Reversible metal-insulator transitions in metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes.
We report on reversible metal to insulator transitions in metallic single-walled carbon nanotube devices induced by repeated electron irradiation of a nanotube segment. The transition from a low-resistive, metallic state to a high-resistive, insulating state by 3 orders of magnitude was monitored by electron transport measurements. Application of a large voltage bias leads to a transition back to the original metallic state. Both states are stable in time, and transitions are fully reversible and reproducible. The data is evidence for a local perturbation of the nanotube electronic system by removable trapped charges in the underneath substrate and excludes structural damage of the nanotube. The result has implications for using electron-beam lithography in nanotube device fabrication.
Marquardt
Christoph W
CW
Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institut fur Nanotechnologie, D-76021 Karlsruhe, Germany. christoph.marquardt@int.fzk.de
Dehm
Simone
S
Vijayaraghavan
Aravind
A
Blatt
Sabine
S
Hennrich
Frank
F
Krupke
Ralph
R