In order for carbon nanotube (CNT) electrical devices to be fabricated, it is necessary to obtain modifiable operation characteristics. Developing parametric equations to achieve this controllability in the vertical field-effect transistor (FET) design is an important first step toward fabrication. The capacitances associated with the physical geometry of the porous anodic alumina (PAA)-based CNTFET are explored and developed into a parametric equation for the unity current gain frequency (fT) of the device. Comparisons are drawn between predicted vertical CNTFET characteristics and those of an ideal, back-gated counterpart in the areas of unity current gain frequency and current density.

Electrical Engineering Student,
Calvin College

Undergraduate Researcher,
Purdue University

Advisor: Prof. Tim Fisher

NASA Institute for Nanoelectronics and Computing and NSF Network for Computating Nanotechnology under NASA grant no. NCC 2-1363 and NSF grant no. EEC-0228390.

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

• Dave Lyzenga (2007), "The Effect of Physical Geometry on the Frequency Response of Carbon Nanotube Field-Effect Transistors," https://nanohub.org/resources/3044.

1. carbon nanotubes
2. CNTFET
3. devices
4. nanoelectronics
5. SURI
6. transistors
7. undergraduate research