Electrical conductivity of low -dimensional nanostructures.

Abstract

The electrical conductivity of various low-dimensional nanostructures is discussed on the basis of direct measurements using multi probe scanning tunneling microscopes (MPSTMs), in which two, three or four probes can be operated independently. The low-dimensional nanostructures include 1) one-dimensional single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), metal nanowires and single polymer chains, 2) two-dimensional polymer films and polymerized fullerene (C₆₀) films and 3) zero-dimensional metal-metal point contacts through an organic thin film. For a SWCNT and a metal nanowire, we have succeeded in directly measuring the electron mean free paths using the MPSTMs.