Simple fabrication technique for field-effect transistor array using as-grown single-walled carbon nanotubes

A carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (CNT-FET) is a promising candidate for future electronic devices; however, its fabrication process is still challenging. We propose a simple fabrication technique for CNT-FET arrays using as-grown single-walled CNTs (SWNTs) as the gate channel. In this study, a hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was used to restrict the catalyst-supporting area after the fabrication of an electrode array. Since it is known that droplets are trapped at rough edges of a hydrophobic surface, the deposition of a liquid-based catalyst, followed by alcohol catalytic chemical vapor deposition (ACCVD) produced SWNTs that grew only at the corners of electrode edges. The current-voltage (I-V) characterization of FETs with a 40 ̃m channel width showed that 98% of the fabricated devices were electrically connected and more than 50% were functional FETs (ION=IOFF > 102).