Capacitor with carbon nanotubes

Abstract

In one embodiment, a capacitor comprises a substrate defining a first electrical terminal; a catalyst layer disposed on the substrate; a plurality of carbon nanotubes disposed on the catalyst layer; a dielectric layer disposed over the plurality of carbon nanotubes; and a conductive layer disposed on the dielectric layer and defining a second electrical terminal.

1 . A method of forming a capacitor, comprising: 
 forming a catalyst layer on a substrate;    forming a plurality of carbon nanotubes on the catalyst layer to electrically couple the plurality of carbon nanotubes through the catalyst layer to the substrate;    forming a dielectric layer over the plurality of carbon nanotubes; and    depositing a conductive layer on the dielectric layer.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 forming at least one first electrical connection to the substrate; and    forming at least one second electrical connection to the conductive layer.    
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the dielectric layer includes depositing a dielectric material over the plurality of carbon nanotubes.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the catalyst layer on the substrate includes forming a solid catalyst layer on the substrate.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the forming of the dielectric layer over the plurality of carbon nanotubes includes also forming the dielectric layer over a plurality of exposed portions of the catalyst layer disposed between the plurality of carbon nanotubes.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the catalyst layer on the substrate includes forming a plurality of islands of the catalyst material on the substrate and the forming of the plurality of carbon nanotubes on the catalyst layer includes forming the plurality of carbon nanotubes on the plurality of islands of the catalyst material.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the forming of the dielectric layer over the plurality of carbon nanotubes includes also forming the dielectric layer over a plurality of exposed portions of the substrate disposed between the plurality of carbon nanotubes.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the dielectric layer over the plurality of carbon nanotubes includes functionalizing the plurality of carbon nanotubes to include a dielectric material.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 prior to the forming the plurality of carbon nanotubes on the catalyst layer, forming a mask on the catalyst layer, with the mask having a plurality pores;    wherein the forming of the plurality of carbon nanotubes on the catalyst layer includes forming the plurality of carbon nanotubes in the plurality of pores; and    wherein the depositing of the conductive layer on the dielectric layer includes depositing the conductive material over the plurality of functionalized carbon nanotubes and the mask disposed between the functionalized carbon nanotubes.    
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the dielectric layer over the plurality of carbon nanotubes includes forming of a linear dielectric layer over the plurality of carbon nanotubes.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the dielectric layer over the plurality of carbon nanotubes includes forming of a ceramic dielectric layer over the plurality of carbon nanotubes.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the plurality of carbon nanotubes on the catalyst layer includes locating the plurality of carbon nanotubes on the catalyst layer to be relatively uniformly spaced-apart from each other.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 forming with a mask a plurality of protected areas and a plurality of unprotected areas on a surface of the catalyst layer;    filling a plurality of regions adjacent the protected areas with a dielectric material;    forming a via in the dielectric material in one of the regions;    wherein the forming of the plurality of carbon nanotubes on the catalyst layer includes forming the plurality of the carbon nanotubes on the plurality of unprotected areas of the surface of the catalyst layer.