A Nanoelectronic Device Based on Endofullerene Peapod: Model Schematics and Molecular Dynamics Study Jeong Won Kang * , Ki Ryang Byun * , Jun Ha Lee ** , Hoong Joo Lee ** , Ho Jung Hwang * * School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Chung-Ang University 221-1 HukSuk-Dong, DongJak-Ku, Seoul 156-756, Korea, gardenriver@korea.com ** Department of Computer System Engineering, Sangmyung University ChungNam 330-720, Korea ABSTRACT We investigated a nanoelectronic device based on multi endo-fullerenes shuttle memory element based on nanopeapods using classical molecular dynamics simulations. We suggested the model schematics of endo- fullerene shuttle memory device fabrication. The endo- fullerene shuttle memory element could operate a nonvolatile nano memory device. The switching speed, the applied force field, and the active region should be considered to design the endo-fullerene shuttle memory element. Keywords: nanopepod memory device, bucky shuttle memory device, nano nonvolatile memory, endo-fullerene, molecular dynamics simulation 1 INTRODUCTION The nanospaces inside nanocapsules or nanotubes have opened various applications as storage materials with high capacity and stability. In particular, self-assembled hybrid structures called “carbon nanopeapods” have been reported [1-3]. Recently, “boron-nitride nanopeapods” were also synthesized [4]. The application of nanopeapods ranges from nanometer-sized containers of chemical reactant to data storage [5,6]. Kwon et al [5] investigated ‘bucky shuttle’ memory device, which acted as nanometer-sized memory element, using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A lot of endo-fullerenes and endo-fullerene- encapsulated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been synthesized and investigated by experimental and theoretical methods [7-11]. Several field-effect molecule- shuttle memory elements based on nanopeapods have been investigated using classical MD simulations in our previous works [12-17]. While aligned bucky shuttle structures are difficult to be in self-assembly, nanopeapods can be synthesized in the aligned structures using bundles of single-walled nanotubes. If some processes, such as endo-fullerenes intercalation control, nanolithography, nanotube etching or cutting, nanotube capping or metal fillings for electrodes, are treated appropriately to the aligned nanotubes, the aligned bucky shuttles can be synthesized. Hence molecule-shuttle memory devices based on nanopeapods have been expected to bee realized by nanoscience and nanotechnology. This paper, using classical MD simulations, shows model schematics and probability of the molecule-shuttle electronic devices based on endo-fullerene nanopeapods. Figure 1. Model schematics of nano-memory-element based on nanopeapod. (a) The gate electrode is fabricated on the substrate covered with SiO 2 thin film; then nanopeapods are deposited on the SiO 2 thin film. (b) SiO 2 film growth on the surface. (c) A part of the nanopeapod is exposed by the SiO 2 removal process. (d) The exposed region of the nanopeapod is removed by the carbon etching processes. (e) Using the endo-fullerene electroemission process, some endo-fullerenes are emitted from the nanopeapod under the gate bias. (f) The electrode to detect the current impulse is deposited in the etched SiO 2 region. (g) The cut side view of the final structure. 2 MODEL SCHEMATICS Figure 1 shows the model schematics of endo-fullerene shuttle memory device fabrication. The gate electrode is fabricated on the substrate covered with SiO 2 thin film; then nanopeapods are deposited on the SiO 2 thin film shown in Fig. 1(a). After the nanopeapod deposition, as Fig. 1(b) shows, SiO 2 film is grown on the structure of Fig. 1(a). On the opposite side of the nanopeapod for the gate electrode along the tube axis, the SiO 2 etching process is achieved NSTI-Nanotech 2005, www.nsti.org, ISBN 0-9767985-1-4 Vol. 2, 2005 293