and increase the speed of the devices while improving their battery life.
"We're reaching the limits of what's physically possible with silicon-based devices," said co-author Derek Schipper, Canada Research Chair Organic Material Synthesis at the University of Waterloo. "Not only would single-walled carbon nanotube-based electronics be more powerful, they would also consume less power."
The process, called the Alignment Relay Technique, relies on liquid crystals to pass orientation information to a metal-oxide surface. Small molecules called iptycenes then bond to the surface locking the orientation pattern into place. Their structure includes a small pocket large enough to fit a certain size carbon nanotube that remains after washing.
"This is the first time chemists have been able to externally control the orientation of small molecules covalently bonded to a surface," said Schipper, a professor of chemistry and a member of the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology. "We're not the first ones to come up with potential solutions to work with carbon nanotubes. But this is the only one that tackles both orientation and purity challenges at the same time."
Schipper further pointed out that the approach is from the bottom up with the use of organic chemistry to design and build a molecule which then does the hard work.
"Once you've built the pieces, the process is simple. It's a bench-top method requiring no special equipment," Schipper explained.
In contrast to self-assembly techniques which rely on the design of a suitable molecule to fit snuggly together, this process can be controlled at every step, including the size of the iptycene "pocket". In addition, this is the first a solution has been found to tackling the challenge of aligning and purifying carbon nanotubes at the same time.
The study, co-authored by Serxho Selmani, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Chemistry at Waterloo, appears this week in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
About the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo is Canada’s top innovation university. With more than 36,000 students we are home to the world's largest co-operative education system of its kind. Our unmatched entrepreneurial culture, combined with an intensive focus on research, powers one of the top innovation hubs in the world.
Share on:
Suggested Items
EV Group Forms Subsidiary in Singapore to Strengthen Local Customer Support
05/19/2025 | PRNewswireEV Group (EVG), a leading provider of innovative process solutions and expertise serving leading-edge and future semiconductor designs and chip integration schemes, announced that it has formed a fully owned subsidiary in Singapore.
In Pursuit of Perfection: Defect Reduction—May 2025 PCB007 Magazine Now Available
05/15/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamFor bare PCB board fabrication, defect reduction is a critical aspect of a company's bottom line profitability. In the May 2025 issue of PCB007 Magazine, we examine the imaging, etching, and plating processes, as well as product traceability on the shop floor, providing information and insight into how you can reduce your defects and increase yields.
Pluritec: Growth Depends on Developing Next-gen Products
05/15/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineMaurizio Bonati, VP of sales at Pluritec, says a new generation of products has driven strong business performance and a significant backlog. However, there’s a concern about the potential negative impact of tariffs. Pluritec is taking proactive measures to minimize these effects by focusing on enhancing equipment capabilities, automating processes, and expanding customer support.
Corning Collaborates with Broadcom to Accelerate AI Data Center Processing Capacity
05/14/2025 | BUSINESS WIRECorning Incorporated, a world leader in glass science and optical physics, today announced a collaboration with Broadcom Incorporated, a leading supplier in the semiconductor field, on a co-packaged optics (CPO) infrastructure that will significantly increase processing capacity within data centers.
Breaking Down Barriers: The Connectivity of Machines in SMT Production Lines
05/14/2025 | Bill Cardoso, Creative ElectronAs the world increasingly moves toward erecting trade barriers, we find ourselves in a paradox. Across the globe, the rise in tariffs and protectionist policies is creating a more fragmented global economy, with nations seeking to insulate themselves from external economic pressures. However, within the confines of the SMT production line, the trend is moving in precisely the opposite direction—toward greater connectivity, integration, and collaboration. Rather than isolating one machine from another, SMT production lines are increasingly interconnected, with data being shared across various stages of the process to improve quality, efficiency, and defect detection.