Integrated circuits (IC) have reached a level where the propagation time is dominated by interconnect delay rather than the device gate delay. Physical-chemical mechanisms of degradation and failures IC also focus on the interconnect structures. Dielectrics represent the other side of the interconnection technology problems. While the frequency performance requires a low dielectric constant in intralevel and interlevel insulation, there is also a necessity to block tunneling.

Various materials have been proposed that have acceptable dielectric properties, yet absorb water, permit ion migration, and are processed with undesirable chemicals. Quasam™ avoids these problems.

The dielectric constant of undoped Quasam™ is controllable from below 2 through 10.0. Through doping, the electrical conductivity may be varied from the dielectric to semiconductor state, from about 10^-4 W×cm to 10¹⁴ W×cm. Thus IC heterostructures can be made in whole or part through selective depositions of Quasam™ compositions with appropriate dielectric constant and conductivity.

Quasam™ films are a class of quasi-amorphous carbon, comprised of graphene-like carbon within a three dimensional network of diamond-like carbon.

The interest in advanced field emission (FE) cathode materials arises from a number of applications, including field emitters for microelectronic devices, flat panel displays, high intensity electron beams for accelerators and free electron lasers, and high current density cathodes for microwave power tubes, klystrons and gyrotrons. As compared with more conventional thermionic electron sources, cold FE cathodes require no heater circuit and are capable of generating high current densities. The most common approach in concentrating electric field to crate the field induced electron emission is fabrication of metal tips using geometry dependent vapor deposition. Two important limitations of microfabricated field emitter tips are their poor reliability and stability. In large part, these limitations can be traced to the inherent chemical/thermodynamic instability of clean, highly curved surfaces. Conventional fabrication processes, combined with the usual operating conditions inevitably lead to the build up of contaminants on emitter surfaces acting as barriers for electrons resulting in formation of a large effective work function. Another problem with the tip cathodes originates from a mechanical damage of the tips by positively charged ions, which reduces the cathode lifetime.

Progress has been made with diamond and diamond-like thin films having significant current densities with quite low fields. Quasam™ represents a significant advance over conventional diamond-like carbon and demonstrates a much higher temperature stability, with a long term stability of up to 750°C, and higher for shorter durations.

This portfolio includes theoretical technology through issued and published patents. Related Quasam™ materials and other technology applications are in theoretical levels of development.