Low ambient temperature CVD growth of carbon nanotubes

We show that good quality single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes can be grown on CMOS-compatible metal electrodes at ambient room temperature using highly localised catalyst heating at nanostructured electrodes. The method is relatively straightforward and allows considerable flexibility in the kinds of devices that can be fabricated as well as allowing CVD nanotube growth to take place in the close vicinity of temperature-sensitive materials and devices. PACS 81.07.-b; 81.07.De     

Scalable bottom‐up assembly of suspended carbon nanotube and graphene devices by dielectrophoresis

Bottom‐up assembly by dielectrophoresis (DEP) has emerged in recent years as a viable alternative to conventional top–down fabrication of electronic devices from nanomaterials, particularly carbon nanotubes and graphene. Here, we demonstrate how this technique can be extended to fabricate devices containing carbon nanotubes and graphene suspended between two electrodes over a back‐gate electrode. The suspended device geometry is critical for the development of nano‐electromechanical devices and to extract maximum performance out of electronic and optoelectronic devices. This technique allows for parallel assembly of devices over large scale. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Selective growth of single-wall carbon nanotubes and the fabrication of devices on their basis

Single-wall carbon nanotubes were synthesized on specified parts of oxidized silicon substrates by single acetylene burst CVD and studied with high-resolution scanning electron and scanning probe micro-scopes. The resistance of individual nanotubes and nanotube series was measured using devices fabricated by the deposition of Pd and Pd/Al electrodes on the obtained single-wall nanotubes. The contact potential difference between Pd electrodes and carbon nanotubes was measured in the Kelvin mode of a scanning probe microscope.     

Transparent carbon nanotube-based driving electrodes for liquid crystal dispersion display devices

We report the fabrication of transparent rigid or flexible liquid crystal dispersion displays driven by electrodes prepared from coating inert substrates with stable aqueous suspensions of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) or multiple-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). The SWNT-coated electrodes exhibit a dense nanotube network with a sheet resistivity ( 25 k) about one decade lower than that of their MWNT counterparts. The electro-optical performance of the SWNT-based devices is at least equivalent to that of an indium tin oxide-based display, whereas those driven by MWNT electrodes operate at slightly higher threshold and saturation voltages. The novel, flexible display devices can be repeatedly bent without any noticeable loss of physical characteristics. PACS 42.79.Kr; 61.46.+w; 81.07.De     

Electrical transport measurements on single-walled carbon nanotubes

We review transport measurements on single-walled carbon nanotubes contacted by metal electrodes. At room temperature some devices show transistor action similar to that of p-channel field effect transistors, while others behave as gate-voltage independent wires. At low temperatures transport is usually dominated by Coulomb blockade. In this regime the quantum eigenstates of the finite-length tubes can be studied. At higher temperatures power law behaviour is observed for the temperature and bias dependence of the conductance. This is consistent with tunneling into a one-dimensional Luttinger liquid in a nanotube. We also discuss recent developments in contacting nanotubes which should soon allow study of their intrinsic transport properties. Received: 17 May 1999 / Accepted 18 May 1999 / Published online: 4 August 1999     

Carbon nanotube based bolometer

The contacts of single carbon nanotubes and bundles of carbon nanotubes with superconducting and metallic electrodes are investigated in order to create bolometers and electron coolers. Tunneling contacts of the carbon nanotubes with aluminum electrodes are obtained. The current-voltage characteristics of junctions are analyzed for temperatures from room temperature to 300 mK. The resistance of individual nanotubes is primarily determined by defects and is too large for applications. The use of the bundles of carbon nanotubes makes it possible to considerably reduce the resistance of the bolometer, which is determined by a small number of conducting tubes with good tunneling contacts with the electrodes. The energy gap is equal to hundreds and tens of millivolt in the former and latter cases, respectively. Structures containing bundles of carbon nanotubes can be described in a model with a Schottky barrier. The samples with bundles of carbon nanotubes exhibit the bolometric response to external high-frequency radiation at a frequency of 110 GHz with an amplitude up to 100 μV and a temperature voltage response to 0.4 mV/K.     

Fabrication of a carbon nanotube device using a patterned electrode and a local electric field

Suspensions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and organic solvent were dropped onto a substrate which had patterned electrodes while applying a DC voltage between the electrodes. Both multiwall and single-wall (SW) CNTs were purified from the mixture of CNTs and the undesirable particles of carbon when the solvent dichloromethane was used at high temperature. It is found that a SW CNT bridges the gap of the electrodes. This enables us to fabricate CNT devices at a controlled position.     

