Physics of carbon nanotube electronic devices

TLDR

Carbon nanotubes are one‑dimensional, atomically precise nanostructures that exhibit metallic or semiconducting behavior and hold promise for future all‑carbon electronics. CNTs have been employed to construct prototype nanodevices such as metallic wires, field‑effect transistors, electromechanical sensors, and displays.

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are amongst the most explored one-dimensional nanostructures and have attracted tremendous interest from fundamental science and technological perspectives. Albeit topologically simple, they exhibit a rich variety of intriguing electronic properties, such as metallic and semiconducting behaviour. Furthermore, these structures are atomically precise, meaning that each carbon atom is still three-fold coordinated without any dangling bonds. CNTs have been used in many laboratories to build prototype nanodevices. These devices include metallic wires, field-effect transistors, electromechanical sensors and displays. They potentially form the basis of future all-carbon electronics.