Tape-Assisted Transfer of Carbon Nanotube Bundles for Through-Silicon-Via Applications

Robust methods for transferring vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) bundles into through-silicon vias (TSVs) are needed since CNT growth is not compatible with complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology due to the temperature needed for growing high-quality CNTs (∼700°C). Previous methods are either too complicated or not robust enough, thereby offering too low yields. Here, a facile transfer method using tape at room temperature is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Three different kinds of tape, viz. thermal release tape, Teflon tape, and Scotch tape, were applied as the medium for CNT transfer. The CNT bundle was adhered to the tape through a flip-chip bonder, and the influence of the bonding process on the transfer results was investigated. Two-inch wafer-scale transfer of CNT bundles was realized with yields up to 97% demonstrated. After transfer, the use of several different polymers was explored for filling the gap between the transferred CNT bundle and the sidewalls of the TSV openings to improve the filling performance. The current–voltage characteristic of the CNT TSVs indicated good electrical performance, and by measuring the via resistance as a function of via thickness, contact resistances could be eliminated and an intrinsic CNT resistivity of 1.80 mΩ cm found.