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A simple theoretical approach to designing nanotube‐based sensors
Author(s) -
Rocha C. G.,
Ferreira M. S.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.201046015
Subject(s) - nanotube , sensitivity (control systems) , impurity , inverse , computer science , formalism (music) , nanotechnology , materials science , doping , physics , carbon nanotube , electronic engineering , optoelectronics , mathematics , quantum mechanics , engineering , musical , geometry , art , visual arts
Nanotube‐based sensors are high‐sensitivity devices that can probe a number of nano‐sized impurities through doping‐induced variations in their conductivity. One key question for designing efficient sensors is to establish which impurity/nanotube combination will generate maximum sensitivity. Standard ways for selecting a good nanotube/impurity combination consists of an ad hoc approach that involves sifting through an immense universe of possibilities. This trial‐and‐error approach, despite being time‐consuming and computationally demanding, does not necessarily result in sensitivity optimization. A mathematically transparent theoretical formalism was adopted to introduce an inverse way of thinking about the nanotube/impurity combination by establishing a set of characteristics these components must have to generate high sensitivity devices. In this way guidelines were generated that can narrow the search for the ideal components of nanotube‐based sensors. We illustrate this method with a few examples of nanotubes doped with a different single‐atom impurities.