Binder-free composite electrodes using carbon nanotube networks as a host matrix for activated carbon microparticles

In this research, networks of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were used to host activated carbon (aC) microparticles to fabricate freestanding composite electrodes without the use of polymer binders. The aC-SWNT composite electrodes with up to 50 wt. % aC showed specific surface areas approaching 1000 m²/g and electrical conductivities >36 S/cm. The composite electrodes possessed the properties of both pure SWNT electrodes (e.g. low ohmic drop and rapid ion diffusion) and activated carbon particles (e.g. high specific capacitance). With an interconnected mesoporous microstructure and high electrical conductivity, the CNT networks provide an attractive alternative to polymer binders for forming freestanding electrodes for electrical energy storage devices. Here we show that micron-sized particles can be supported in this framework to utilize the performance enhancement and robustness provided by CNTs. Symmetric electrochemical capacitors fabricated with the electrodes in 6 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) aqueous electrolyte maintained specific capacitances of more than 45 F/g after 30,000 constant-current charge–discharge cycles with a current of 3.6 mA/cm².     

Ab initio study of transport properties of an all-carbon molecular switch based on C20 molecule

Choosing closed-ended armchair (5, 5) single-wall carbon nanotubes (CCNTs) as electrodes, we have investigated the electron transport properties across a carbon molecular junction consisting of a C₂₀ molecule sandwiched between two semi-infinite carbon nanotubes. It is shown that the Landauer conductance of this carbon hybrid system can be tuned within several orders of magnitude not only by varying the tube-C₂₀ distance, but more importantly by changing the orientation of the C₂₀ molecule and rotating the C₂₀ molecule or one of the tubes around the symmetry axis of the system at fixed distances. This fact could make this all-carbon molecular system a possible candidate for a nano-electronic switching device. Moreover, our study also reveals that molecular configuration selection and structural relaxation would play an important role in the design of such devices.      

Investigation on the electronic transport properties of MgS nanotube based molecular devices – a first-principles study

The electronic transport properties of pure MgS nanotube based molecular devices, Mn-substituted nanotubes and Se-substituted nanotubes are investigated using density functional theory. The state of the art of this work is to study the transport properties of MgS nanotubes with substitution impurities across electrodes. The electronic transport properties are discussed in terms of device density of states and transmission spectrum of MgS nanotubes. The effects of Mn substitution and Se substitution in nanotubes are studied. The major contribution to density of states arises only from p orbitals in MgS nanotubes. The substitution effect and bias voltages also have influence in the density of states. The transmission spectrum provides information about the transmission of electrons along the nanotube. The information provided in this work gives a clear vision to fine-tune MgS nanostructures with improved transport property in nanoelectronic device fabrication.     

Four-point resistance of individual single-wall carbon nanotubes

We have studied the resistance of single-wall carbon nanotubes measured in a four-point configuration with noninvasive voltage electrodes. The voltage drop is detected using multiwalled carbon nanotubes while the current is injected through nanofabricated Au electrodes. The resistance at room temperature is shown to be linear with the length as expected for a classical resistor. This changes at cryogenic temperature; the four-point resistance then depends on the resistance at the Au-tube interfaces and can even become negative due to quantum-interference effects.     

温控/光控片上纳米裂结

由于分子尺寸小、可化学合成、与生物组织兼容等显著优点,以有机小分子为核心的单分子器件引起了人们的广泛关注,单分子器件有望成为硅基电子器件的一个重要的互补发展方向。已报道构筑单分子电子回路的大部分方法程序繁琐,且无法在平面基底上实时调控电极间的间距。这项工作采用机械切割结合电化学腐蚀的方法来制作纳米电极,通过控制施加在阴极和阳极之间的电压,并实时监测通过被腐蚀的金线的电流的大小,可以获得针尖状与分子大小匹配的纳米电极。进一步利用热胀冷缩的原理,采用比金的热膨胀系数小很多的材料作为基底,实现了环境温度对电极间距离的调控,即通过改变环境温度实现了可重复操作的电极间的连接及断开。在此温控基础之上,进一步实现了利用光强更为地精密调控电极间的距离,调控的精度可以达到原子级别。实验结果表明,我们制作的温控/光控片上纳米电极无需借助高精尖仪器,就可以实现对电极之间的距离的精密控制,其平面基底构型,为单分子电子器件的研究提供了有助于片上器件集成的新方法。     

First-principles calculations of contact effect on quantum transport in carbon nanotubes

We report first-principles calculations of conductance of carbon nanotubes between metallic electrodes. The electronic states are calculated using a numerical atomic orbital basis set in the framework of the density functional theory, and the conductance is calculated using the Green's function method. We show transmission spectra of carbon nanotubes connected to electrodes and reveal the contact effect of electrodes on the transport properties of nanotubes.     

