Single-Electron Transport in Ropes of Carbon Nanotubes

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 275; no. 5308; pp. 1922 - 1925
• Main Authors: Bockrath, Marc, Cobden, David H., McEuen, Paul L., Chopra, Nasreen G., Zettl, A., Thess, Andreas, Smalley, R. E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 28.03.1997; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Capacitance; Carbon; Carbon nanotubes; Electric potential; Electron transport; Electronics; Electrons; Energy; Energy levels; Exact sciences and technology; Geometry; Lead; Low temperature; Measurement; Miscellaneous; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes; Negative Attitudes; Physics; Preprints; Resonant tunneling; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Resonant tunnel effect; Tube; Single electron device; Experimental study; Carbon; Nanotechnology; Electrical characteristic
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.275.5308.1922

The electrical properties of individual bundles, or "ropes," of single-walled carbon nanotubes have been measured. Below about 10 kelvin, the low-bias conductance was suppressed for voltages less than a few millivolts. In addition, dramatic peaks were observed in the conductance as a function of a gate voltage that modulated the number of electrons in the rope. These results are interpreted in terms of single-electron charging and resonant tunneling through the quantized energy levels of the nanotubes composing the rope.