Three-terminal carbon nanotube junctions: Current-voltage characteristics

A T-type three-terminal junction made of two as-grown semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes was fabricated with two electrodes attached to each terminal. It is found that the symmetric current-voltage characteristic along one nanotube can be turned to asymmetric by applying a voltage to the second nanotube acting as a local gate electrode-a property that can be used to form only nanotube-based transistors and amplifiers. Our analysis shows that an asymmetric geometry is essential for devices of this kind to exhibit such a function. More significant rectification behavior has also been observed across the end-bulk junction of the two nanotubes in the presence of a negative backgate voltage.