Room-temperature tunneling behavior of boron nitride nanotubes functionalized with gold quantum dots

Abstract

One-dimensional arrays of gold quantum dots (QDs) on insulating boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) can form conduction channels of tunneling field-effect transistors. We demonstrate that tunneling currents can be modulated at room temperature by tuning the lengths of QD-BNNTs and the gate potentials. Our discovery will inspire the creative use of nanostructured metals and insulators for future electronic devices. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.