Single- and multiwalled carbon nanotube networks and bundles assembled on microelectrodes

Abstract

Dielectrophoresis is a convenient and flexible method for manipulating carbon nanotubes by the use of alternating electric fields. The method can be used for self-assembly of nanotubes on a set of microelectrodes. This paper shows bundles and nets of single- and multiwalled carbon nanotubes assembled between microelectrodes of various geometries as well IV curves recorded on the assembled nanosystems. The nets of multiwalled carbon nanotubes are suspended, while the single-walled nanotubes are lying on a surface. Carbon nanotube nets exhibit a large current-carrying capacity up to almost 4 mA with resistance of 1 to 4 kΩ, indicating that reliable electrical contacts can be formed using dielectrophoresis. This conclusion is further strengthened by the fact that the nanotubes tend to fail in intermediate regions far away from the electrodes, when subjected to currents above the maximal current capacity.