Researcher Investigates Electronic Properties of Carbon Nanotubes Published Aug. 2, 2007 By Maria Callier AFOSR Public Affairs (Quantech) ARLINGTON, Va. -- Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded research, led by Dr. David Goldhaber-Gordon of Stanford University is creating transistors based on carbon nanotubes, ultrathin tubes of carbon a few atoms in width. According to Dr. Harold Weinstock, "Dr. Goldhaber-Gordon was chosen to give the inaugural seminar because he is one of this country's leading young scientists in the field of Condensed Matter Physics. Among other awards, he was a recipient of a Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering in 2003 under AFOSR sponsorship." Goldhaber-Gordon in discussing his research says that, "Specifically, we are creating devices in which several ultra-fine metal wires are placed on top of a carbon nanotube to locally deplete electrons and create barriers for electron flow. Measuring electron flow across these barriers then reveals important information about the nature of electronic transport in one dimension." The team is employing chemical vapor deposition, electron beam lithography, and atomic force microscopy to create nanotube devices. They conduct measurements at very low temperatures, just about two hundredths of one degree above absolute zero. "This low temperature work helps clarify the basic science of electron flow in these systems, but we also study how behavior changes with temperature, all the way up to room temperature," he said. Carbon nanotubes will play a prominent role in the future of electronics, due to their exceptionally high electrical conductivity. "Our research focuses on understanding the role of quantum mechanics in shaping electron flow in carbon nanotubes. Such an understanding will be essential in reaching the ultimate limits of device miniaturization. In addition to allowing manufacturers to pack more and more switches onto a single chip, device miniaturization via carbon nanotubes may help reduce power consumption and heat dissipation in these devices, critical issues for many Air Force platforms, from manned fighter planes to autonomous drones," Dr. Goldhaber-Gordon said. The research team's next steps are to study how electrons react to a possible barrier in a one-dimensional wire. There's been much speculation about that topic, but very few experiments until now. By funding research programs like the carbon nanotube electronics program, AFOSR continues to expand the horizon of scientific knowledge through its leadership and management of the Air Force's basic research program. As a vital component of the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFOSR supports the Air Force mission of control and maximum utilization of air and space. Many of the technological breakthroughs enjoyed by millions today, such as lasers, GPS, and the computer mouse trace their scientific roots, in whole or in part, to research first funded by AFOSR.