The current trend in electronics is the miniaturization of devices to improve performance- increase in speed, density and efficiency. In this widely demanded process, the traditional silicon technologies are reaching the minimum size that can be achieved by guaranteeing their correct operation. Carbon nanotubes can play the same role as silicon in electronic circuits, but on a molecular scale where silicon and other semiconductors stop working.
The electronics at the molecular level will not only make conventional devices smaller but also create new ones that take advantage of the quantum effects typical of the small nanoscale in which they work.
There is something else that carbon nanotubes can contribute to electronics: they are excellent conductors of heat, which makes them ideal heat dissipaters that occurs in electronic systems.
An important feature of the electronic devices that integrate nanotubes is that they increase their useful life basically due to the mechanical properties (mechanical strength, hardness, tenacity, flexibility, and elasticity) and thermal properties (good heat conduction and structural stability at high temperatures) of the nanotubes
A major problem with the electronic applications of carbon nanotubes is that they are very susceptible to noise caused by electrical, thermal and chemical fluctuations. Although this is very positive for its application in sensors.
The nanotubes will allow advancing in the design and development of – Nanocircuits. Interconnects (nanowires). , New diodes, transistors are the fundamental components in the development of electronic products. The use of the same can be found in-
Flat Screens
These are one of the most promising applications of carbon nanotubes as field emitters.
Luminescent lamps and tubes
These are based on the same idea as flat displays, a cathode that incorporates electron-emitting multi walled carbon nanotubes that impact on an anode covered in a cathodoluminescent material.
The impact of electrons produces light. In this case, the only light is sought, not an image, so the electronics of the flat screens are not necessary.
The lamps built in this way are more efficient (more than 10 times) than the traditional ones, brighter and with longer life (more than 8,000 hours). So, they are proposed as an alternative to conventional fluorescent lamps that use highly polluting mercury for the environment.
Memories Chips
The memories manufactured with carbon nanotubes could be an interesting alternative to the current RAM memories of our computers. To begin with, they would be non-volatile memories. In addition, they would be faster, cheaper, resistant to radiation, with almost unlimited life, with large data storage capacity and with lower consumption than current ones.
Electron beam lithography (EBL – Electron Beam Lithography)
Electron lithography is a specialized technique for creating extremely thin templates, essential for the manufacture of modern electronic circuits. – PHOTONIC.
The main optical properties of the carbon nanotubes on which new photonic applications will be based are-
They present photoluminescence and are saturable absorbents of light. – Cathode ray tubes.
Nanotubes are also used in-
1. X-ray sources.
2. Microwave Amplifiers.
3. Gas discharge pipes in telecommunications networks.
4. Scanning electron microscopes.
5. RF filters.
6. SENSORS( chemical and biological, mechanical, thermal, electromagnetic, field emission).
