Modification of Electronic Structures of a Carbon Nanotube by Hydrogen Functionalization

A rigorous method to engineer the electronic structure of carbon nanotubes from metallic to semiconducting is reported (see inside front cover). An intramolecular junction in carbon nanotube is fabricated, where half of the nanotube is masked by a silicon oxide thin film. Functionalization of the nanotube by atomic hydrogen leads to the formation of an intramolecular junction, resulting in clear rectifying behavior at room temperature. This represents an important step towards the practical realization of nanotube‐based nanotransistors.