Single-wall carbon nanotube circuits assembled with an atomic force microscope

We have developed a method to assemble single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) circuits using a tapping mode atomic force microscope. Nanotubes can be controllably translated, rotated, cut, and placed on top of one another by varying the tip–sample force, and the tip speed. These operations let us construct complex nanotube circuits, which are contacted using electron beam lithography. We present data from a circuit of two crossed SWNT bundles. The lower bundle behaves as two quantum dots in series, separated by a tunnel barrier created at the junction. Gate voltages can tune the number of charges on each dot and the tunnel barrier transmission.