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Introduction to Nanotechnology

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5.4. CARBON NANOTUBES 11 9<br />

investigate the electronic structure of carbon nanotubes. In this measurement the<br />

position of the STM tip is fixed above the nanotube, and the voltage V between the<br />

tip and the sample is swept while the tunneling current Z is moni<strong>to</strong>red. The measured<br />

conductance G = I/ Vis a direct measure of the local electronic density of states. The<br />

density of states, discussed in more detail in Chapter 2, is a measure of how close<br />

<strong>to</strong>gether the energy levels are <strong>to</strong> each other. Figure 5.16 gives the STM data plotted<br />

as the differential conductance, which is (dI/dV',)/(I/ V',), versus the applied voltage<br />

between the tip and carbon nanotube. The data show clearly the energy gap in<br />

materials at voltages where very little current is observed. The voltage width of this<br />

region measures the gap, which for the semiconducting material shown on the<br />

bot<strong>to</strong>m of Fig. 5.16 is 0.7 eV<br />

W<br />

0<br />

z<br />

s<br />

I I I I I<br />

VOLTAGE (V)<br />

VOLTAGE (V)<br />

Figure 5.16. Plot of differential conductance (d//dV)(//<br />

V) obtained from scanning tunneling<br />

microscope measurements of the tunneling current of metallic (<strong>to</strong>p figure) and semiconducting<br />

(bot<strong>to</strong>m figure) nanotubes. [With permission from C. Dekker, fhys. Today 22 (May 1999).]

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