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Robust methods for transferring vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) bundles into through-silicon vias (TSVs) are needed since CNT growth is not compatible with complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology due to the temperature needed for growing high-quality CNTs (∼700°C). Previous methods are either too complicated or not robust enough, thereby offering too low yields. Here, a facile transfer method using tape at room temperature is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Three different kinds of tape, viz. thermal release tape, Teflon tape, and Scotch tape, were applied as the medium for CNT transfer. The CNT bundle was adhered to the tape through a flip-chip bonder, and the influence of the bonding process on the transfer results was investigated. Two-inch wafer-scale transfer of CNT bundles was realized with yields up to 97% demonstrated. After transfer, the use of several different polymers was explored for filling the gap between the transferred CNT bundle and the sidewalls of the TSV openings to improve the filling performance. The current–voltage characteristic of the CNT TSVs indicated good electrical performance, and by measuring the via resistance as a function of via thickness, contact resistances could be eliminated and an intrinsic CNT resistivity of 1.80 mΩ cm found.

Micro-photoluminescence (μ-PL) line scanning across a single V-groove, GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wire (QWR) has been performed at room temperature, revealing a clear spatial-dependence of the PL. After fitting each PL spectrum by multi-Gaussian line shapes, intensity profiles of each PL component from confined structures have been obtained as functions of the scanning position. The PL quenching of a side-wall quantum well (SQWL) has been recognized in a certain area in the vicinity of the QWR and is interpreted by carrier transfer into the QWR within effective transfer length. By simulating the carrier-transfer process from SQWL to QWR as a convolution of a step function for carrier distribution and a Gaussian function for exciting laser irradiance, the effective transfer length of about 1.8±0.3 µm has, therefore, been concluded.

The dc electric conductance of isotropically conductive adhesive (ICA) was studied. Assuming completely random distribution of the metal fillers in the ICA, it was demonstrated that the percolation volume percentage of the metal fillers can be significantly reduced by adding nano-size fillers (nanofillers) into the system originally containing only micro-size fillers (microfillers). However experiments show that, due to the surface tensions, nanofillers tend to gather around microfillers as well as to form clusters themselves so the resistivity of the ICA increases following the increase of the nanofillers' volume percentage. In the present work, these cluster effects are investigated by simulating the detailed random walks of the nanofillers and microfillers in the system It is concluded that the cluster effects of the nanofillers deteriorate the electric conductivity of the ICA because the microfillers separate from each other so that it is more difficult to form the electrical conduction path in the ICA.