Energy band and band-gap properties of deformed single-walled silicon nanotubes

The fantastic physical properties of single-walled silicon nanotubes (SWSiNTs) under mechanical strain make them promising materials for fabricating nanoscale electronic devices or transducers. Here we investigate the energy band and band-gap properties of the SWSiNTs calculated from the tight-binding model approximation. The results show that the band-gap properties are very sensitive to the deformation degree and the helicity of the SWSiNTs. The results can be employed to guide the design of nanoelectronic devices based on silicon nanotubes.     

Immobilization of redox mediators on functionalized carbon nanotube: A material for chemical sensor fabrication and amperometric determination of hydrogen peroxide

Chemical functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes with redox mediators, namely, toluidine blue and thionin have been carried out and the performance of graphite electrode modified with functionalized carbon nanotubes is described. Mechanical immobilization of functionalized single-walled nanotube (SWNT) on graphite electrode was achieved by gently rubbing the electrode surface on carbon nanotubes supported on a glass slide. The electrochemical behaviour of the modified electrodes was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The SWNT-modified electrodes showed excellent electrocatalytic effect for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. A decrease in overvoltage was observed as well as an enhanced peak current compared to a bare graphite electrode for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. The catalytic current was found to be directly proportional to the amount of hydrogen peroxide taken.     

Towards molecular-scale electronics and biomolecular self-assembly

This paper provides an overview of recent research developments in the field of nanoelectronics with organic materials such as carbon nanotubes and DNA-templated nanowires. Carbon nanotubes and gold electrodes are chemically functionalized in order to contact carbon nanotubes by self-assembly. The transport properties of these nanotubes are dominated by charging effects and display clear Coulomb blockade behaviour. A different approach towards nanoscale electronics is based on the molecular recognition properties of biomolecules such as DNA. As an example, DNA is stretched between electrodes using a molecular combing technique. A two-step metallization procedure leads to the formation of highly conductive gold nanowires.     

Magnetism in transition-metal-doped silicon nanotubes

Using first-principles density functional calculations, we show that hexagonal metallic silicon nanotubes can be stabilized by doping with 3d transition metal atoms. Finite nanotubes doped with Fe and Mn have high local magnetic moments, whereas Co-doped nanotubes have low values and Ni-doped nanotubes are mostly nonmagnetic. The infinite Si24Fe4 nanotube is found to be ferromagnetic with nearly the same local magnetic moment on each Fe atom as in bulk iron. Mn-doped nanotubes are antiferromagnetic, but a ferrromagnetic state lies only 0.03 eV higher in energy with a gap in the majority spin bands near the Fermi energy. These materials are interesting for silicon-based spintronic devices and other nanoscale magnetic applications.     

Energy band and band-gap properties of deformed single-walled silicon nanotubes

The fantastic physical properties of single-walled silicon nanotubes (SWSiNTs) under mechanical strain make them promising materials for fabricating nanoscale electronic devices or transducers. Here we investigate the energy band and band-gap properties of the SWSiNTs calculated from the tight-binding model approximation. The results show that the band-gap properties are very sensitive to the deformation degree and the helicity of the SWSiNTs. The results can be employed to guide the design of nanoelectronic devices based on silicon nanotubes.     

Flexible Graphene‐, Graphene‐Oxide‐, and Carbon‐Nanotube‐Based Supercapacitors and Batteries

Flexible energy‐storage devices increasingly attract attention owing to their advantages of providing lightweight, portable, wearable, or implantable capabilities. Many efforts are made to explore the structures and fabrication processes of flexible energy‐storage devices for commercialization. Here, the most recent advances in flexible energy‐storage devices based on graphene, graphene oxide (GO), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), are described, including flexible supercapacitors and batteries. First, properties, synthesis methods, and possible applications of those carbon‐based materials are described. Then, the development of carbon‐nanotube‐based flexible supercapacitors, graphene/graphene‐oxide‐based flexible supercapacitors, and graphene‐ and carbon‐nanotube‐based flexible battery electrodes are discussed. Finally, the future trends and perspectives in the development of flexible energy‐storage devices are highlighted.     

Doped carbon nanotubes as quantum memory devices

Based on the given analysis of the phonon spectrum of single-walled carbon nanotubes, it was suggested that tubes doped with foreign atoms be used as quantum memory devices. The longer decoherence time in such devices is accounted for by the suppression of phonon transition due to a gap observed in the phonon spectrum of carbon nanotubes.