A Brief Overview of Emerging Nanoelectronics

Current semiconductor technology is projected to reach its physical limit in about a decade. To satisfy the ever-growing consumer desire for small, high-speed, low-power, and “all-in-one” devices, scientists and engineers are actively seeking solutions to continue technology trends into the future. Nanotechnology, with wide electronics applications, promises breakthroughs for the future. The fundamental principles of nanotechnology lie in nanoscience, the study of materials and phenomena at atomic scales, where macroscopic properties are no longer relevant. Nanotechnology is thus the application of nanoscience, encompassing physical, chemical and biological systems at scales up to 100 nanometers (nm), as well as integration of nanostructures into macroscopic systems. Nanotechnology covers a wide range of science and engineering fields, but its current active areas of research and development can be divided into four groups—nanomaterials, nanometrology, nanoelectronics, and bio-nanotechnology. Nanomaterials have structured components with at least one dimension at the nanometer scale; for example, nanoparticles are considered three-dimensional nanomaterials. Nanometrology is the science of measurement at nanometer scales. It involves the measurement and characterization of nanomaterials (i.e. size, shape, properties, etc.) as well as development of tools for measurement and characterization. It is a crucial area because it facilitates nanotechnology research and sets the standard for industrial practice. Bio-nanotechnology deals with biophysical, biochemical and biomedical mechanisms, properties, and applications at molecular scales. This paper focuses on nanoelectronics, the application of nanotechnology in electronics. Specifically, carbon nanotubes, nanowires, and quantum dots (nanocrystals) are discussed, because of their great potential for electronic systems.