Towards nanodevice fabrication: Joining and connecting single-walled carbon nanotubes

Terrones, Mauricio;Charlier, Jean-Christophe;Banhart, F.;Grobert, N.;Ajayan, P.M.;et.al.
(2002) New Diamond and Frontier Carbon Technology : an international journal on newdiamond, frontier carbon and related materials — Vol. 12, n° 5, p. 315-323 (2002)

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  • Terrones, MauricioUCLouvain
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  • Charlier, Jean-Christopheorcid-logoUCLouvain
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  • Banhart, F.
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  • Grobert, N.
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  • Terrones, HumbertoUCLouvain
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  • Ajayan, P.M.
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Abstract
Using state-of-the-art electron microscopy, we demonstrate that high-energy electron irradiation at elevated temperatures (700-800degreesC) results in the molecular merging of adjacent single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) via a zipper-like mechanism. In order to elucidate this coalescence process, we perform tight-binding molecular dynamics (TBMD) calculations at 1000degreesC. These simulations indicate that only a few vacancies (generated experimentally by knock-on effects on the tube surfaces) between two adjacent tubes of the same chirality trigger tube coalescence via a zipper-like mechanism. We further demonstrate theoretically that two crossing tubes containing a limited number of vacancies (dangling bonds) connect molecularly at 1000degreesC, resulting in the creation of an "X" molecular nanotube junction. Along this line, we propose a method for creating novel nanotube "X" and "Y" junctions, which could be developed in the fabrication of nanotube heterojunctions, robust composites, contacts, nanocircuits and strong 3D composites using SWNTs.
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Terrones, M., Charlier, J.-C., Banhart, F., Grobert, N., Terrones, H., & Ajayan, P. M. (2002). Towards nanodevice fabrication: Joining and connecting single-walled carbon nanotubes. New Diamond and Frontier Carbon Technology : an international journal on newdiamond, frontier carbon and related materials, 12(5), 315-323. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/247254 (Original work published 2002)