Deterministic manipulation of carbon nanotubes for optical devices

Abstract

When device scaling reaches the limit imposed by atoms, technology based on atomically precise structures is expected to emerge. In this technology, the assembly of building blocks with identified atomic arrangements without contamination plays a key role. We propose a transfer technique for deterministic fabrication of carbon-nanotube-based optical devices. By using single-crystalline anthracene as a medium, which can form large-area thin films, clean nanotubes are placed on a wide range of substrates. Under in-situ optical monitoring, nanotubes of desired chirality can be placed onto the desired location with sub-micron accuracy. This paper introduces the details of the transfer technique, followed by a few examples of the deterministic construction of heterostructures consisting of nanotubes with defined atomic arrangements and other nanomaterials/nanostructures.