Robustness of nanotube electronic transport to conformational deformations

Abstract
We present experimental observation and theoretical analysis of looping carbon nanotubes connecting two electrodes. The measured conductance of the nanotubes is not strongly affected by the presence of these conformational defects, a result that is confirmed by quantum transport calculations. Our work indicates that solution-based fabrication methods for carbon nanotubedevices can have high conformational defect tolerance, except for defects with 5 – 10 nanometer bending radius.