US PAtent 7321097 - Vertical nanotube electronic component

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7321097.html

Infineon already holds several of the basic patents to nanowire FETs (see for example US 6,740,910). This patent expands their hold on nanowire electronics by claiming a basic vertical nanotube electronic device. Claim 1 reads:

1. An electronic component, comprising: a first conductive layer; a nonconductive layer on the first conductive layer, the nonconductive layer having a hole through the nonconductive layer; a second conductive layer on the nonconductive layer; and an electrical connection conductively connecting the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, which are electrically insulated from one another by the nonconductive layer, wherein the electrical connection is formed by at least one nanotube in the hole, the nanotube being a grown nanotube.