Advanced CNT-based RF-to-mm-Wave 3D Nanopackaging

Whether for niche applications (military, space, medical) or for high volume applications (portable devices, entertainment, automobile) the design of RF subsystems requires balancing packaging choices to meet demanding customer targets of cost, size and high performance. In this context, numerous efforts have recently focused on heterogeneous 3D integration of components to subsystems for future RF to mm-wave applications. However major challenges remain and as a response, RF nanotechnology offer new opportunities. It enables new nanomaterials with unique RF properties due to their small dimensions and good transport properties for more efficient interconnects, EM shielding and thermal management. This talk proposes the use of Carbon Nano Tubes (CNTs) as an emblematic case study that illustrates how fundamental nanostructured materials can be applied to innovative 3D packaging and assembling solutions of devices and systems. Our latest contributions on CNTs based solutions for RF to sub-mm-wave interconnects, and for EM shielding on chip will be described. As it will be shown, intensive research investigations on predictive modeling tools based on multi-disciplinary approaches have been done and representative prototypes operating from DC up to 100GHz have been fabricated by advanced nanotechnology processes and tested with success.