US Patent 7727814 - CNT solder interconnect

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7727814.html

There has been much academic work on the use of carbon nanotubes in semiconductor device design however more near-term electronic applications may involve the packaging of ICs due to high thermal conductivity of CNT material. This patent from Intel teaches one method of using CNTs in the solder interconnect of an IC package. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for interconnecting a first component and a second component comprising:

growing a plurality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a first surface of the first component such that the CNTs extend substantially perpendicular from the first surface of the first component;

introducing a passivation layer to fill the gaps between adjacent CNTs; and

soldering the CNTs to a second surface of the second component, wherein a conductive path is established between the first surface of the first component and the second surface of the second component.