Charge transfer control by gate voltage in crossed nanotube junction

Abstract
We report the control of charge transfer between two crossed multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in a flash-memory-device configuration. An upper MWNT was used as the current channel and a second MWNT was used as the floating node underneath the channel MWNT. In this device, the source-drain current showed a clear hysteresis loop in a cyclic scan of gate voltage below 40 K. This hysteresis loop was caused by charging and discharging in the floating MWNT, and the resistance of the channel MWNT was switched between high and low. This hysteresis loop indicates that the controllable charges transferred between the two crossed MWNTs are detectable during a resistance change due to the Coulomb potential.