%0 Journal Article
%T Signal Integrity Analysis in Single and Bundled Carbon Nanotube Interconnects
%A Manoj Kumar Majumder
%A Nisarg D. Pandya
%A B. K. Kaushik
%A S. K. Manhas
%J Journal of Nanoscience
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/407301
%X Carbon nanotube (CNT) can be considered as an emerging interconnect material in current nanoscale regime. They are more promising than other interconnect materials such as Al or Cu because of their robustness to electromigration. This research paper aims to address the crosstalk-related issues (signal integrity) in interconnect lines. Different analytical models of single- (SWCNT), double- (DWCNT), and multiwalled CNTs (MWCNT) are studied to analyze the crosstalk delay at global interconnect lengths. A capacitively coupled three-line bus architecture employing CMOS driver is used for accurate estimation of crosstalk delay. Each line in bus architecture is represented with the equivalent RLC models of single and bundled SWCNT, DWCNT, and MWCNT interconnects. Crosstalk delay is observed at middle line (victim) when it switches in opposite direction with respect to the other two lines (aggressors). Using the data predicted by ITRS 2012, a comparative analysis on the basis of crosstalk delay is performed for bundled SWCNT/DWCNT and single MWCNT interconnects. It is observed that the overall crosstalk delay is improved by 40.92% and 21.37% for single MWCNT in comparison to bundled SWCNT and bundled DWCNT interconnects, respectively. 1. Introduction Advancement of VLSI technology leads to the development of high-speed complex integrated circuits (ICs) in current nanoscale regime. Due to shrinking feature sizes and increasing clock frequency, interconnect plays an important role in determining the overall circuit performance. Therefore, in recent technology, interconnect delay dominates over the gate delay. The global interconnects are widely employed to distribute data, clock, power supply, and ground throughout the entire area of an IC. At global interconnect, most materials (such as Al or Cu) are susceptible to electromigration due to higher current density. This electromigration problem substantially affects the reliability of high-speed VLSI circuits. To avoid such problems, researchers are forced to find an alternative solution for global VLSI interconnects. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be considered as alternative interconnect material in current nanoscale regime. After discovery in 1991 [1], CNTs have received tremendous research interest for their unique mechanical [2], electrical [3], thermal [4], and chemical properties [5]. The bonding in graphene is even stronger than the bonds in diamond that gives CNTs extremely high mechanical strength [6]. The unique electrical and thermal properties are primarily due to the movement of electrons in
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jns/2013/407301/