Controlled fabrication of single-walled carbon nanotube electrodes by electron-beam-induced oxidation

The fabrication of metallic single-walled carbon nanotube electrodes separated by gaps of typically 20 nm width by electron-beam-induced oxidation is studied within an active device configuration. The tube conductance is measured continuously during the process. The experiment provides a statistical evaluation of gap sizes as well as the electron dose needed for gap formation. Also, the ability to precisely cut many carbon nanotubes in parallel is demonstrated. To show the practicality of the approach, devices of different scales were fabricated using sorted carbon nanotubes and dielectrophoretic deposition.