Terascale integration via a redesign of the crossbar based on a vertical arrangement of poly-Si nanowires

The race of integrated-circuit technology towards high bit density has already brought transistor densities of the order of 10(9) cm(-2), while keeping conventional circuit layouts. Crossbar structures are widely believed to meet the requirements of high bit density along with sustainable interconnection complexity avoiding the dramatic cost increase of the manufacturing facilities required by advanced lithography. In this work we demonstrate the possibility of producing poly-Si nanowires preserving bulk electrical properties that are nonetheless so dense as to allow cross-point density in excess of 10(11) cm(-2). This result could be achieved by organizing silicon nanowires in nearly vertical arrays.