Dynamic crosstalk analysis of mixed multi-walled carbon nanotube bundle interconnects

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) bundles have potentially provided attractive solutions in current nanoscale VLSI interconnects. From fabrication point of view, it is difficult to control the growth of a densely packed bundle having MWCNTs with similar diameters. A realistic bundle is combination of MWCNTs with different number of shells. Thus, this research work focuses on the analytical model of a bundle having the MWCNTs with different number of shells or in turn different diameters [mixed MWCNT bundle (MMB)]. Based on the multi-conductor transmission line theory, an equivalent single conductor (ESC) model is employed for the proposed MMB arrangements. The ESC model of MMB is used to compare the dynamic crosstalk delay with conventionally arranged bundle containing MWCNTs with similar diameters [MWCNT bundle (MB)] under different input transition time and spacing conditions. It is observed that a realistic MMB correctly estimates the crosstalk delay for the different transition time that overestimates the delay of a conventionally arranged MB by 1.35 times. Moreover, the MMB arrangement reduces the overall crosstalk delay by 47.26% compared with the conventional MB arrangements for an inter-bundle spacing ranging from 5 to 30 nm.