The electronics market is always looking toward new technology to improve their processing speeds, reduce their circuit size and improve their manufacturing yields. Carbon nanotubes enable electronics designers to simultaneously pursue all of these benefits due to their high electrical and thermal conductivity, their high aspect ratio and their nanoscale size.
Wafer and Hard Disk Component Handling
Semiconductor wafer processing and hard disk drive assembly typically require handling equipment, process carriers and shipping containers to be electrically dissipative and low particulating. Carbon nanotubes enable the compounding of conductive or dissipative plastics due to their high electrical conductivity. In addition, their high aspect ratio (L/D) keeps the loading level required for conductive or dissipative plastics is considerably lower than with traditional conductive fillers. Since the filler loading is kept low, the potential for particulation is minimized and manufacturing yields are maximized. Finally, since the filler loading is kept low, the filled polymer will not become brittle like traditional filled polymers do and the product life time is maximized.
Carbon Nanotube Benefits:
High yield
Consistent ESD protection
Longer carrier lifetime due to filled polymer durability
High cleanliness and ultra-low particulation
Cost effective
Transparent Conductive Coatings
For years, the only option for clear, conductive coatings in electronics has been Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) which brings with it numerous manufacturing headaches due to its required curing and brittle nature, and vacuum deposition. Carbon nanotubes are enabling the development of a new generation of clear, conductive coatings for electronics due to their high conductivity and nanoscale size. These new nanotube coatings will eliminate the traditional processing challenges while enabling the creation of new, flexible coating applications impossible with the traditional ITO technology.
Carbon Nanotube Benefits:
Simplified coating process
Consistent performance over large areas
Flexible and durable coatings
Printable Electronics
The traditional electronics manufacturing process is poised for a paradigm shift away from expensive photolithography toward inkjet technology. Carbon nanotubes are enabling this paradigm shift due to their high conductivity and nanoscale size. This combination enables the production of new inks that create the needed conductive paths at much smaller feature sizes than is currently possible.
Carbon Nanotube Benefits:
Flexible and durable printing
Easy scalability
Simplified manufacturing eliminates masking steps
Allows for high speed manufacturing processes
Nanoscale size delivers next generation circuit features
Semiconductor wafer processing and hard disk drive assembly typically require handling equipment, process carriers and shipping containers to be electrically dissipative and low particulating. Carbon nanotubes enable the compounding of conductive or dissipative plastics due to their high electrical conductivity. In addition, their high aspect ratio (L/D) keeps the loading level required for conductive or dissipative plastics is considerably lower than with traditional conductive fillers. Since the filler loading is kept low, the potential for particulation is minimized and manufacturing yields are maximized. Finally, since the filler loading is kept low, the filled polymer will not become brittle like traditional filled polymers do and the product life time is maximized.
The traditional electronics manufacturing process is poised for a paradigm shift away from expensive photolithography toward inkjet technology. Carbon nanotubes are enabling this paradigm shift due to their high conductivity and nanoscale size. This combination enables the production of new inks that create the needed conductive paths at much smaller feature sizes than is currently possible.