Coated nanowires comprising a core and a ferromagnetic coating are magnetically aligned and bound to a substrate. The substrate may have a thiol-functionalized surface. In some examples, the coated nanowires are nickel-coated copper nanowires and the substrate may be a carbon-doped oxide or silicon oxide.

A device relates to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a narrow-line bamboo microstructure integrated within a metal layer of the semiconductor device and a narrow-line polycrystalline microstructure. The narrow-line polycrystalline microstructure is integrated within the same metal layer as the narrow-line bamboo microstructure.

A method of forming a structure comprises forming a pattern of self-assembled nucleic acids over a material. The pattern of self-assembled nucleic acids is exposed to at least one repair enzyme to repair defects in the pattern. The repaired pattern of self-assembled nucleic acids is transferred to the material to form features therein. A method of decreasing defect density in self-assembled nucleic acids is also disclosed. Self-assembled nucleic acids exhibiting an initial defect density are formed over at least a portion of a material and the self-assembled nucleic acids are exposed to at least one repair enzyme to repair defects in the self-assembled nucleic acids. Additional methods are also disclosed.

The present disclosure is related to a method of fabricating a stacked nanographene structure which is assembled into quantum wires or ribbons. While it has been demonstrated that nanowires can be fabricated from various raw carbon materials including PAHs, research and industry has not produced a self-assembled nanowire produced from asphaltene materials that exhibits a metallic character and electronic structure. The following methods and materials can be used to produce new class of materials consisting of a self-assembled quantum wire out of asphaltene.

A device includes a non-insulator structure, a first dielectric layer, and a first conductive feature. The first dielectric layer is over the non-insulator structure. The first conductive feature is in the first dielectric layer and includes carbon nano-tubes. The first catalyst layer is between the first conductive feature and the non-insulator structure. A top of the first catalyst layer is lower than a top of the first conductive feature.

Methods and apparatus for forming a metal silicide as nanowires for back-end interconnection structures for semiconductor applications are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a metal silicide stack comprising as plurality of metal silicide layers on a substrate by a chemical vapor deposition process or a physical vapor deposition process, thermal treating the metal silicide stack in a processing chamber, applying a microwave power in the processing chamber while thermal treating the metal silicide layer; and maintaining a substrate temperature less than 400 degrees Celsius while thermal treating the metal silicide layer.

A device relates to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a narrow-line bamboo microstructure integrated within a metal layer of the semiconductor device and a narrow-line polycrystalline microstructure. The narrow-line polycrystalline microstructure is integrated within the same metal layer as the narrow-line bamboo microstructure.

A method for forming an antifuse on a substrate is provided, which comprises: forming a first conductive material on the substrate; placing the first conductive material in an electrolytic solution; performing anodic oxidation on the first conductive material to form a nanowire made of the first conductive material and surrounded by a first dielectric material formed during the anodic oxidation and to form the antifuse on the nanowire; and forming a second conductive material on the antifuse to sandwich the antifuse between the first conductive material and the second conductive material.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate and depositing a conductive layer on the substrate. A patterned hard mask and a catalyst layer are formed on the conductive layer. The method further includes growing a plurality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from the catalyst layer and etching the conductive layer by using the CNTs and the patterned hard mask as an etching mask to form metal features.

A semiconductor device includes a first conductive pattern at an upper portion of a first insulating interlayer on a first substrate, a first plurality of conductive nanotubes (CNTs) extending vertically, a second conductive pattern at a lower portion of a second insulating interlayer beneath a second substrate, and a second plurality of CNTs extending vertically. A lower surface of the second insulating interlayer contacts an upper surface of the first insulating interlayer. At least a portion of a sidewall of each of the first plurality of CNTs is covered by the first conductive pattern, and at least a portion of a sidewall of each of the second plurality of CNTs is covered by the second conductive pattern. The first and second conductive patterns vertically face each other, and at least one of the first plurality of CNTs and at least one of the second plurality of CNTs contact each other.