Novel electrical switching behaviour and logic in carbon nanotube Y-junctions

• Published in: Nature materials Vol. 4; no. 9; pp. 663 - 666
• Main Authors: Bandaru, P. R, Daraio, C, Jin, S, Rao, A. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 01.09.2005
• Subjects: Carbon; Crystallization - methods; Electrochemistry - instrumentation; Electrochemistry - methods; Electronics - instrumentation; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology - instrumentation; Nanotechnology - methods; Nanotubes, Carbon - chemistry; Semiconductors; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted - instrumentation; Silicon; Topology
• ISSN: 1476-1122; 1476-4660
• DOI: 10.1038/nmat1450

Carbon-nanotube-based electronics offers significant potential as a nanoscale alternative to silicon-based devices for molecular electronics technologies. Here, we show evidence for a dramatic electrical switching behaviour in a Y-junction carbon-nanotube morphology. We observe an abrupt modulation of the current from an on- to an off-state, presumably mediated by defects and the topology of the junction. The mutual interaction of the electron currents in the three branches of the Y-junction is shown to be the basis for a potentially new logic device. This is the first time that such switching and logic functionalities have been experimentally demonstrated in Y-junction nanotubes without the need for an external gate. A class of nanoelectronic architecture and functionality, which extends well beyond conventional field-effect transistor technologies, is now possible.