Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) are often used as electrodes in nanoscale electromechanical devices. These devices can be transformed into single molecule detectors by creating a deliberate gap in the nanotube. When single molecules in solution bridge this gap, they complete a circuit, and are detected. This detection technique is useful for many research applications; however, manufacturing these devices is inherently difficult. This technology outlines a robust fabrication process designed to create single-molecule-length breaks in a carbon nanotube. This is achieved via a self-aligning process that places a mask with a small gap above the nanotube, and cuts the tube using an oxygen plasma. The resulting gap can then be part of a molecular electronic switch for single molecule detection.
Current fabrication methods for molecular SWNT devices are tedious and time-consuming. Imperfect carbon nanotube gaps can lead to a decrease in detection sensitivity. This technology's self-aligning process allows the nanogap to be created reliably and reproducibly. This robust process yields highly uniform nanogaps of fewer than 10 nanometers, and was proven reliable over hundreds of devices.
This nanogap fabrication process has been demonstrated in the lab of Dr. Wind.
Patent Pending (US 20110268884)
Available for licensing and sponsored research support
Tech Ventures Reference: IR M10-060