Carbon nanotube-based electronic devices made by electrolytic deposition and applications thereof

Abstract

Carbon nanotube-based devices made by electrolytic deposition and applications thereof are provided. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a device comprising at least one array of active carbon nanotube junctions deposited on at least one microelectronic substrate. In another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a device comprising a substrate, at least one pair of electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein one or more pairs of electrodes are connected to a power source, and a bundle of carbon nanotubes disposed between the at least one pair of electrodes wherein the bundle of carbon nanotubes consist essentially of semiconductive carbon nanotubes. In another preferred embodiment, a semiconducting device formed by electrodeposition of carbon nanotubes between two electrodes is provided. The invention also provides preferred methods of forming a semiconductive device by applying a bias voltage to a carbon nanotube rope. The plurality of metallic single-wall carbon nanotubes are removed (e.g., by application of bias voltage) in an amount sufficient to form the semiconducting device. The devices of the invention include, but not limited to, chemical or biological sensors, carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNFETs), tunnel junctions, Schottky junctions, and multi-dimensional nanotube arrays.

1 . A semiconducting device formed by electrodeposition of a bundle carbon nanotubes between two electrodes.  
     
     
         2 . A semiconducting device, comprising: 
 a substrate;    at least one pair of electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein one or more pairs of electrodes are connected to a power source; and    a bundle of carbon nanotubes disposed between the at least one pair of electrodes wherein said bundle consists essentially of semiconductive carbon nanotubes.    
     
     
         3 . A semiconducting device, comprising: 
 a substrate;    at least one pair of electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein one or more pairs of electrodes are connected to a power source; and    a bundle of carbon nanotubes disposed between the at least one pair of electrodes wherein said bundle consists of one or more semiconductive carbon nanotubes and one or more electrically isolated metallic carbon nanotubes.    
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said bundle comprises at least one or more carbon nanotubes.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein said bundle comprises at least one or more carbon nanotubes.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein said bundle comprises at least one or more carbon nanotubes.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the bundle of carbon nanotubes is formed by electrolytic deposition.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the bundle of carbon nanotubes is formed by electrolytic deposition.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the bundle comprises a first carbon nanotube bundle contacting a second carbon nanotube bundle.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the first carbon nanotube bundle is disposed at an angle relative to the second carbon nanotube bundle.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein a semiconducting junction is formed at the point of contact between the first carbon nanotube bundle and the second carbon nanotube bundle.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein at least one carbon nanotube bundle comprises one or more carbon nanotube semiconducting junctions which form one or more of semiconducting devices.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the bundle is functionalized with one or more biological or chemical materials.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the bundle is functionalized with one or more biological or chemical materials.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the bundle is functionalized with one or more biological or chemical materials.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a photosensor, a biological sensor, a chemical sensor, a carbon-nanotube field-effect transistor, and a multidimensional array of carbon nanotube semiconducting junctions.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a photosensor, a biological sensor, a chemical sensor, a carbon-nanotube field-effect transistor, and a multidimensional array of carbon nanotube semiconducting junctions.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a photosensor, a biological sensor, a chemical sensor, a carbon-nanotube field-effect transistor, and a multidimensional array of carbon nanotube semiconducting junctions.  
     
     
         19 . A device comprising at least one array of two or more carbon nanotube semiconducting junctions deposited on at least one microelectronic substrate.  
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a substrate comprising two electrodes wherein the two electrodes are connected to a power supply;    providing a solvent comprising a plurality of semiconducting carbon nanotubes and a plurality of metallic carbon nanotubes;    submersing the substrate in the solvent wherein the plurality of semiconducting carbon nanotubes and plurality of metallic carbon nanotubes form a carbon nanotube bundle disposed between the two electrodes; and    ramping a bias voltage across the two electrodes wherein the ramping of the bias voltage removes the plurality of metallic carbon nanotubes in an amount sufficient to form the semiconducting device.