The circuit paradigm in nanoelectronics - field-coupled and hybrid nanoelectronic circuits

The case studies presented in this paper show the efforts and call the attention on the difficulties of metal wiring in nanoelectronics. Metal wired nanoelectronic circuits suffer from a basic limitation. Nanodevices and wires are different in nature. In this paper, an alternative approach is reviewed. Nanodevices can be connected not only with (i) wires, but they can be coupled with electromagnetic fields between neighboring devices as well, with (ii) Coulomb forces between charges, with (iii) magnetic forces between magnets, and also with (iv) electromagnetic radiation between "nano-antennas." We are referring to circuits coupled according to (ii), (iii) and (iv) as "field-coupled nanoelectronic circuits." Recently circuits have been proposed and demonstrated composed of filed-coupled nano-scale devices and sub-circuits embedded in microelectronic environment. To interface the two worlds of different scales, special, so called "hybrid," devices are needed. Nanoelectronic devices embedded in microelectronic systems is referred as "hybrid nanoelectronic circuits." In this paper, we review the application of the circuit paradigm to field-coupled nanoelectronic and hybrid micro-nano circuits.