Understanding the electrical transport properties of carbon nanotubes and its metal under-layers

Carbon nanotubes have been widely studied due to its excellent electrical, thermal and mechanical properties, showing promising applications in both active and passive components in electronic devices. However, for such devices to be developed, compatibility issues for obtaining quality carbon nanotubes with suitable underlying substrates have to be understood. In this work, a technique to study the impact of each under layer on carbon nanotubes would be discussed. Vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes are grown on patterned metal trace with suitable barrier layers. In situ electrical measurement of the nanotubes using manipulators in a field emission scanning electron microscope was performed to understand the electrical transport at each interface.